Previewing a packed weekend of All-Star sneaker releases.
There is no shortage of highly anticipated sneakers hitting retailers this weekend in celebration of the NBA All-Star festivities, as per usual. Every year sneaker brands go all out in delivering new and classic basketball sneakers and 2018 will be no different as the NBA's stars descend upon the City of Angels.
Some of the kicks releasing this weekend will be exclusive to Los Angeles, while others are simply inspired by the host city. Among the sneakers dropping today and tomorrow are several collaborative projects, multiple classics that have been redesigned, and others that will be releasing for the first time ever.
While Nike Basketball got ahead of the game and released most of their All-Star collection on Thursday, the rest of the highly coveted kicks will drop between today, February 16th, and tomorrow, February 17th.
Scroll down to check out 10 of the best basketball sneakers dropping ahead of Sunday's NBA All-Star Game.
Before Kobe Bryant signed a long-term deal with Nike he was a "sneaker free agent" which allowed him to wear everything from special edition Air Jordans to Reebok PEs. During this time in 2002, Kobe took the court against the Memphis Grizzlies rocking a white and purple colorway of Allen Iverson's beloved Reebok Answer IV, and proceeded to hang a triple-double on the Grizz in route to a 101-91 victory.
On February 16th, more than 15 years since the Black Mamba debuted the Lakers-inspired Answer IVs, Reebok will finally release the special edition colorway.
Drake's "OVO" Air Jordan 8s will release (in both black and white) on Friday, February 16th and they'll be one of the toughest sneakers to get your hands on during the NBA All-Star Weekend. In addition to the OVO brick and mortars and the OVO website (both of which have implemented raffle systems for the kicks), Footaction will also be releasing the 8s, but only at two locations - the 32 South State Street location in Chicago and the 749 South Broadway spot in Los Angeles.
Your best bet is trying to snag a pair via Nike SNKRS at 11 am ET on Friday.
When Steph Curry leads his All-Star team onto the court this Sunday at Staples Center in Los Angeles, he'll be rocking a pristine, "City Of Angels" inspired colorway of his signature shoe, the Under Armour Curry 4.
Fans will have the chance to snag a pair before Curry laces them up on Sunday. Each pair will retail for $130 at Under Armour brand houses and UnderArmour.com.
First look at the Under Armour Curry 4 for @StephenCurry30 at All-Star
Similar to the "Gold Top-3" Air Jordan 1 that debuted during Complex Con, this upcoming "Gold Toe" colorway utilizes a combination of black and gold patent leather. However, both the left and right "Gold Toe" sneakers are identitcal, as opposed to the mismatched "Top-3" version.
They’ll be available at select Jordan Brand retailers and via Nike SNKRS at 10am ET on the 16th.
Release Date: February 16th (in-store), February 17th (online)
Retail Price: $150
All three Bape x Adidas Dame 4s will release on February 16th for $150 a pop during Adidas' 747 Warehouse event in Los Angeles, but the Black Camo and Green Camo will also be available on February 17th at adidas.com and BAPE.
The collab draws on inspiration from Bape’s iconic shark design and its distinctive decorative elements, specifically the camo print. The kicks, which come in black, green and red, also include 'WGM', symbolizing World Gone Mad, as well as, 'YKWYTII', Damian’s ‘You Know What Time It Is’ moniker.
Chapter 2 of the Kith x Nike Long Live the King collection introduces four new versions of Ronnie Fieg’s Performance and Lifestyle twists of the LeBron XV. Each model features an embroidered royal pattern inspired by kings’ cloaks. According to Kith, this special embroidery is an intricate process that requires hand-stitching each pair individually.
The Nike x Kith LeBron Performance XV comes in a “King’s Cloak" colorway featuring a white Battleknit upper with multi-color cloak embroidery and a gold Riri zipper, as well as the “Suit of Amor” which is built on a black Battleknit upper with tonal cloak embroidery and a gunmetal Riri zipper.
The Nike x Kith LeBron Lifestyle XV colorways include the “King’s Crown," featuring a black Battleknit upper with multi-color cloak embroidery, 3 strap options, and a gold medial side zipper, as well as the “City of Angels," which utilizes a white Battleknit upper with tonal cloak embroidery, 3 strap options, and a silver medial side zipper.
The full collection, including the matching apparel, releases this Friday exclusively in-store at the new Kith Los Angeles flagship, Friday at midnight 12AM ET on Kith.com, and Saturday at all other Kith shops.
The "Del Sol" colorway of the Nike Kobe 1 Protro is just one of the Kobe 1s releasing during the NBA All-Star Weekend. Nike also partnered with Undefeated for a couple of collabs (see here) that will only release in L.A., but this Varsity Maize joint will be much more readily available.
The classic kicks, now built with a lighter construction and added full-length Zoom Air cushioning, are expected to launch via Nike.com at 11:30 am ET on Saturday, February 17th.
Just like the BAIT x Reebok Question that dropped back in 2013, this upcoming pair features black patent leather detailing as well as a shimmery snakeskin upper.
The BAIT x Reebok Question Mid "Snake 2.0" will launch in limited quantities for $180 on Saturday, February 17th, exclusively at the BAIT x Reebok NBA All-Star pop-Up shop located at 1054 S. Olive St. Los Angeles. According to Sneaker News, only 600 pairs will be available.
Additional pairs of the BAIT x Reebok Question Mid "Snake 2.0" will be available via raffle at the BAIT website, with winners being notified on Tuesday, February 20th. Click here for more details.
LeBron James’ debut signature shoe, the Nike Air Zoom Generation was originally released in 2003, and he wore this particular "Wheat" colorway during the 2004 Rookie Challenge.
The kicks return on Saturday via Nike's SNKRS App at 11am ET.
The beloved "Black Cement" 3s, featuring the OG "Nike Air" branding on the heel, will return on the February 17th, which happens to be Michael Jordan's 55th birthday.
The good news: They'll be available online and in-store at all major retailers, including nearly every Footaction under the Sun. Check out Footaction's Release Locator to see exactly which stores in your area will have the kicks in stock.
<b>Sports & Sneakers Writer</b>
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New York born and raised. Long-suffering Knicks, Mets & Jets fan who fell in love with sneakers when Allen Iverson laced up the 11s at Georgetown. Commissioner of one of the premier fantasy football leagues in the USA.
