John Kim 
August could have been one of the most pivotal months in recent memory primarily because of behind-the-scenes happenings that could have changed the entire industry. First off, the bidding war between Nike and Under Armour became very real, with both brands throwing out massive numbers and hefty promises of royalties and company equity. Jordan Brand kept very busy with the unveiling of two new signature sneakers and a plethora of Retro releases, while the news of the halt of production of Air Jordan 3s left us wondering what else would be in store to temporarily replace the icon.
Drake showed up with a barrage of PEs, adidas made #miZXflux go viral with the dope phone app, and leaks of a Supreme x Nike Sportswear collaboration only round out half of the big-time headlines that rained down us over the last four-plus weeks. Take a look back some key developments that will certainly shape the remainder of the year and the foreseeable future, and let us know which of these major headlines affected you the most.
The Nike vs. Under Armour Tug-of-war for Kevin Durant
In the end, KD chose to re-up with the Swoosh, but there was a real possibility that the OKC star would take his power to Baltimore-based Under Armour. The idea of KD at UA would’ve taken some getting used to, but it surely would have shaken the industry to the point where Under Armour would be far more recognized in basketball.
Air Jordan 3 Going On Hiatus
During a Jordan Brand event last week, it was noted by VP Dave Schecter that the Air Jordan 3 silhouette would be thrown back into the vault for an indefinite period of time. That means no more Retro 3s for a while, and that development certainly brought in some differing opinions.
Jordan Brand Unveils New Retros
Leaked photos of sneakers have always preceded official unveilings by brands, but Jordan Brand changed that last week with its two key editor previews. We got a first look at an Air Jordan 13 and Jordan Future for Holiday 2014 and an Air Jordan 10 for All-Star 2015.
Nike Zoom Vapor Tour AJ3
A surprise collaboration between Jordan Brand and Nike Tennis surfaced at the start of the U.S. Open. Taking the Zoom Vapor Tour 9.5 silhouette, Nike added some strong AJ3 elements like the Nike Air heel-tab, the lace eyelets, and much more. The connection between the two sport legends and their shoes is that Tinker Hatfield designed both of them
#miZXflux Goes Viral
The adidas Originals #miZXflux app launched on Friday, August 22nd. Needless to say, the first half of the day was fairly unproductive for most sneakerheads and tech-geeks. #miZXflux is currently available overseas and will become available for U.S. customers later this Fall.
Drake’s Air Jordan 3 PEs
Drake had a killer month with Air Jordan 3 Retro PEs; the “Drake vs. Lil’ Wayne”, the all-gold, and the third pair that took a supporting role next to Nicki Minaj’s rear comprised the August one-of-one bangers that the Canadian rap-star flaunted.
Supreme x Nike Air Force 1 High
Another partnership between street/skate brand Supreme and Nike Sportswear is in the works. They’ll move up from the last Air Force 1 collaboration to the High, with the ’94 graphics on the heel alluding to a 20th Anniversary tribute for the skateshop.
The Foamposite Officially Goes “Boot”
Foams were a popular pick for the winter months so much so that Nike decided to create an off-shoot line of Posite boots like the FoamDomes and more. Nike Sportswear channeled the inner boot identity with the triple-black and wheat Foamposites, which are a clear nod to Timberlands.
Another Legendary SB Dunk Gets The Retro Treatment
Nike SB unearthed the famous Cali Dunks and swapped them into High form. This marks the second occasion of this nature in 2014, which only has us wondering what other classic Silver/Pink/Orange box Dunks will undergo that unique twist.
Jordan Brand Leaks an Air Jordan 6 PE
Somehow, in an official Nike press release in Brazil, a PE colorway of an Air Jordan 6 Retro was unveiled. There was no real story behind the sneaker except for the fact that Tim Howard, goalie U.S. National Team, showed off a reflective-upper version of the shoe on his Instagram. The sneakers got a great response, so much so that Jordan Brand had to make an official statement regarding the exclusive nature o the shoe.
