Matt Varga One of the biggest surprise link-ups of 2024 was the one between PUMA and Salehe Bembury, the “Be A Spunge” head adding the German giant to an already stacked catalog of collaborators. Tasked with a leadership role in their freshly revitalized PUMA Hoops division and announced in close proximity to the brand signing Tyrese Haliburton, he is evidently stepping off the court for his first public effort, posting close-up images of some collab Salehe Bembury x PUMA product.
A slew of Salehe’s design calling cards appear throughout this shoe, most apparent with the midsole design: his fingerprint embossed into the rear before giving way to the striated foam at the forefoot. Additionally, a “wear-away” distressed Formstrip crops up on the lateral side, furthered by vein-like graphic overlays that encompass the top of the foot and closed out with a fingerprint co-branded logo on the medial and tongue.
While the chunky midsole and thin upper construction points more to a running supershoe than anything that’d grace the hardwood, the overall shape still resembles the PUMA All-Star Nitro, a shoe that stands at the center of their basketball roster and itself borrows that Nitro tech from their track offerings. There are also similarities to the Deivate Nitro line, especially noticeable at the foot entrance and shape of the tongue.
Though what’s featured here hasn’t been confirmed as a “signature” model for the newly recruited designer, note that this isn’t the first time we’ve seen him wearing it, greatly increasing the chances. Stay tuned for more details as they become available and stick with our Sneaker Release Dates page to be the first to know when these will be hitting the public.
