Nike SB

Nike SB is NIKE, Inc.’s skateboarding subdivision. Founded in March 2002 and formerly led by the late Sandy Bodecker, Nike SB is often credited for modern-day sneaker collecting because of its limited, concept-driven releases.

While Nike SB as it’s known today began in the early-2000s, The Swoosh’s earliest attempt to enter the skateboarding space took place in the 1990s. With the help of a young Brandon Cole “Bam” Margera, Nike launched the Choad, Snak, and Schimp to little commercial success and interest from skaters. (Margera notoriously skated in non-Nike shoes and taped swooshes on them.) The late Bodecker, who began working at the brand in 1982, recognized that die-hard skaters had already been using Nike silhouettes like the Air Jordan 1 and Blazer Mid.

Under Bodecker’s guidance, the imprint officially launched its first and most popular silhouette, the SB Dunk, as a skate-ready take of the Dunk High for basketball. The re-engineered sneaker featured a fat, padded tongue, Air Zoom insole, raised, exaggerated profile logo on ollie areas, and modified rubber sole for traction. While appreciated by skaters, these details arguably came second to Nike SB’s revisited marketing strategy. Unlike the brand’s previous corporate-style strategy (which directly opposed common anti-establishment sentiments among skaters), Bodecker’s approach was grass-roots-oriented: releases would not be mass-produced and distributed through big-box sportswear retailers. Instead, pairs would be available directly through select, independent skate shops.

Over the years, Nike SB has hosted professional skaters the likes of Lance Mountain, Paul Rodriguez, Stefan Janoski and Shane O’Neill. Nike SB’s earliest team included Richard Mulder, Reese Forbes, Gino Iannucci and Danny Supa, all of whom received the first four SB Dunk Lows.

Collaborations with Diamond Supply Co., Supreme and Jeff Staple, just to scratch the surface. Some Nike SB releases, like “Paris,” “Raygun” and “What The Dunk” versions of the SB Dunk Low, have garnered grail-status among many collectors, fetching six-figure buyouts on the after-market.

Although the skateboarding-division experienced mainstream lull throughout the latter 2010s, it’s regained widespread attention from casual consumers this decade, thanks in large part to Travis Scott and Virgil Abloh. Enthusiasts of both the sport and imprint have been enjoying and skating in models like the SB Blazer Low and SB GTS Return, among others.

Shopping Links

Nike SB

Detailed Look At The Futura Laboratories x Nike SB Dunk Low

Updated February 12th, 2024: Detailed images of the upcoming Futura Laboratories x Nike SB Dunk Low have surfaced. A release is currently expected in Summer...

By Sneaker News October 11, 2023
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The Nike SB Dunk Low “City Of Love” For Valentine’s Day 2024

Updated January 26th, 2024: The shoes are expected to release on SNKRS on February 9th, 2024 for $125. The below article was originally published on...

By Michael Le October 10, 2023
8411

The Nike SB Janoski Resurfaces In A Simple Sail And Black Colorway

Save for a few new styles, we haven’t seen all too much from the Nike SB Janoski since its return. That, however, might no longer...

By Michael Le October 9, 2023
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The April Skateboards x Nike SB Dunk Low Has Been Confirmed For A November Release

UPDATE November 13th, 2023: A release date is confirmed for November 27th, 2023 at select skateshops. – Founded by Shane O’Neill in Spring 2019, April...

By Jovani Hernandez October 3, 2023
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The Nike SB Dunk Low “City of Love” Pack Releases On February 9th

Updated January 26th, 2024: Official images of the Nike SB Dunk Low “City Of Love” have surfaced. Both colorways of the shoes are expected to...

By Jared Ebanks September 29, 2023
35411

Grant Taylor Brings Bright “University Gold” To The Nike SB Mid Blazer GT

Grant Taylor continues to bring his love for classic American muscle cars to the Nike SB Blazer Mid GT. Over the past few years, the...

By Jovani Hernandez September 28, 2023
928

Pharrell’s JOOPITER Auctions Off Three First-Iteration Prototypes Of The Supreme x Nike SB Dunk High

Founded back in 2022 by Pharrell, JOOPITER is an auction house for the digital age, curating both content as well as cultural artifacts on a...

By Michael Le September 25, 2023
2421

This Nike SB Leo React Is Reminiscent Of 2002’s “Flash” SB Dunks

NIKE, Inc. is no stranger to self-referencing. Over the course of its history, the Oregon-based conglomerate has revisited color schemes across products, categories, and brands,...

By Jovani Hernandez September 11, 2023
2081

Official Images Of The Albino & Preto x Nike SB Dunk Low

First teased in March, the Nike SB Dunk Low by Albino & Preto has finally surfaced via official photography. Inspired by jiu-jitsu apparel, the pair...

By Jovani Hernandez September 5, 2023
11141