Zack Schlemmer 
With the debut of Kyrie Irving’s first signature model this week, Nike Basketball has been putting a lot of emphasis on their family of signature athletes and their innovative shoes throughout the years. Along with its awesome design and eye-catching colorway stories, one of the other major talking points of the Kyrie 1 signature shoe is its affordable price point, offered at a very reasonable $110 by today’s standards of signature basketball shoe pricing.
With that in mind, today we’ll take a look back at ten notable debut Nike Basketball signature models in relation to their price points throughout the years. When you think of a signature shoe, you think about a sneaker that showcases the best design and technology the brand has to offer. Unfortunately, that also means it comes with a higher price than the other in-line models, but that’s not always the case. From Mike in 1985 to Kyrie in 2014, keep reading to find out how much the following ten players’ debut signatures set you back.
Michael Jordan – Air Jordan 1 – 1985
$65
Looking at that price tag of $65 for the legendary Air Jordan 1 makes us all wish we had a time machine right about now to go back and buy a couple dozen (or more) pairs, but by 1985’s standards, $65 was a pretty significant amount to spend on a pair of sneakers.
Charles Barkley – Nike Air Max2 CB – 1994
$135
It’s kind of crazy to think that Nike didn’t have another official signature basketball shoe for anybody but Jordan until 1994, nine years after the Air Jordan 1 released. And look how much the technology advanced in that time! For that new Air Max2 tech, you were also paying a price, as the shoe clocked in at a whopping $135, no small price to pay back in 1994. If you’re old enough to remember this shoe, more than likely you only remember wanting them, not actually having them.
Penny Hardaway – Nike Air Penny – 1996
$135
Penny did have the more basic Air Flight One ($110) a year earlier, but his first official sig was the Air Penny in 1996. $135 was still expensive in 1996, two years after Barkley’s first model, but at least the price didn’t raise any further for Penny’s debut sneaker.
Scottie Pippen – Nike Air Pippen – 1997
$150
Scottie Pippen’s first shoe was the most expensive signature model to date from Nike when it released in 1997, priced at $150. Even today $150 is a fairly hefty price tag for a sneaker, so by 1997’s standards these would be comparable to a LeBron signature’s $200+ price tag today.
Kevin Garnett – Nike Air Garnett – 1998
$95
Nike’s signature model prices seemed to take a dip in 1998, as our next two notable signature athletes’ sneakers carried pretty reasonable price tags. Kevin Garnett’s first signature shoe (these need a retro, by the way) even stayed under $100 thanks to the fairly simple design and much less visible Air cushioning than Pippen’s first sig a year earlier.
Gary Payton – Nike Zoom Flight The Glove – 1998
$110
GP’s Gloves also kept the signature model price tag respectable in ’98, at a price of $110. Not bad at all when you consider the unique shrouded design and plenty of Zoom Air cushioning.
LeBron James – Nike Air Zoom Generation – 2003
$130
LeBron’s first signature shoe, the Air Zoom Generation, is still considered one of his best by most collectors. Not only are we hoping for a retro of the AZG sometime soon, we’re also wishing his current models—which will set you back more than $200 after tax—were still anywhere near that price tag of $130.
Kobe Bryant – Nike Zoom Kobe 1 – 2006
$150
With its rather simplistic design, Kobe’s first Nike shoe in 2006 carried a moderately hefty price tag at $150. But considering its great performance and plenty of Zoom Air cushioning, it was worth it.
Kevin Durant – Nike Air Zoom KD – 2009
$88
Kevin Durant’s signature line began with the initiative to offer a high performance signature sneaker that almost anybody could afford. The price for his second shoe actually dropped to $85, but they eventually broke $100 when the KD V retailed for $115. With his latest shoe priced at $150, you can obviously see the idea of affordable prices eventually fell by the wayside in favor of more tech and flashier designs. But the more affordable signature shoe is back…
Kyrie Irving – Nike Kyrie 1 – 2014
$110
…With the release of the Kyrie 1, which is offered at a very reasonable $110. Especially when you consider its blend of amazing looks and high performance. Who’s ready to own a pair?
