The Hot Shoe Of Spring 2018?

The first Air Jordans to feature visible Nike Air—and undisputed classics—are back after a seven year hiatus.

The MVP of the 1988 NBA All-Star Game was Michael Jordan. 30 years later, this fact seems obvious: he's MJ. Of course he racked up an All-Star MVP. But it's easy to forget that at the time, winning the award was one of MJ's top achievements (he wouldn't win an NBA title until 1991). Still, Jordan's MVP win in front of a home crowd in Chicago is still one of the coolest things he ever did, and to sneakerheads, the shoes he was wearing during that game are one of the all-time best Air Jordan sneakers. Next month, the Air Jordan 3 "Cement" makes its return after seven years in Nike's archives.

The Air Jordan 3 didn't just help MJ on the court because they looked cool. (As we all remember, "it's gotta be the shoes.") They were also a massive step forward for the Jordan brand, as they were the first Jordans to feature visible Nike Air technology. Debuting the year after the original Air Max sneaker, the Air Jordan 3 was also designed by Tinker Hatfield, who went on to design every Air Jordan through the 15. But the Jordan 3 remains the most beloved Air Jordan sneaker by many sneakerheads as the first to truly represent "His Airness."

(GQ.com)

Did You Know - Kering/Puma Partnership Edition

Kering, the French parent-company of world-famous luxury brands, plans to distribute 70% of its ownership in Puma to its shareholders. One of these thing is not like the others: Gucci, Puma, Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta.

(BroBible.com)

Will Other Brands Follow Suit?

Nike To Start Selling Shoes On Amazon And This Will Have Major Reverberations 

The agreement will have Nike provide product directly to Amazon and in return Amazon will police and prohibit counterfeit and third-party sales of Nike products. Amazon has been gearing up for this significant partnership by cracking down on counterfeit product and the proliferation of unauthorized third-party sales on the site already. Amazon already began notifying third-party sellers that they have until July 13 to stop selling certain Nike products.

What’s not known is what Nike products will be available on Amazon. Zappos, which is owned by Amazon, doesn’t sell premium Nike brands such Jordan, Air Max or Nike signature basketball products. Experts believe that premium Nike products will not be offered on Amazon, to give other retailers that Nike has a relationship to survive. Sports apparel retailers such as Dicks Sporting Goods, Footlocker, Finish Line, Hibbett Sports all saw their stocks drop on Thursday.
 
Nike is enchanted by Amazon more than ever since sales in North America have been stagnate, and this month they were forced to cut 1,400 jobs, or about 2 percent of its workforce. Plus traffic to brick-and-morter retail locations are on declining at a worrying pace.

(BroBible.com)

Another Trend Setting Venture By Nike

Lace ‘Em Up

Yesterday, Nike upped the ante on Under Armour and Adidas by launching its Direct Consumer Offense. It sounds alarming, but we assure you, it’s a good thing.

The $88 billion athletic brand is looking to boost digital sales by streamlining mass product customization and speeding up lead time to delivery. And it’s all to meet the fast-changing insatiable tastes of Nike’s favorite person—you.

In doing so, it will remain laser-focused on the 12 cities that Nike believes will drive 80% of growth until 2020.

Here’s the catch: it’ll be dropping 1,400 of its 70,000 employees along the way.

(BroBible.com)

Puma's New Street Kicks Look Good

PUMA Tsugi

(NiceKicks.com)

I'd Rock These

adidas EQT Support “OG” Pack

(NiceKicks.com)

These Are Clean

Air Jordan 1 Low Swooshless

(NiceKicks.com)

Those Look Comfortable . . . . . Not

(Bits&Pieces.us)

I'm Going To Rock These On The Links This Summer

Air Jordan 13 Low Golf Cleat

(NiceKicks.com)

I Want A Pair Of These

adidas NMD R1 PK “Japan Boost” Pack

(NiceKicks.com)

One Of Nike Kobe's Better Looking Releases

Nike Kobe A.D. NXT “White/Black”

(NiceKicks.com)

I'd Buy A Pair Of These

Take a First Look at the Nike Hyperdunk 2017

(NiceKicks.com)

This Is The Mega Baller Brand

(HighSnobiety.com)

A Rare Intelligent Business Decision

Nike, Under Armour, Adidas not interested in deal with Lonzo Ball

An endorsement deal with Nike, Under Armour or Adidas is not in the cards for Lonzo Ball.

Ball's father, LaVar, confirmed that the three shoe and apparel companies informed him they were not interested in completing a deal with his son. Sources with the three companies told ESPN.com that they indeed were moving on.

Never in the history of modern-day shoe endorsements have the big companies all stepped away from a potential top pick nearly two months before the NBA draft. But LaVar, who has been representing Lonzo in the deal, has offered something that has no precedent.

In his meetings with all three companies, LaVar insisted that they license his upstart Big Baller Brand from him, according to the companies. He also showed the companies a shoe prototype that he hoped would be Lonzo's first shoe.

"We've said from the beginning, we aren't looking for an endorsement deal," LaVar told ESPN. "We're looking for co-branding, a true partner. But they're not ready for that because they're not used to that model. But hey, the taxi industry wasn't ready for Uber, either."

(ESPN.com)

I Want A Pair Of These

Nike Zoom Spiridon Ultra “Triple White”

(NiceKicks.com)

These Are Clean

Nike Kobe A.D. “DeRozan” PE 

(NiceKicks.com)

These Are Clean

NikeLab Air Force 1 “Jewel” Returns in Vachetta Tan

(CavemanCircus.com)

These Will Be Added To The Rotation

Nike Kobe A.D. Dropping in Off-White With Gum Soles

(NiceKicks.com)

I Want A Pair Of These

adidas Pure Boost 

(NiceKicks.com)

I Want A Pair Of These

adidas Crossknit Boost “Pimento”

(NiceKicks.com)