John Kim 
When it comes to today’s gun-slinging era of must-have sneaker releases, no concept or collaboration is out of the question. After a momentous 2015 set the foundation for the most creative and unexpected sneaker drops in history, we’re left to wonder what magnificent creations are in store for the new year. We’ve experienced just the tip of the iceberg so the possibilities are truly endless, but we jotted down fifteen different sneaker releases and ideas that we’d like to come to fruition in 2016 – (all in the realm of possibility, of course). Check out our selections below and let us know which of the bunch is most likely to happen.
fragment design x Air Jordan
Sole credit for the resurgence of fragment design x NikeLab collaborations goes to the black/blue/white Air Jordan 1 High that dropped at the end of 2014. Jordan Brand credited that shoe as the first official Remaster release and since then, the double-bolt logo has been in high demand. Some of the flair has cooled off, but to bring Hiroshi Fujiwara’s subtle touches would be what the Jordan fanatics need.
A Nike Kobe Retro
Kobe Bryant is retiring and the Nike Air Zoom Kobe 1 released a decade ago. It’s perfect timing for Nike to bring back the original Kobe signature shoes back into the mix, but as we mentioned in our 2016 predictions feature, there had better be some Prelude-esque muscle to it.
Kanye West x adidas Ultra Boost
Now this would send the newfound adidas fanclub into an frenzy, won’t it? After Kanye was spotted in the all-white pair in mid-Summer, the Ultra Boost became one of the most popular sneakers of the year. An official collaboration between the two would be pretty sweet, although it’s hard to believe that ‘Ye would pull himself away from his own personal collection to give the Boost a boost.
A True Sequel To The Nike Flyknit Racer
There are two sides to this argument, because the Flyknit Racer might be better off retiring without any true sequel that might taint this classic. It’s amazing to see that Nike has yet to re-purpose the attractive Racer design with a Lunar/Free/Max sole, but we wouldn’t be surprised of the brand went that route instead of a complete overhaul.
A Remastered Version Of The Air Jordan 11 “Space Jam”
It’s been twenty years since Space Jam took the world of film by storm. In addition to its 20th Anniversary, the “Space Jam” is due up for a re-release since Jordan Brand re-released all the other iconic colorways of this model. If Space Jam is returning, we’ll probably see it in Remastered form (and a higher price-tag).
The Air Zoom Generation
There’s no particular timing to Retro LeBrons – it’s simply a shoe that everyone wants. The Air Zoom Generation is, of course, LeBron James’ first Nike signature shoe that was inspired by the now-derided Hummer H2 sports-utility vehicle, with colorways like the “Wheat” and “First Game” being among the most coveted OGs ever. Bring ’em back, Nike.
Another Defining Moments Pack
A decade ago, Jordan Brand unveiled the first-ever two-pair package called the “Defining Moments Package”, a tribute to MJ’s first and fourth NBA Championships that came in 1991 and 1996, respectively. On the 10th Anniversary of that release tied with the release of the 30th Air Jordan model, we feel it’s time to return to the DMP tier and come up another insane two-pair set that celebrates another milestone.
adidas J Harden 1
James Harden’s signature shoe will immediately became the top dog for adidas Hoops given the massive contract given to the Rockets player just a few months ago. These are likely to release in late 2016, but we’re banking on the adidas x Harden era to start with a bang.
Supreme x Air Jordan 1 SB
There were false rumors about this release, but if Supreme and Jordan Brand were to collaborate again, the Air Jordan 1 is probably at the top of the list in terms of consumer demand. There’s a clear skateboarding narrative to that silhouette, but it’s obvious that Supreme nor Jordan Brand are concerned with keeping the sport at the core because the Air Jordan 5 Retro is hardly a skate shoe. Still, Air Jordan 1s colored up by Supreme would again put the partnership at center stage.
A “72-10” Pack
Last December Jordan Brand paid tribute to the legendary “72-10” season with an Air Jordan 11 release for the ages. The sneaker community was, however, disappointed that the brand sorta let this release pass without any sort of marketing push given the stature of the release. With that said, we’d love to see an insane three-way “72-10” Pack the original Air Jordan 11 “Bred”, Air More Uptempo, and the Air Shake NDestrukt – the shoes worn by MJ, Scottie, and Dennis Rodman during the ’96 Playoffs. Unlikely to ever happen, but earth-shattering if it does.
Online Customization For The ASICS GEL-Lyte III
Giving consumers sole control over colorways has been a huge source of revenue for Nike. New Balance later joined the fray with the NB1 Custom for the 998 model, so most will agree that the GEL-Lyte III should be the next classic runner to get the “iD” treatment. ASICS hasn’t mentioned any plans of doing so, but don’t be surprised if the Japan-born brand goes that route.
More Nike SB Dunk “Retros”
Nike Skateboarding’s attempt to Retro the best SB Dunks of all-time accomplished the difficult task of keeping the peace among OG collectors who spent years chasing down these grails. That said, we can expect more SB Dunk “Retros” in 2016 (and personally, we’d like to see the “Rayguns” come back out as high-tops).
A Retro Release Of The Air Max 96 and air max 96 ii
No Air Max model from the 90s is protected from the Retro process, but the Air Max 96 as well as the Air Max 96 II from twenty years ago are two models that many AM fanatics would love to see back in stores. These quirky designs continues to get overlooked by Nike when the brand pushes through “retrospective” campaigns, so it’s about time for these underrated runners to make their way back.
A “What The” Kyrie 2
The “What The” concoctions are overdone, but Kyrie Irving’s signature shoe is yet to get the mash-up treatment. One can argue that there hasn’t been enough Kyrie colorways for Nike to perform a Frankenstein of colorways, so don’t be too down if a “What The” Kyrie 2 nevercomes along.
Foamposites On NIKEiD
Foamposites no longer have that draw like they used to, so one way to get the public excited about this ’97 legend again is to throw it on NIKEiD and put the color wheel in the hands of the public. If it were to ever happen, we expect Nike to restrict some colors (for example, we wouldn’t be surprised if Dark Neon Royal or Galaxy were not available as customizable options), but it would still be a fun experience to design the most eccentric basketball sneaker in history.
