The Nike AlphaDunk “Dunk Of Death” Is Inspired By Vince Carter’s Epic Slam In 2000

Ross Dwyer August 29th, 2019 (updated)

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Nike Basketball’s bold new AlphaDunk is set to debut this year, and the high-performance hoops shoe is all about aerial acrobatics and action, an inspiration that’s especially apparent on this new “Dunk Of Death” colorway. Inspired by Vince Carter‘s memorable dunk over 7’2 French National Team center Frederic Weis in the 2000 Olympics — considered by many pundits to be the best in-game stuff of all time — these Nike shoes take on a familiar Team USA-style navy, red, and white colorway, but bring it into the modern day with bold silver accents on both the heel piece and the midsole.

The upper is constructed mostly of a textured navy knit material that contrasts perfectly with the aforementioned silver, while a giant red Swoosh wraps around the heel for branding. An “L.O.B.” (short for “Library Of Bounce”) embellishment that we’ve seen on other AlphaDunk makeups appears on the left shoe’s medial heel, while the right medial heel boasts a USA Basketball badge. Even more special logos run up and down the throat and tongue’s pull tabs. Down below, the two-tone midsole provides visible Zoom Air cushioning that runs from toe to midfoot, and an icy translucent blue outsole finalizes the stylings. The homage to VC’s mind-blowing feat is so poignant that you can practically see him leapfrogging over the shoulders of a hapless Weis, but if you need even more of a visual cue, you can check out the slam again below, directly under the full set of official images. The AlphaDunk is set to retail for $170 USD and will release on August 30th for $170 USD, so check out a full store list below to see where you can get a pair.