Vinsanity at the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest // Getty Images on slamonline.com
For Canadians and fans of the Toronto Raptors everywhere, June 13, 2020 injects some much-needed joy into a year that could be characterized as one of the most trying in living memory. Precisely one year previous, the Kawhi Leonard-led Raptors team ended the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty. Not only did the Raptors take home their first O’Brien trophy, but they also did so by winning Game 6 in Oakland, at the final game ever played in the Warriors’ Oracle Arena. This was a sports and cultural moment that reverberated from BC to The Rock.
To celebrate the first pro sports championship by a Canadian team since Joe Carter homered in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series, StockX is rolling out a series of posts in honor of all things Raptors, Canada, and, of course, sneakers.
For our first installment, we look back 20 years to another thrilling Raptors’ moment in Oakland. Vince Carter’s electrifying 2000 NBA Dunk Contest win at the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend hosted by, you guessed it, the Golden State Warriors at the Oakland Arena. Of course, Air Canada was the star of the show, but we decided to take a look back at some of the best sneakers laced up during the festivities.
5. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, adidas Top Ten Supreme
Kobe Bryant playing the 2000 NBA All-Star in the Top Ten Supreme // sneakernews.com
Rounding out the top 5 is the incomparable, Kobe Bean Bryant. Throughout his Hall of Fame career, he wore some amazing ASG sneakers. However, the 1998-1999 NBA lockout kept the KB8 III sequel from getting ASG shine—of course, the KB8 III lives on thanks to the Yeezy 500 borrowing the sole unit. When ASG returned for the 1999-2000 season, the Black Mamba rocked a retooled adidas Top Ten Supreme, paying tribute to adidas, and basketball, history.
adidas KBIII (1999) // sneakerfreaker.com
4. Reggie Miller, Air Jordan Jumpman Team J
Reggie Miller Air Jordan Jumpman Team J PE (2000) // sneakerhistory.com
As documented in The Last Dance, Jordan and Reggie Miller had a fierce on-court rivalry, with Miller earning the esteem of His Airness. Because of this respect, Jordan blessed Reggie Miller with PE Air Jordans throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. Even though Miller was never an official member of Jordan Brand, his friendship and fiery competitiveness with MJ made him an unofficial Jordan Brand ambassador.
3. Kevin Garnett, Nike Air Garnett III
Kevin Garnett’s third signature sneaker dropped in 1999, and KG wore them at the 2000 NBA All-Star Game. Immediately upon release, this Garnett III was a favorite of players from the neighborhood to the NCAA. The Air Garnett III features “Tuned Air” cushioning in the heel, “Zoom Air” in the forefoot, a tumbled leather upper, and a gradient mesh design. When they first dropped in 1999, the sneaker featured “Garnett” branding. Nike retroed the sneaker in 2009 and 2015, renaming it the Nike Air 3 to avoid any legal issues since KG was no longer signed to Nike.
2. Allen Iverson, Reebok Question “All-Star”
Ironically, Allen Iverson didn’t play in this colorway, but it was still a part of Reebok’s 2000 NBA All-Star Game sneaker releases. Because All-Star weekend was being held in Oakland, this iteration of the Reebok Question featured a blue and yellow colorway. AI didn’t want to play in them, opting to play in a pair of Answer 3s instead.
1. Vince Carter, AND1 Tai Chi “White/Red”
Who else were we going to go with for the number one slot? But the backstory for VC’s shoe choice is just as good as his on-court performance. Surprisingly, one of Vince Carter’s most iconic sneakers didn’t have a swoosh on it.
The 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest saw Vinsanity run wild in one of the best performances ever, single-handedly reviving the dunk contest. At the time, Vince was under contract with Puma but was unhappy with the sneakers. He was able to extricate himself from the deal, with the stipulation that he could not wear the same brand sneakers in consecutive games. So Half Man / Half Amazing rocked all types of shoes, Nike, adidas, and AND1–basically anything any brand sent Carter. For a couple of days in February 2000, Carter rocked AND1s: “White/Red” Tai Chis for the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, and “Black/Red” Tai Chis during the game.
