The NBA All Star Game is tonight! The contest will feature the players who have best performed since the season began on October 19 of last year. To celebrate the game and one of my favorite weekends of the year, I’ve compiled a starting lineup of sneakers that I have voted in as this year's All Stars. Just like with NBA All Star voting, I chose these five silhouettes based upon how well that model has performed (the quality of releases) since the NBA season began. This list only considers models that have released since October 19, and does not take into consideration news about future releases. New Balance 2002R Highlight Releases: DTLR “Masquerade,” “Night Tide,” “Suede Pack” DTLR x New Balance 2002R "Masquerade" Why it Got My Vote: Even if New Balance had released only half of the “Suede Pack,” that would have been sufficient to get an All Star nod in my book. The “Hazy Blue” and “Black Fig” colorways look good enough to be Kith collaborations, but released to the masses at a GR price point. I think we could all use a bit more mauve in our lives, and I love that New Balance followed this pack up with the “Night Tide” release, which looks like the sweet love child of the “Hazy Blue” and “Black Fig” renditions. Combined with a national retailer collaboration and the 2002R had an incredibly successful first half of the season. New Balance 2002R "Night Tide" NBA Star Comparison: 2017 Russell Westbrook These shoes look great, just as Russ’s game is fun to watch. They both pass the eye test, no question. The 2002R and the former MVP also share the valuable trait of versatility. Just as Westbrook can get you points, assists, and boards, sneakerheads can wear the 2002R in a myriad of scenarios. The shoe is fresh enough to wear to a sneaker show, subtle enough to wear to work, and casual enough to wear with a pair of jeans on an errand run. However, both Russ and the 2002R have a fatal flaw. Brodie’s stats are often chastised as “empty calories” – they look good, but they don’t help his team win. Similarly, the 2002R looks good, but it often does so without the material and manufacturing quality to be a true MVP. New Balance 2002R "Suede Pack" Nike LeBron 9Highlight Releases: “Watch the Throne,” “Big Bang" Nike LeBron 9 "Watch the Throne" Why it Got My Vote: Nike blessed the masses with the once ultra-limited “Watch the Throne” 9. Not only does this shoe carry incredible significance for hip-hop fiends, but it is downright gorgeous. As a Vandy grad, I love the black and gold color combination. The laces and giant crown dubrae perfectly symbolize the royal status that King James and the throne-seated West/Carter duo shares. To further give fans reason to vote for the LeBron 9, Nike released one of the best All Star Game sneakers in history. I both cringe and swoon when I think back to the “Galaxy” sneaker craze of the early 2010s. The “Big Bangs” give me just enough of that era to feel nostalgic without forcing me to wear a planetarium on my feet. The combination of a previously unreleased sample and some bright orange reminiscence is more than enough to make the LeBron 9 one of the most successfully released sneakers of the first half of the NBA season. Nike LeBron 9 "Big Bang" NBA Star Comparison: 2019 Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki It seems easy to try and make a LeBron comparison here considering, after all, this is his signature sneaker. But even at 37, LeBron is still one of the 10 best players in the league. The LeBron 9 certainly doesn’t match that level of significance or staying power. Instead, these releases felt a bit more like a victory lap akin to the one the NBA gave Wade and Nowitzki in 2019. Just before the All Star Game, the league added one additional roster spot for each team so that the former behemoth ballers could enjoy one final All Star Weekend before retirement. By re-releasing two old favorites, Nike was giving the LeBron 9 a little victory lap before it to heads back into retirement for the next several years. Nike DunkHighlight Releases: Union “Passports,” “Winter Solstice,” “Panda,” “Paisley Pack Union x Nike Dunk Low "Passport Pack" and Nike Dunk Low "Panda" Why it Got My Vote: Eminently wearable, the Dunk has reached a level of sneaker ubiquity previously achieved only by the Air Force 1. The last five months have seen the dunk release with tearaway uppers, embroidered cultural patters, and subtle paisley swooshes. According to Unboxed App (which every sneakerhead should have), the Black and White Dunk Low was among the most celebrated and worn sneakers of 2021. Nike rereleased this rendition last month, essentially guaranteeing the Dunk a spot on the All Star roster. Nike Dunk Low "Paisley Pack" and Nike Dunk Low "Winter Solstice" NBA Star Comparison: 2016 Kobe Bryant Today, the Dunk is the sneaker equivalent of a high volume shooter. Most of the Dunk’s attempts, and there are a lot of them, are low quality shots designed to recapture the magic of yesteryear. And while some Dunk releases hit the side of the backboard with plastic-feeling “leather” and questionable colorways, the shoe still carries a tremendous amount of cultural cachet. In the 2015-2016 season, Kobe put up 17 shots per game despite shooting below 36% from the floor (*chill runs up spine*). But many of us will never forget where we were when he dropped 60 on the Jazz in the final game of his career. Just like 2016 Kobe, the Dunk has put out some stinkers this season, but it has also put out some colorways we will never forget. Adidas T-Mac Line Highlight Releases: T-Mac 1 “SVSM,” T-Mac 2 “SVSM,” T-Mac 3 “Away” T-Mac 1 "SVSM" Why it Got My Vote: I recognize I’m cheating a bit here by combining the first three T-Mac models, but the T-Mac line deserves recognition for its recent comeback. I first noticed the T-Mac resurgence while watching the Pistons; Both Jerami Grant and Frank Jackson sport T-Mac 3s this year. Both Jerami and Frank mostly wore Jordans last season, so I was surprised to see them transition to a model that flies under the radar. My friends and I also began seeing several T-Mac models on the shelves at Foot Lockers and Finish Lines, with one friend who isn’t among the sneaker-obsessed even calling me about potential picking up a pair. Finally, WearTesters posted an incredibly detailed and thorough run down of T-Mac’s signature sneakers that further piqued my interest in the line’s revitalization. The pièce de résistance of the brand’s reinvigoration has to be the re-release of the T-Mac 1 made for LeBron James while he was at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. The shoe sports the traditional SVSM colors by bringing a forest green rubber across the toe while featuring an embroidered gold 23 on the heel. I had these shoes in college and was stoked to see them retro, especially next to an SVSM-inspired all green T-Mac 2. By bringing back several classic favorites, a couple of PEs, and making it onto the NBA hardwood, the T-Mac line boasted one of the best performances of any sneaker line so far this season. T-Mac 2 "SVSM" NBA Star Comparison: 2011 Manu Ginóbili Again, I could have tried to box this comparison in by using Tracy McGrady, but what fun is that? Instead, I’ll reach a bit and say the renaissance of the T-Mac line reminds me more of my favorite Spur. Manu’s game and the three T-Mac models mentioned are a bit quirky. Manu moved in a way that almost no other player did, and the T-Mac line emphasizes bold stripes across its toe and medial sides in a way no other shoe ever has. They both just look different than their peers. Manu was never the guy to lead the Spurs to a championship, but he was an integral part of four titles. Your favorite shoe in your collection likely isn’t a T-Mac, but they are great rotational pieces to keep for a snowy day or some pick up in the park. The biggest similarity between the Argentinian and the T-Mac line lies in their resurgence. While Ginóbili played well for his entire career, his two All Star appearances came six years apart, in 2006 and 2011. Similarly, the T-Mac line was popular during McGrady’s relevance in the early 2000s and is now making a comeback as an important sneaker line years later. Jerami Grant leading the Pistons to a victory against that team from Indiana in the T-Mac 3 "Away" The All Star Game MVP: Saucony Shadow 6000 Highlight Releases: Feature “Chocolate Chip,” ALIFE, Extra Butter “Rabbit Hole" Feature x Saucony 6000 "Chocolate Chip" Why it Got My Vote: By far the most impressive showing of the year has come from the Shadow 6000. While Saucony had not caught my eye before this season, the “Chocolate Chip” rendition currently has my early vote for MVP/sneaker of the year. The shoe’s eclectic use of rare materials, combined with its aesthetic wearability and attention to detail make it one of the best releases in recent memory. A second collaboration with ALIFE offered sneakerheads a funky ‘70s looking color scheme with a nod to the culture’s Mecca, NYC. Just like the “Chocolate Chips,” the ALIFE collab featured dramatic pops of color while still remaining wearable on a daily basis. Finally, the “Rabbit Hole” colorway embraced the challenge of crafting a drug-themed sneaker without going completely over the top. While the box highlights the shoe’s psychedelic backstory, the colorway itself remains subtle and versatile. Somehow, the shoe appears symmetrical while still using yin and yang color blocking on its heels. These releases were three of the best sneakers to drop over the last five months. The fact that they were all on the same model guaranteed an All Star bid and has made the 6000 the frontrunner for model of the year. ALIFE x Saucony 6000 NBA Star Comparison: 2012 Jeremy Lin Like an undrafted Jeremy Lin before gaining a try-out contract with the Knicks, the Shadow 6000 has been quietly putting up numbers in the G League for some time now without receiving much widespread attention. The shoe is presently going through something of its own “Linsanity” as the silhouette has featured three killer colorways in roughly as many months. These collabs seemingly came out of nowhere and have positioned Saucony favorably for contract negotiations this offseason. Considering the sneaker’s price and gorgeous profile, I hope that the Shadow 6000 ultimately has a bit more staying power than Lin and the shoe comes up in All Star conversations again next year. Extra Butter x Saucony 6000 "Rabbit Hole" As with regular NBA All Star voting, there are objective measures by which we hold potential stars but the voting is ultimately subjective. Undoubtedly, one could make an argument that certain silhouettes had better releases over the last five months than the shoes I chose. I want to hear those arguments! Drop a comment below or reach out to me via Instagram (@Like_Not_Hype) and let me know which sneakers I snubbed!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
About the AuthorKevin Witenoff has been collecting sneakers since 2004. He is currently based out of Detroit, Michigan, USA and is down to a collection of roughly 60 pairs. He wears size 10.5. |