The Buyer's Guide: Nike Dunk Sneakers

If you look up Nike Dunks on StockX, you’ll notice a few things. One, that the Nike Dunk has an expansive catalog of colorways and styles that cover years of hypeworthy releases. And two, that some of these Nike Dunks are selling for six figures. Take for example one of the most iconic Nike Dunks of all time: The Nike SB Dunk Low Paris. It’s currently going for $90,000 to $180,000 on StockX right now. Yup, you read that right. 

So what is it about the Nike Dunk that has made it one of the most coveted sneaker silhouettes of all time? While the sneaker may have a simple yet versatile design, its impact on the culture is multifaceted and groundbreaking. What started as a basketball shoe for college kids has transformed into an icon that represents the unification of art, fashion, and sneaker culture as we know it today.

Like I said, the Nike Dunk story is multifaceted, consisting of many twists and turns before reaching the current chapter we are at now. From basketball shoe to skateboarding staple, the Nike Dunk has taken on many shapes and forms, including Nike SB Dunks, Nike Dunk High, and the Nike Dunk Low. Rare and unique collaborations also became a key player behind the Nike Dunk’s iconic status, with notable collaborations including Supreme, Zoo York, Stüssy, Jeff Staple, and more. But it’s the versatility behind the design that has really made it a shoe for just about everyone. From superheroes to art and fashion, Nike Dunk’s creative collaborations and controlled distribution strategy made it a shoe that was constantly sold out and rising in market value.

So if you’re new to the Nike Dunk or an OG trying to expand your current collection, we’ve created a comprehensive Buyer’s Guide to share everything you need to know about the iconic silhouette before clicking “Bid”. Let’s start from the beginning.  

History

Image by Villanova Basketball

The origin of the Nike Dunk dates back to the early 1980s when college basketball began to attract mainstream appeal. According to Nike’s docu series titled The Story of Dunk, Nike got the idea to create the Dunk when sales reps attended the 1985 NCAA Final Four. All four college teams competing for the NCAA Championship that year were sponsored by Nike, which was monumental, considering Nike was still a fledgling player in the basketball market at the time. While the Swoosh logo was front and center on the biggest stage in college basketball, the shoes themselves did not match the spirit and charisma of their surrounding environment, with an arena filled with fans showing off their school pride by wearing head-to-toe team colors. To capture this energy, Nike developed a design with bold colorways that would not only match uniforms on the court but also suit fans in the stands. 

When designing the shape of this new sneaker, Nike took inspiration from three of their most popular basketball shoes at the time: the Legend, the Terminator, and the Air Jordan 1. Unlike the primarily white and simplistic basketball shoes of the 70s and early 80s, the soon-to-be Nike Dunk was one of the first shoes to color block, with panels of the shoe’s upper saturated by signature colors to represent a given school. Nike almost named their newest school-spirited basketball shoe the “College Color High”, but instead, they chose to name it after the most exciting shot in basketball: the Dunk.

Nike Dunk Colorways

The sneaker originally released in the fall of 1985 as part of the “Be True To Your School” (BTTYS) campaign, also known as the “College Colors Program.” The BTTYS campaign aligned colorways of the latest Nike Basketball shoes with twelve of the most prestigious basketball programs in the country. Of the twelve, only seven schools received Dunk colorways tributed to their colors: Iowa, Michigan, UNLV, Villanova, St. Johns, Kentucky, and Syracuse. Each colorway arrived in both high-top and low-top silhouettes to accommodate various styles of play. The Dunk ushered in a new era of design: one that not only focuses on innovation and construction but also storytelling and team spirit through color.

In 1999, Dunk colorways reached another level of success when Nike partnered with select Japanese influencers to revive the Dunk after a ten-year hiatus. This collaboration would include sets of vibrant, regionally exclusive Dunk colorways under the moniker Nike Concept Japan, or Nike CO.JP. Due to extremely limited quantities and a distant market, the Nike CO.JP sparked a new interest in Dunks that turned the basketball sneaker into more of a hypeworthy collectible. Unique colorways like the 2002 Nike Dunk Low Viotech CO.JP broke any pre-existing rules for color blocking, pairing unlikely colors together to create a uniquely balanced design. The impact of Nike CO.JP is still very much felt today. Many colorways from the early 2000s have seen re-issues in the past few years and are among some of the most popular colorways on StockX.

Aside from the collectibility appeal, Nike Dunks continued to surge in popularity after their decade-long absence in the 90s primarily because of skateboarders. The flat sole and leather upper of the Dunk provided a responsive, durable shoe for skating. After heavy adoption by the skateboarding community, Nike started working with select skateboarders to discover how they could improve the model. The result was a modified design and a bold, new approach to storytelling through colorway, which led to the introduction of the SB Dunk. 

Nike Dunk vs. SB Dunk

The original Nike SB Dunk Low colorways.

At a quick glance, Nike Dunks and SB Dunks may look one and the same. They both feature a traditional paneled Dunk upper with a perforated vamp and grooved outsole. But if you take a closer look, you will see that SB Dunks are specifically engineered for skateboarders in mind. Hence the name Nike SB (Nike Skateboarding).

There are several key differences between normal Dunks and SB Dunks. First, SB Dunks feature a padded tongue with elastic straps running down to the arch on both lateral and medial sides. This not only prevents the tongue from getting crooked and uncomfortable during skating, but also allows wearers to loosen their laces for extra swag without worrying about their shoes falling off mid-ollie. Non-SB Dunks primarily feature un-padded, nylon tongues. With the few exceptions of Nike Dunk Pro B models in the early 2000s that had slightly stuffed mesh tongues, Dunks have sported nylon tongues since their debut in 1985. 

Next, SB Dunks have more cushion in their insoles thanks to a Zoom Air cushioning unit in the heel and spongy Poron foam in the forefoot. These design elements add comfort and responsiveness to the model to lessen any impact while skating. Also, the top fabrication of the SB Dunk insole is composed of a terry material to keep dampness caused by sweat to a minimum. Normal Dunks typically have a basic foam insole, which is perfectly fine for casual wear, but not as responsive as SBs.

Lastly, the sole on Nike SB Dunks released after 2010 is slightly modified to improve board grip and pivoting motions. The concentric curved pattern on the outsole features a higher frequency of grooves, adding flexibility. The midsole is injected with Phylon foam for extra cushioning, as opposed to normal Nike Dunks that have soles primarily made of EVA.

How Do Nike Dunks Fit Into Your Wardrobe

Image by Nike

When Nike Dunks first released, they were an innovative, performance-focused basketball shoe made for the court, and were then later optimized for skating. These days, they are equally suited for streetwear and have been an integral shoe in every fashion enthusiast’s rotation. The wide variety of colorways that Dunks are available in allows buyers with all different tastes to find a pair that resonates with their personal style. Whether it’s classic college-inspired Dunk Highs or the wild and colorful Dunk Lows, Nike Dunks are essential for the streetwear obsessed just as much as the athletes.

Sizing for Nike Dunks

With new covetable colorways seemingly releasing every other month, it’s important to know how this specific sneaker model fits before buying. The Nike Dunk and Nike SB Dunk come in unisex sizing and both typically run true to size, so we recommend buying your regular size for the best fit. When it comes to comfort level, Nike SB Dunks will feel more cushioned compared to the Nike Dunk due to its Zoom Air pod at the heel and the spongy Poron foam at the forefoot. 

How Much Do Nike Dunks Cost?

At the retail level, Nike Dunks cost between $100 and $110 depending on which model you buy, with some collaborations demanding a fair bit more. But an easy checkout at the retail level is extremely rare in today’s Dunk market. Most releases are offered exclusively by raffle, and if they are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, the odds of a one-minute sell-out are high. With demand overwhelming supply, Nike Dunks sell for well over their retail price on StockX.

In the last year, the average Nike Dunk has sold for around $290 – almost triple its retail. This is a resale feat that few silhouettes have been able to achieve collectively. Not even the popular, yet limited, Jordan 1 has touched premiums as high as Nike Dunks (the average Jordan 1 goes for around 80% above retail). If we look within the Nike Dunk category, there is a significant difference between the resale value of Dunk High and Dunk Low models. The average Dunk Low resales at an 81% higher premium than the average Dunk High, selling at just under $320. This observation of price disparity between the Dunk Low and Dunk High extends beyond the realm of normal Dunks, and is even more prevalent in SB Dunks.

The chart above shows the average resale price for Nike Dunks and Nike SB Dunks recently. As you can see, the Dunk Low and SB Dunk Low silhouettes are the most valuable, with the SB Dunk Low boasting the highest average resale price ($560). When comparing SB Dunk Lows to Highs, the difference in premium almost makes the 81% gap between the Dunk Low and Dunk High look minor. On average, SB Dunk Lows sell at a premium that is 280% higher than SB Dunk Highs. This stark difference in price can be attributed to recent releases and unique collaborations, including hyped SB Dunk Low releases like the Chunky Dunky and Grateful Dead Bears, as well as historic sales of vintage Dunks like the Nike SB Dunk Low Paris. 

Regardless of release frequency, our data implies that buyers are inclined to spend more money on Dunk Lows than Dunk Highs. Limited quantities, collaborations, and colorways play a major role in Dunk value, as they do in every category. But the purchasing behavior surrounding Dunk Lows has led to the Dunk High becoming a more accessible and affordable option for buyers looking to own a pair of Dunks.

The Real Value

Nike Dunks are foundational to sneaker culture not only because of the innovative design or a celebrity cosign, but because the sneaker’s origin stems from the goal of connecting people and telling personal stories. The colorways embrace self-expression, team spirit, and individuality, utilizing color blocking as a method of storytelling and passion. Over time, Dunks have extended beyond the realm of consumer goods, and are considered collectibles, even art, due to their valuable and rare nature. In the end, it is the fans who have given the Dunks their value. Nobody else.

What are some of the rarest Nike Dunk releases?

One of the rarest Nike Dunk releases is the Nike SB Dunk Low Paris. The sneaker was limited to 200 pairs upon production, with each pair uniquely featuring original artwork from French painter Bernard Buffet. Anyone who has been following the Paris Dunks would not be surprised by the current Ask numbers, for its market price has steadily climbed over the last 20 years. The Nike SB Dunk Low Paris isn’t valued that high because of how comfortable or stylish it is, but rather because this sneaker has become a form of art.

Other highly sought after and rare Dunk releases include the Nike Dunk Low Cactus Plant Flea Market Pure Platinum, Nike Dunk High N.E.R.D. Pharrell, Nike SB Dunk Low Freddy Krueger, Nike SB Dunk Low Staple NYC Pigeon, and the Nike SB Dunk Low What the Dunk.

See them below: