Nike Basketball didn’t make any outright predictions about the way this lockout-shortened NBA season’s playoffs would turn out, but even putting memories of MVPuppets aside, we can’t help but notice that these new Nike Zoom Kobe VII iDs do indeed form a ‘final four’ with direct correspondence to teams active in this year’s postseason. A black-soled take on the Lakers-colored edition Kobe himself wore in the first round matchup against Denver represents Showtime, but an orange and blue pair with black and white accents could prove a suitable match for the New York Knicks or even the Laker-vanquishing Oklahoma City Thunder. Bulls and Spurs round out this set that might have gotten the West Finals right without even trying, and you can see more photos of all four of these sample designs before you head to NIKEiD to create your own ‘Poison Dart Frog’ Zoom Kobe 7 iD.
| Tweet |  | Comments (2)  |
If you’re impressed by Nike’s production of its Supreme-grade models of the Air Force 1, maybe it’s time to move on up to the adult table and hit up 21 Mercer for a pair of Bespokes. Slovadon’s been getting his fill with Bespokes for quite some time as one of 21 Mercer’s most frequent customers, and he hits us yet again with another pair of Bespokes done in the ‘Vachetta’ styling; his last creation emphasized rich leathers and brown/chocolate/walnut, but his latest pick-up focuses on a sportier look with a grey/navy upper, a navy leather-wrapped midsole, and an orange outsole. Another tidbit of Slovadon trivia; he was the winner of the recent FRSHR Than Your AVRGE contest, taking the crown with – what else – a pair of Bespokes. More of his latest creation below, so take a look and let us know what you think!
| Tweet | |
Before LeBron James played a single game in the NBA, Nike hit him with one of the most lucrative sneaker contracts in history and quickly got to work a first signature sneaker for the future superstar. Inspired by the H2 Hummer, the Air Zoom Generation made its debut on the night of October 29th, 2003 in the national TV spotlight against the Sacramento Kings. Despite losing in his NBA debut, LeBron put up some incredible numbers; 25 points, 9 dishes, 6 boards, and 4 steals. What we’ve witnessed from LeBron James and Nike over the last nine seasons has been outstanding, and this LeBron 9 iD ‘First Game’ seen here ‘book-ends’ the Nike LeBron saga to date. Adopting a white upper with the red weave pattern and a navy blue midsole, the colorway and concept devised by zach13g on NT is quite simply one of the best we’ve seen in the LeBron 9. More shots in the gallery below, so take a good look and let us know if you think these are best iDs you’ve seen yet!
| Tweet | |
Strangely enough, if a sneaker is being counterfeited, it’s probably because it’s a great shoe. That unusual honor is certainly held by the Air Max 95 – one of the most unforgettable sneaker designs in history and one of the most notoriously counterfeited sneakers of this era; if you weren’t an expert on the many intricacies of Lozano’s 95, chances are you’ve been duped once before. The Air Max 95 is currently going through some interesting changes in the form of the 95 360 (or 95 BB) as well as the 95 NS – arguable ‘upgrades’ in build while keeping the heart and soul intact – and Nike iD is joining in by presenting some new Reflective panels on the upper to give it some extra ‘umph’. You can go full reflective on the ‘ribs’ or choose just one single stripe for the nice accent, so test out your designs now on Nike iD after peeping some of the iD samples from Nike Harajuku below.
| Tweet | |
The Second Round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs is mid-way through and we’ve already seen an impressive library of sneakers from the games biggest stars and even the lesser-known sneakerhead ballers. The two names to highlight this weekend are both from Los Angeles – Kobe Bryant and young swingman Nick Young of the Clippers; Kobe shed ‘Elite’ by wearing a White/Purple/Green PE of the Nike Zoom Kobe VII, which he followed with the Nike Zoom Kobe VII ‘Christmas’, but Nick might’ve done him one better by wearing the Air Foamposite One ‘Royal’ during Sunday’s match-up against the Spurs, which followed an unprecedented appearance of the Nike Air Zoom Generation in the ‘First Game’ colorway. Of course, there’s much more to see, like Eric Bledsoe’s Metallic Red Foams, LeBron’s Black/Gold Elites, and Paul George’s sick Fade Option Kobe VII iD, so check it all out below and let us know who rocked the best kicks! Photos: espn
| Tweet | |
Amare Stoudemire’s arrival to New York City during the 2010 offseason proved to pay off immediate dividends for the franchise and the city. He brought a winning attitude with his ferocious offense, and garnered legitimate MVP consideration for leading the Knicks to playoff contention while standing as the sole leader of the team in the days before Melo. In 2011, Stoudemire was presented with his latest signature sneaker called the Air Max Sweep Thru, which served as the inspiration behind this special Air Force 1 Bespoke, designed as part of the ‘Nike Sportswear: Always On’ campaign. The shoe pays tribute to Amare’s undeniable status as a bonafide superstar, and was given away in limited quantities during Amare’s live appearance at 21 Mercer last December.
The camouflage-inspired upper is taken directly from the Sweep Thru strap, which features the same detail, although for the Bespoke, the pattern is achieved by the iconic Lasering method on a royal blue tumbled leather. Embroidered on the heel is Stoudemire’s nickname ‘STAT’ (Standing Tall And Talented), with the ‘A’ on the midsole colored in orange to distinguish his first initial. The final personal touch comes in the form of the custom hang-tag, which is uniquely addressed to each of the winners of the giveaway. Continue on below to get a full viewing of the Nike Air Force 1 Bespoke for Amare Stoudemire, and if this design sparks your own creativity, get in touch with 21 Mercer today to schedule a Bespoke appointment.
| Tweet | |
Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers head back to Staples Center down 0-2 against the impressive Oklahoma City Thunder. After a blowout in game 1, the Lakers were able to accomplish their goal of slowing the young Thunder’s transition game last night, but a seven-point lead proved one too few with two minutes to play and Mike Brown is now back to the drawing board. Kobe himself switched things up between the first two games, and now it’s your choice if you want to utilize the NIKEiD online customization platform to create a playoff PE for yourself based on Bryant’s own. This pair pictured above goes with the same ‘Lightbulb’-leaning color scheme Kobe rocked for the first OKC tip; will you go with the ‘Attack Strong’ insert as depicted, or ‘Attack Fast’ like the Mamba himself?
| Tweet | |
You should be familiar with SneakersNStuff by now, as the Swedish purveyors of footwear have been in the business for over a decade serving up goods for the European community (and savvy stateside buyers looking for early drops). The Nike Sportswear team certainly is familiar with them, extending an invitation to the SNS team to head out to the 21 Mercer studio in NYC to whip up some Nike Air Force 1 Low Bespoke designs to their liking. The resulting pairs echo the premium earthy look exuded by previous creations from the Swedes, both caught up in a set of browns and grabbing hold of high end materials like the deconstructed leather and cork options. Click through to check them out and let us know which SneakersNStuff designed Nike Air Force 1 Bespokes you prefer.
| Tweet | |
