Matt Varga We quite literally just discussed it — Nike’s efforts to revitalize its archive basketball collection, recently revisited as news of the return of the Zoom Flight ’98 “The Glove” and Zoom Huarache 2k4 hit the newswire. Evidently, that initiative is far from complete, as another throwback icon — the Nike Air More Uptempo ’96 — looms.
Sneaker News brings you an exclusive report on the model’s return for Fall 2026, centered on the OG “Black/White” and “Cobalt Bliss” colorways. It’s another moment in which the truncated “cooldown period” between retro efforts is on display; the Pippen-worn sneaker was available on store shelves as recently as 2023.
However, it’s generally a crowd-pleaser once let loose into the mainline; adjacent efforts like Cactus Plant Flea Market gravitating toward its iconic sidewall text on their Air Force 1 range have kept the Air More Uptempo ’96’s influence felt even as the parent shoe itself has receded. Though our more astute readers may have already done the math in their heads, for all intents and purposes, this is assuredly queued up given the 30th anniversary of the shoe, so special editions particularly tooled to celebrate that milestone can’t be ruled out.
At the risk of going too “inside baseball,” the Nike Air More Uptempo ’96 in this “Black/White” and “Cobalt Bliss” should remain exactly tooled to their 2023 takes; the SKUs themselves haven’t even been updated from those releases. Retail is set at $180 for this bring-back effort — refresh on both arrangements using pictures of the 2023 drops embedded below.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Nike Air More Uptempo
US 08/21/2026 Friday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nike SNKRS | Standard | Check Site |
| SNIPES US | Standard | Check Site |
| Foot Locker | Standard | Check Site |
| Sneaker Politics | Standard | Check Site |
| TAKOUT NY | Standard | Check Site |
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Nike Air More Uptempo
US 2026
Powered By:
| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nikestore | Standard | Check Site |
