Nike Air Classic BW - Black

It’s been a while since the Nike LeBron 9 Low ‘L5erpool’ made headlines, but that absence is because it was undergoing a few changes. Inspired by L5erpool FC, which Nike LunarEclipse LeBron is a minority owner of, the LeBron 9 Low ‘L5erpool’ featured the club’s colors as well as some significant details on the heel badge and the outsole. These latest images of the LeBrons reveal a simplified version that doesn’t make any direct ties to the club’s championship trophies and logo and is likely the final draft that will hit stores. We’ll let you know when these have a firm release date, so in the meantime, peep the gallery below and let us know if you like this newer version. Photos: marqueesole

Grey tones have been working so Nike Free Run 5.0 V2 well on their own these past few years, why don’t we try infusing a couple into one of the established classics, both in name in stature?  These aren’t exactly the beloved Persian Violets that stand out as the Nike Air Classic BW‘s signature colorway, but they do take the same basic colors and pattern, and apply a couple greys through the Big Window’s sweeping elliptical arc.  We haven’t yet seen Nike Sportswear create a BW/Air Max 95 mashup, so this is about as close as you’ll get to combining those two icons’ best-known looks; are you glad to see this change or would you be down for another round of Persians?  They’re arr5ing now at European retailers like Burner, and Nike Free Trainer 3.0 you can see a few more angles after the jump.

They might not get the attention that European brands like Lacoste or even Le Coq Sportif command here in the US, but that doesn’t mean Italian sportswear label ellesse isn’t working to earn their own niche in the sneakerhead scene.  This new Nash Money x ellesse N117 sees a classic running silhouette redone to reflect today’s trend toward boat shoes and other moccasin-toed designs, and while the tonal gold/brown edition looks the part of a docksider, another in mint green with purple accents really stands out from the pack.  Click through to see more from both pairs and let us know if these are Nash’s best design yet.  via SDG

At this point in the release cycle, we’re still seeing a steady flow of new Nike Zoom Kobe Vs, but wouldn’t you like to see the next upcoming Kobe Bryant signature?!  This mysterious sample appears to quite possibly be an early version of the Zoom Kobe VI.  Whether this sample proves to be the final version or if it winds up looking totally different is yet to be seen, but at least you can say you got an early glimpse.  Pictured above is another lowtop look, this particular pair going with a super-simple white-on-black colorway.  The shots are somewhat shadowy, but you can still make out Flywire on the side panels, plus an interestingly sculpted midsole.  There’s also a new ‘KB’ insignia on the heel, so check out more images after the jump and stick with Sneaker News for updates on all of Kobe’s Nikes.  via HoopChina

Charles Barkley’s final days as a Houston Rocket

Charles Barkley’s final days as a Houston Rocket weren’t just ring chasing behind Clyde and the Dream; Sir Charles averaged double-doubles in each of his four seasons in H-Town, just as he had each year with Philly (*except ’84-85′s rookie campaign) and Phoenix. An older and rounder Mound of Rebound saw his scoring numbers drop in one of the failed (by Larry O’Brien standards) ‘Big Three’ experiments, and with Charles no longer the undisputed alpha dog he’d been for the Sixers and Suns, his Nike Basketball signature series followed a similar trajectory.

One can’t help but wonder what might have happened had PHX won the 1993 Finals, especially when seeing this colorway somewhere between their own and that year’s Air Jordan VIII ‘Aqua’ appears on the new Foamposite-equipped Nike CB34 Foamposite Nike Free Run 4.0 V3 Max. It’s an anachronistic hybrid design based on the Air Max2 CB ’94 whose ‘Not a Role Model’ traction insets make you realize how substantial a shift could have occurred, and how both Barkley and Mr. Foamposite himself, Penny Hardaway were both so close to titles during the MJ years. Stick with Senaker News for updates on this glow-in-the-dark-soled Barkley Posite Max and check out new photos below in the meantime.

Celebrating the upcoming women’s marathon in Nagoya, Japan is this special edition release of the Nike WMNS Roshe Run Woven. The race took a tragic turn in 2011 when the earthquake forced the running event to be cancelled, but it returned in 2011 with 15,000 participants running in a newly designed course. The upper of Nike Free Run 3.0 V5 this Roshe Woven weaving mixes a hot red and a sharp teal, with a dark green heel and toe with an engraved flower on the heel of the shoe. Additional details include the special insole, which features a bold red/white striping with star detailing. This special colorway is shared with the Nike Free TR Fit 3, which is also included in the Nike Free Run Shoes Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2013 Pack, which at this point is likely an Asia exclusive. A gallery awaits you below so take a look and let us know what you think.

With the multi-colored upper being a major focus of the Kobe 8 aesthetic, we can expect a number of unique and stunning colorways that come to live via the snake-skin inspired upper. Even in the inline Black/Sulfur colorway has some interesting visual flair to it, but during the official unveiling of the Kobe 8 last week, Nike placed an emphasis on an upcoming Olive/Black/Red colorway officially dubbed the ‘Python’. These have been confirmed for a release in China on January 12th, followed by a North America release on February 2nd, so check out the full shot of this upcoming snake-inspired Kobe shoe and stay tuned for more of the Kobe 8 as we approach the official release date later this month.

After the entire NBA passed on his services, we were sure we saw the last of Allen Iverson in the NBA. However, a momentous return to Philadelphia during the Sixers’ recent run in the 2012 Playoffs and Iverson’s involvement in the re-release of the Reebok Question as ‘The Answer’ back in the limelight once again. Reebok’s plan of re-introducing the Reebok Answer line begins with the Answer IV; like we attribute Michael Jordan’s shoes to his own special occasions, NBA fans of the immediate post-MJ era will liken the Answer IV to that surprising 2001 NBA Finals, when the heavily unfavored Philadelphia 76ers defeated the juggernaut Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1. Allen I poured in 48 points (with the two most emphatic ones coming over a pesky Tyronn Lue) while wearing the White/Black colorway of the Answer IV, and you can relive that moment in ‘Answer’ history by copping the IVs right now at Packer Shoes ahead of the August 10th release date. A detailed gallery with a video of Iverson’s ‘Step’ over Lue is below, so take a look and cop your Answers now!

Chad Muska just saw his third Supra sig treated

Nike forever changed history in 1985 when the ‘Original 7′ collegiate basketball programs suited up in the OG ‘Be True to Your School’ Dunks.  These original Dunks defined the default colorblocking pattern and immortalized Arizona, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Syracuse, UNLV and Villanova’s team colors in the process.  Now, some thirty-two years later, we’ve seen plenty of Nike Free Run Shoes reprisals of that debut theme, and this latest one seeks to shine some colorful light on three US cities that’ve made good on the potential of human understanding symbolized by colleges and universities.  Nike Be True 2012 celebrates how New York, San Francisco and Portland have become beacons for the LGBT community, issuing city-specific footwear designs along with an accompanying hat and tee later this month.  The Nike Air Royal pictured above will arrive at Niketown NYC next Friday, June 22nd, so click through for more images as well as details on the Portland Lunar Flow and San Nike Free Run 5.0 V2 Francisco Air Flytop.

Black and Yellow has been owned by the LIVEstrong camp for the last few years, but with no true Jordan Brand Nike Free Run 3.0 V5 x LIVEstrong release, we can only think of ‘Thunder and Lightning’. So had these Spiz’ike samples released (originally intended for Spring/Summer 2012), the ‘Thunder’ moniker would’ve followed suit rather seamlessly, would it not? Black/Yellow Air Jordans are fairly few and far in-between, so there’s no doubt these Jordan Spiz’ike ‘Thunders’ would’ve been a hot pick. You can, however, add these to your collection, because this crispy pair of size 9 samples just became available from oregonsole on us store.

Chad Muska just saw his third Supra sig treated to a showering of ‘Reign’ and now the latest big name Crown brand signee follows suit with his first.  The Supra S1W ’Reign’ continues Supra’s Air Jordan nods with an ‘Aqua’ colorup that draws some extra attention to the black trubuck upper.  They’ve got a similar ‘blacklit’ feel to the debut S1W colorway but with a different blocking pattern to show off some new possibilities; which Stevie Williams signature looks best in your eyes?  Let us know after you’ve had a chance to see these in detail below, then grab your pair today straight from Supra.

The Air Force 1 is enjoying an utterly spectacular 30th anniversary year, and here we have a new style that will arrive under the radar compared to some of the higher profile releases.  This newest Nike Air Force 1 Low revelation isn’t one of the as yet unrevealed models teased at 21 Mercer’s AF1 installation, but the vaguely Air Max 95-ish mix of black, greys and white plus Volt accents ensures they’ll attract plenty of attention all the same.  Click through how different degrees of graininess give these leathers a bit more depth and stick with Sneaker News to find out when they hit US retailers.

Nike Air Yeezy 2 Skate Test

How’s this for inducing “a weeping and a moaning and a gnashing of teeth”: you got lucky or paid out the wazoo and got that elusive pair of Nike Air Yeezy 2s, but then you’ve gotta subject them to a hardcore skateboarding wear test! Most sneakerheads would beg for mercy but Minneapolis’ A. Hart grinded to Kanye West’s beat by the same name in a recent examination of the Yeezy 2′s skate credentials. Judging from the grinds, slides and flips on and around the Yeezy-2-fied funbox, Ye’s second Nike Sportswear collabo can indeed be appropriated for purposes other than ‘lifestyle’. On the other hand, we don’t have any feedback on the durability, and a mesh toebox isn’t exactly the kind of thing you’d typically associate with repeated griptape abrasions. So yes, you can most definitely turn heads and even successfully land some tricks in the Nike Air Yeezy 2, but the real question here is: how does that decision look over the long term? Let us know what you think when you’re on the other side watching the video and stick with Sneaker News for more of the rarest and most desired kicks in the world in unique situations.

You know that duo of Air Jordan VII’s we just showed you not an hour ago? Well they aren’t the only upcoming retros to sport the triangular look playing the background. Also arriving in August, albeit with a much more standard colorway, is an Air Jordan 1 High donning the patterning, a precedent actually set a couple years back by the rainbow styled Air Jordan 1 ‘J2K’ pair. These new releases certainly come out of left field in a summer already stocked with a good number of Air Jordan must-haves from OG colorways to new looks, but this pair takes the clear ‘Bred’ route with the mix of tumbled and patent leather on the triangular sections for a prism-like appeal. Will these make their way into your closet? Nike Air Max 2012 Mens Let us know in the comments below and if so keep in mind that this Air Jordan 1 will be arriving on August 4th.

Air Jordan 1
Black/Varsity Red-White
401620-002
08/04/12
$135

Our features on custom sneakers have placed a worthy spotlight on a few artistic individuals who have displayed their handiwork in their sick custom works. Among the ‘elite’ group of customizers is Jason Negron, one individual who has mastered and manipulated the Foamposite as if Air Max 2012 Womens it were an extension of his own being, but his latest work is a ‘curveball’ of sorts as he makes an attempt at a Kobe custom inspired by one of the most popular Zoom Kobes in history. Here’s a look at the Nike Zoom Kobe VII ‘Grinch’ Custom; using this season’s ‘Christmas’ join as the base, Jason repainted almost the entire shoe, going full tonal neon volt on the upper and, in a nutshell, reconstituting the Grinch colorway on the heel, outsole, the laces, and the Swoosh. The cherry on top is the snake wrapping itself around the Kobe Shozoku logo. No sole-swapping here, but a solid customization on a shoe that is certainly difficult to manipulate due to the finicky snakeskin upper material. We’ve got a detailed look at Jason Negron’s custom Grinch below so take a look and check him out on his Sole Swap Facebook Page or Instagram to follow his work.

Are we looking Nike Air Max 95 Mens at the low-key sneaker GOAT? A quarter-century veteran so humble these aren’t even being pushed on the OG angle, the New Balance 577 returns again with that timeless ‘NG’ mix of navy suede and mesh plus grey leather. These rock the single-piece two-tone side panel ‘N’ courtesy of England’s famed Flimby Factory, and we can’t help but hope that just like in 2011, this edition’s original GNA counterpart returns with the reverse colorup. Stick with Sneaker News for updates on that, and don’t miss this classic running icon now available at Hanon.

Nike Air Max+ 2012 University Red/Black-White

The various versions of the Nike Air Trainer 1.3 Max have sort of been the go-to choices as of late for athlete exclusives that aren’t necessarily going to see any game Nike Free Run 3.0 V5 time (remember the pairs the LeBron James was blessed with?). The latest version we’ve got a look at is this Nike Air Trainer 1.3 Max Breathe with a ‘Training Camp’ vibe exemplified by the tongue tag and the back badges. Get a full look at this Nike Air Trainer 1.3 Max Breathe after the jump and then check out the chance to own the rare pair from thecoolshoeshine on us store.

Each of the Nike Air Max+ 2012 releases over the past two or three months have eschewed the layering power of the Hyperfuse uppers in favor of more distinctly blocked styles. This newest pair is no exception, reprising the two-toned look we’ve seen on several recent drops with a colorway so integral to the Swoosh’s history it’s hard to imagine the company and its footwear offerings without thinking of a certain Chicago Bulls shooting guard. The University Red Air Max+ 2012 has an aggressive look and is yours for the taking today from Kicks-crew.

Nike Air Max+ 2012
University Red/Black-White
487982-601

Even with the Chicago Bulls’ playoff chances looking increasingly slim, the show must go on. And while they may have already missed the train on grabbing a chip for this year that doesn’t make the immortal Chicago-styled colorways any less potent. Case in point is this pair of the adidas adiZero Crazy Light 2, which switches things up from the slightly louder ‘Electric’ pair shown off at the media launch for a more balanced look. Stay with us after the jump for the shots of this adidas adiZero Crazy Light 2, which will drop exclusively at Foot Locker locations on May 24th, as well as an interview featuring Gus Johnson chopping it up with adidas designer Robbie Fuller.

There exists within the sneakerhead community a certain group who appreciate the little differences that sometimes come along with the latest Air Jordan Retro colorway, noting that it’s these quick signals that can easily identify a particular issue’s exact vintage with just a glance. They seem to be a small minority, however, and are most certainly a less vocal group than the purists who want the same exact details that defined the OGs. Nike Air Max 87 Mens The single detail that’s commanded more attention than any other is the presence of ‘NIKE AIR’ on the heel of early Air Jordan Retros, the first series of which remained true to their original branding. But as Jordan Brand became its own unit within Nike, Inc., we’ve gradually seen all of these familiar icons replaced by the equally beloved Jumpman.

Even with this unmistakable icon in place, every new set of photos for a model like the Air Jordan IV that’s enjoying the 23rd anniversary treatment in 2012, we continue to see numerous comments begging for the pre-2001 build style, and that movement has hit a critical mass with a Nike Free Run 5.0 V1 new Facebook petition to Bring Back ‘NIKE AIR’ to Jordans III-VI. It’s hard to say whether something like will actually end up on an important desk in Beaverton, but given that last year’s Nike Mag 2011 release was preceded by similar fan-based efforts, is it possible that Jordan Brand might make us even happier? They’ve undoubtedly hit the nail on the head when it comes to gauging fan sentiment demanding more Retros; would Jays take over even more of your life if new drops more closely resembled the OGs?  via DeFY