Zack Schlemmer 
Known as one of the greatest athletes of all-time not just for his track and field feats but also his cultural impact as a pioneering African American in sports, Jesse Owens inspires the 2016 Black History Month collection for adidas Basketball. World renowned after winning four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympic games as a black man in the face of Nazi Germany, Owens has since been a symbol of social justice and racial equality in sports as well as all of society. With colorways inspired by the track spikes hand-crafted by adidas founder Adi Dassler that Owens wore during those Olympics, the D Rose 6, D Lillard 2, and Crazylight Boost 2.5 all receive the special edition BHM makeovers to celebrate the legacy of African Americans in sports. The D Rose 6 features a tumbled leather upper with an aged treatment to pay homage to the medal-winning spikes worn by Owens, while the colorway is finished with off-white accents, a clear outsole with gold flecks, and a graphic on the inner lining depicting the Olympic crowd. The D Lillard 2 receives an off-white color palette representing the track uniform Owens wore in 1936 with cracked gold foil texture and cream suede. Finishing the trio, the Crazylight Boost 2.5 which will be worn by James Harden and Andrew Wiggins features an off-white Primeknit upper and also includes the same gold foil as the D Lillard 2. The Black History Month D Rose 6 and D Lillard 2 both release later this month at adidas.com.
