With the launch of the Nike Basketball Elite Series, footwear designers and consumers had to re-think the conventions of a ‘basketball shoe’. In what was already was the pre-eminent line of performance footwear for the sport, the Kobe VII, LeBron 9, and Hyperdunk 2011 was elevated to unseen heights, using materials such as Kevlar and Pro Combat padding to an already high-tech package of Flywire, Hyperfuse, and other mega-lightweight shell constructions. One of the eyebrow-raising elements of the Elite Series was the retail price, which ranged from $200 (Kobe VII and Hyperdunk) to $250 (LeBron 9), but a quick disappearing act from store shelves proved that consumers were ready and willing to shell out the money for the next level of Nike Basketball sneakers. A special edition tri-tiered box set was handed out to select media and released in very limited quantity at select Nike Basketball retailers like Nike Vault as well as the House of Hoops; the box itself is a harmonius binding of carbon fiber and a shimmering metallic gold, with the Elite Series slogan reading ‘Light Like Air. Stronger Than Steel.’ on the outer face. We’ve got a detailed look at the Nike Basketball Elite Series Box Set below, so take a good look and if you’re desperate to add these to your Elite collection, see what’s available now on eBay.
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The NBA Playoffs kicked off this weekend with back-to-back days of action-packed NBA action. The first game of has proven to be the pace-maker for these seven-game series, but as teams enter play tonight, fortunes can change. The Playoffs started off on a bit of a down note, as reigning MVP Derrick Rose and rookie phenom Iman Shumpert suffered season-ending injuries that will undoubtedly change the fortunes of their teams. There were still plenty of gallant performances to note, like Chris Paul’s daring comeback, Andrew Bynum’s triple-double, and Josh Smith’s 22-and-18 – all coming during victories. For kicks, it was our first look at the Nike Basketball Elite Series, as Kobe Bryant wore his Elite VII ‘Home’ with a purple swoosh, while LeBron wore his Elite 9 with a red swoosh. Kevin Durant, who was not included in the Elite Series, wore a clean White/Blue PE of the Zoom KD IV, and the Hyperdunk 2011 Elite was worn by Nike big-men Chris Bosh and Tyson Chandler. Check out all of the NBA action from the first two nights of NBA Playoff action and stay tuned to Sneaker News for continual coverage! Photos: yahoo
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Tomorrow, Nike’s greatest basketball athletes of this generation will embark upon a no-looking-back journey with one goal in mind – gold. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Blake Griffin are all depended on by their teams to lead, and each does it in distinct ways; LeBron uses his athleticism and all-around game to get his team involved, Kobe utilizes his experience and ability to handle the pressure, while Blake will be a step further than his opponents with his unmatched energy. All three players will utilize the Nike Basketball Elite Series line of footwear, strengthened with carbon fiber, Kevlar, and Flywire. You two can join the cause by getting the entire Elite Series on your feet tomorrow, as select Nike Basketball retailers will have these high-end top-flight basketball sneakers in stock. Both the Home and Away renditions of the Nike LeBron 9 P.S. Elite, Nike Zoom Kobe VII Elite, and Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 Elite are all hitting stores tomorrow, so don’t miss out by copping your pair in-store tomorrow morning or right now on eBay.
NOTE: Nikestore will release these at 8 AM EST on Saturday, April 28th. Follow Nikestore Twitter to get the direct link at 8 AM.
Nike Zoom Kobe VII Elite ($200)
Black/Metallic Gold-Dark Grey
511371-100
White/Metallic Gold-Neutral Grey
511371-100
Nike LeBron 9 P.S. Elite ($250)
Black/Metallic Gold-Black
516958-002
White/Metallic Gold-Black
516958-100
Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 Elite ($200)
Black/Metallic Gold
511369-001
White/Metallic Gold-Black
511369-100
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Inside the Nike Basketball design studios, performance is everything. Every move and decision is made with maximum performance in mind, including the actual visual look of the shoes created within. The pursuit of ultimate functionality determines not only how a shoe performs and feels on your foot, but in many cases, it also dictates a lot of the aesthetic choices as well. Once the shoe has been fully developed and engineered to it’s full potential, it’s time for the color, graphics and materials team to further bring the products to life with a variety of color splashes and palettes to help to tell certain stories and give some additional identity to each colorway.
Yesterday, in part 1 of our Nike Basketball Elite Series interview with Nike Bball designers Jason Petrie and Leo Chang, we got the full lowdown on the technical updates made to each of the three models to upgrade from their original forms into this super premium postseason-inspired collection. Now we take a deeper look at why the Elite Series looks the way it does, from its shapes, lines and materials to the various color schemes and the stories behind them. Continue reading for all you wanted to know about the Nike Basketball Elite Series aesthetics and colorways, and be on the look out for the home and away versions of all three models hitting retailers this Saturday, April 28th.
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The Nike Elite Series: Light Like Air, Stronger Than Steel. The pinnacle of Nike Basketball is the perfect emulsion of lightweight comfort and supreme performance, and the Nike Basketball Elite Series delivers just that. Fortified by Kevlar, Flywire, and Carbon Fiber, Nike Basketball has taken the science of materials and the conventions of footwear architecture with new heights, where it meets the promise of gold. This Saturday, the 2012 NBA Playoffs will commence, with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Blake Griffin taking off with their championship goals. We’ve got a full video depicting the Nike Basketball Elite Series below, so take a look and remember the official release date is this Saturday, April 28th.
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Many sneaker fanatics and aficionados never take into consideration the painstaking efforts that go into creating the shoes that they love. The design process can be a tedious one, especially when you consider all of the factors that can sometimes tie a designer’s hands. One of the largest stumbling blocks is the need to keep materials and costs manageable in order to ensure that the final product is affordable for consumers and profitable for the brand. While we’d all love to see our Nike’s loaded up with large Air Max bags, full-length Zoom units, carbon fiber, foam and all those other costly amenities, the bottom line is that these coveted luxuries can often drive pricepoints out of control, urging the need for more cost-effective material options in their place.
But what would happen if Nike completely unchained the leash and opened the premium floodgates in the name of the ultimate performance basketball footwear? The answer is the Nike Basketball Elite Series, a no holds barred assault on the conventional design process and the budgeting limitations that can so often hold it back. For Nike Basketball designers Jason Petrie and Leo Chang, the Elite Series project is like a dream come true. With pricepoint constraints thrown out the window, the gloves were finally off to go out and reach for the pinnacle of performance basketball footwear glory. That kind of freedom doesn’t come along very often for most footwear designers, and when it does, it’s accompanied by a responsibility to meet lofty expectations.
For Jason, Leo and the rest of the Nike BBall team, the solution was to go back to the beginning to analyze and evaluate every aspect of each existing model to determine each and every place where performance could be enhanced. Materials were added, removed, invented, tweaked and shaved down, making the shoes lighter and stronger, as well as more responsive and comfortable, all in the name of providing NBA athletes and the consumers who buy the shoes with the ultimate option for the rigorous post season push. Right down to the types of threads that are woven into the laces and the sticky grips that contour to your step on the footbed, every possible detail has been considered and tailored to maximize the overall function of the shoe. The price tags might seem a bit high when you see these hit stores this weekend, but you get what you pay for and the Nike Basketball Elite Series has just raised the bar for what performance luxury can mean to a sneaker.
Continue reading for part 1 of our interview with Jason Petrie and Leo Chang and check back tomorrow for the follow-up featuring everything you need to know about upcoming Elite Series colorways.
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The Nike Hyperdunk sure is enjoying a deluxe treatment as of late, not only getting the Elite upgrade but also prepping for a Lunar version down the line as well. For the latter we’ve got some new shots at what’s on the way, one pair donning the fluorescent Fuzzy Dunlop volt look and another that comes off looking like a TB pair for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Hit the jump with us to check out these two upcoming Nike Lunar Hyperdunk 2012′s and be sure to stick with Sneaker News for word on when this space age sneaker will be hitting stores. Photos: hugebird on NT
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Sneaker News just scooped you on the Supreme-level release for the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse 2012, but those only make up a small portion of the total offering for next season’s Fuse flagship. The rest of the Zoom Hyperfuse 2012s will come in at a more affordable $110 MSRP, though as of this writing it’s unclear which exact advantages the Supreme will confer. Colorways across both price points have to this point shown up one of two main colorblocking patterns, each of these new releases for the holiday season keeping with a three color build that emphasizes the Hyperfuse 2012′s smoothly slashing lines. Check out a trio of October drops and one for December after the jump below and stick with Sneaker News for release info. via CK
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