Before Instagram influencers and TikTok crazes swayed sneaker culture, there was basketball. Basketball is arguably responsible for many of today’s popular silhouettes from brands like Nike, adidas, Reebok, and, of course, Jordan Brand. From the sport’s first sneaker deal in 1979 between Walt Fraser and Puma to Michael Jordan inking his Nike deal in 1985, professional basketball players have made a dramatic impact on sneaker culture and were looked at as the trendsetters for sneakerheads. As we gear up for one of pro basketball’s biggest weekends in Utah this year, we’re taking a look at some of the key historical moments that have helped catapult certain sneakers into absolute stardom.
Air Jordan 3 Free Throw Line White Cement
For many sneakerheads, basketball historians, and even just people who grew up in the late 1980s, the visual of Michael Jordan’s flight from the free-throw line is a core memory. Back in 1988, Michael Jordan solidified his Airness status after dunking a ball with a running start from the free throw line. Video from that moment shows a man defying gravity and physics from such a far distance, and the shoes he wore during this stunt were the Air Jordan 3 White Cement. To commemorate the historic moment in sneaker history, Jordan Brand released a special AJ3 Slam Dunk White Cement with translucent icy blue outsoles that have a red stripe printed underneath to mark that same free-throw line where Jordan lifted off.
And1 Tai-Chi White Red (2018)
If you saw Netflix’s recent Untold: The Rise and Fall of AND1 documentary, or simply grew up watching the mixtapes in the early 2000s, then this sneaker might look familiar. The AND1 Tai-Chi was one of AND1’s first sneakers that helped make it a Nike competitor in the United States, especially after Vince Carter’s dunk. Back in 2000, Carter performed an array of memorable dunks at that year’s Slam Dunk Contest, including a 360-degree windmill and an “Elbow in the Rim” dunk, all while wearing the AND1 Tai Chis. These dunks not only won him the competition but also gave AND1 the perfect amount of publicity within the saturated field of Nike and Reebok. Despite AND1 later being outperformed by Nike in the later years, AND1 re-released the Tai-Chi silhouette in 2018 to celebrate the silhouette’s 25th anniversary.
Reebok Question Mid Why Not Us
Allen Iverson will forever be remembered as a legend within basketball for his hustle mindset. Even during a game that generally doesn’t affect a player’s standings during the season, Iverson brought his A-game in 2001 against a stacked West Coast conference roster. Iverson almost single-handedly led his team out of a 21-point deficit, bringing them close to a win in the last quarter. He scored 15 points that game and brought the game to a 110-111 match while wearing his signature Reebok Questions in a Black and White colorway. In a post-game interview, Iverson said “[E]verybody was saying we couldn’t win because of our size. It’s not about size. It’s about the size of your heart. Coming into the fourth quarter, we were all sitting on the sidelines saying ‘Why not us? Why can’t we be the ones to come back…’” To commemorate the moment, Reebok retroed that same colorway in 2021 and appropriately titled it “Why Not Us?”
Nike LeBron 9 Big Bang (2022)
In 2012, LeBron and Nike debuted the Nike LeBron 9 Big Bang alongside packmates of other signature sneakers from Kevin Durant and the late Kobe Bryant. The pack was colloquially known as “Galaxy”, with each sneaker featuring an intergalactic theme. These Nike LBJs were one of the standout pairs from the pack, sporting a vibrant Total Orange upper that demands the attention of eyeballs. In addition to the bright upper, reflective accents brought a similar shine like a bursting star on the Swoosh, heel tab, and tongue. What differentiates these sneakers from other LeBrons is that the sole has a glow-in-the-dark feature, diving deeper into the galaxy theme. The sneakers sold out instantly back in 2012, but recently, Nike retroed the Big Bang sneaker in 2022 unexpectedly.
Nike Air Foamposite Lite Kryptonate ASG
Back in 2009, Nate Robinson quite literally took flight over one of the top big men in the league. During the previous year’s Slam Dunk Contest, Dwight Howard showed up in a Superman cape and (arguably) dunked from a few inches from the free throw line, winning him the contest in 2008 and giving him the nickname “Superman”. The following year, Nate Robinson challenged Howard for the dunk title and came in a special edition green jersey and matching player edition Nike Air Foamposite Lite dubbed Kryptonite, a Superman power-draining alien mineral. The sneakers were dressed in shades of bright neon green and translucent neon green outsole with Nate Robinson’s initials printed on the upper. Robinson jumped over Dwight Howard and dunked, winning him the title that year for his added theatrics and amazing stunt. The sneakers were never released but were gifted to friends and family of Robinson and the brand.
