A fan-favorite Kobe Bryant sneaker is set to rerelease for the first time ever next year.

Bryant’s Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low “Beethoven” shoe is set to receive a Protro (performance retro) update in 2025. Originally launched in August 2014, the Flyknit-based white, black and wolf gray sneakers combined a marled gray lateral side mixed with black and white with a fully white medial section.

Long before the “Panda” Dunk nickname came about, the “Beethoven” Kobe 9 Elite Low was a black-and-white sneaker that had fans clamoring for a chance to pick up a pair.

Known for his fervent interests outside of basketball such as martial arts and soccer, Bryant was also a noted fan of the legendary composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

“Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata calms me down when I reach my breaking point,” the late NBA legend tweeted in 2013 alongside a photo of himself playing the piano. 

An ESPN profile following Bryant’s 2016 retirement documents how he learned to play the “Moonlight Sonata” by ear in an attempt to earn wife Vanessa’s good graces after an argument. 

“If you just sit down and say, ‘I’m going to learn this thing until I do,’ there’s not really much out there that you can’t figure out eventually,” Bryant said in the ’16 article.

While there’s no explicit Beethoven reference on the Kobe 9 Elite Low, the pair’s white-and-black colorway is said to be inspired by the keys of a piano. During its original release, Nike noted that the pair also paid tribute to the composer’s Ninth Symphony (aka Symphony No. 9).

And although Bryant didn’t wear the “Beethoven” style in an NBA game, he did lace the pair up during a trip to Brazil during the ’14 FIFA World Cup. 

The upcoming Proto version will be the first time the “Beethoven” colorway has been reissued since its ’14 debut. Based on the early look, the ’25 Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low “Beethoven” will match the aesthetics of the original iteration. The pair is currently on track to be released in April at a retail price of $210. This story will be updated with any changes.

NBA Stars Pay Tribute to Kobe Bryant With Sneakers On-Court

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Victor Wembanyama had a special pair of sneakers on hand for the San Antonio Spurs’ first home game of the NBA regular season.

Ahead of the Saturday match-up against the Houston Rockets, Wembanyama was photographed with a customized version of his go-to Nike GT Hustle 3 sneakers. Referencing both his 2024 Rookie of the Year award and his well-documented fandom of the “Star Wars” franchise, Wembanyama’s “Wookiee of the Year” GT Hustle 3s were inspired by the furry Wookiee species which populate the films. 

Like their Wookiee inspiration, the Nike GT Hustle 3s were draped in a shaggy brown and black fur which covered nearly the entire upper. Further customization included an alien face on the tongue – a nod to Wembanyama’s extraterrestrial comparisons – and “ROY 24” (Rookie of the Year) printed on the heel 

Surprisingly, Wembanyama didn’t end up wearing the shaggy sneakers in the tunnel, nor did he lace them up for on-court action against the Rockets. Instead, the 7’3” French star wore a more standard white-based colorway of the sneaker. Built with double-stacked Zoom Air cushioning, the GT Hustle 3 is considered one of Nike’s top performing basketball shoes of the moment. Although not a signature shoe, Wembanyama has been marketed as the face of the model in promotional materials.

In April, Nike held its  A.I.R. (Athlete Imagined Revolution) exhibition in Paris which featured experimental concept designs including an AI-designed prototype created specifically for Wembanyama’s foot. 

As for the game, the Spurs inched by with a 109-106 finish to tally their first win of the season. Wembanyama led the way for the team with 29 points and added 7 rebounds.

Given its impracticality for performance use, it’s highly unlikely this “Wookiee of the Year” version of the Nike GT Hustle 3 will be released to the public. However, other styles of the GT Hustle 3 sneaker are available now from nike.com for $190 each.

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A retro Nike sneaker is about to take on the look of the most beloved Batman villain.

A new edition of the Nike Air Max 180 has immediately drawn comparisons to the Joker for its use of lime green and purple. Most of the suede and neoprene sneaker arrives in black, but its accenting colors invoke the Joker’s famous wardrobe. The outsole extends to the midsole’s arc over the heel Air Max unit in lime green to match the laces and Nike Air heel logo, while the heel stabilizer and tongue “180” mark arrive in purple. A portion of the outsole also arrives in translucent purple beneath the Air Max unit, and capping off the sneaker is a white suede Swoosh.

Sneakerheads regularly give a “Joker” nickname to sneakers making use of green and purple, but Stray Rats and New Balance invoked Batman’s nemesis in official fashion for a 2019 993v3 collaboration.

The Air Max 180 made its debut in 1991 and was the brain child of two legendary Nike designers, Tinker Hatfield and Bruce Kilgore. The idea was to make Air Max technology more visible then ever, and a blow moulding process allowed it to take up more territory through the heel. Urethane was also used for an outsole for the first time on the model, while neoprene helped provide a snug fit.

Just this year, Nike brought back the Air Max 180 with a one-to-one recreation of its original proportions for the first time in the “Ultramarine” colorway. The return of the “Concord” edition was also relished, as it was worn by Michael Jordan in a photoshoot for the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team.”

The Nike Air Max 180 “Joker” doesn’t yet have a firm release date but is expected to release before the end of 2024 with a price of $150. This post will be updated as more information becomes available.

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About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

An amusing logo mixup is bridging the worlds of fast food and sneakers as some people happen to mistake the Air Jordan wings logo for the Wingstop logo.

The account @resellingsecrets recently posted a carousel to Instagram featuring two instances in which the chicken wing company and Nike imprint were confused. The mixup is understandable — while they are not exactly the same, both logos feature a pair of wings with a circle in the middle, in addition to a curved banner bearing the brands’ names.

This is not the first time the mixup has entered the cultural conversation. A post went viral on Twitter/X in 2021 after a user said her mother thought her brother’s green Air Jordans were “wingstop shoes.” Inspired by the joke, Wingstop made a foray into the footwear business with the creation of the Lemon Pepper 1s — a sneaker developed with Shoe Surgeon and made possible to win by joining Wingstop’s fan club and engaging with the company on social media. Inspired by the chain restaurant’s colors, the shoes were green and white and featured chicken-inspired brown fuzzy Swoosh.

While Jordans are most closely associated with the Jumpman logo, the wings logo dates back to the 1980s when it debuted on the Air Jordan 1 during Michael Jordan’s rookie season in the NBA. Peter Moore, who designed the Air Jordan 1, came up with the logo when he saw a child on a plane with a pair of plastic wings gifted by a flight attendant. While the Jumpman became more popular in the long run, the original wings image lives on as Nike holds onto its heritage. For example, Travis Scott’s new Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Medium Olive” sneaker can be seen below.

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Were there a Mount Rushmore for sneakers, the Nike Air Force 1 would be guaranteed one of its four slots. Not only is it Nike’s best-selling shoe of all-time, but its history is steeped in several moments single-handedly responsible for sneaker culture today as we know it.

Reissued sneakers: you can thank the Air Force 1s. Exclusive colorways: extend credit to the same source. The number of pairs sold is in the millions, and thousands of different versions of the sneaker have gone on sale since they debuted in 1982.

The Air Force 1 has remained a staple for 40 years, enjoying a level of longevity that few wearable objects, let alone sneakers, enjoy. Even the Air Jordan 1 had a period of languishing on shelves in the ’90s, but the Air Force 1 has never had a comparable dip in appeal.

Below, Footwear News takes you through the history of the Air Force 1, providing you everything you need to know about the iconic model.

1982 Debut

Nike launched the Air Force 1 in 1982 as a high-top and the company’s first basketball sneaker to feature Air technology, which had made its debut three years earlier on the Tailwind running shoe. 

The hiking boot-inspired design from Bruce Kilgore — who would go on to create the Air Ship, aka the “Pre-Jordan,” and the Air Jordan 2 — featured a velcro strap around the ankle for security, perforations on the toe for breathability, and concentric circles on the outsole stationed at key areas for pivoting. In 1983, the most popular version of the Air Force 1 would arrive through a low-top intended even then to draw more lifestyle appeal. 

A group of NBA players now known as the “Original Six” starred in the Air Force 1’s launch campaign, which played into the inspiration from the call sign of the president’s aircraft: Moses Malone, Michael Cooper, Calvin Natty, Jamaal Wilkes, Bobby Jones, and Mychal Thompson — the latter of whom is Klay Thompson’s father. 

Six AF1 high colorways were made to correspond with the players’ respective teams and released after the debut scheme featuring a white base with grey strap, Swoosh, and outsole. 

The Air Force franchise would continue to include a total of five numbered models until 1990’s Air Force 5 brought the series to a close. Of course, it was only the first that would endure for another 40 years — but the Air Force 1 very easily could have been left behind as well. 

Baltimore Prevents Discontinuation

Were it not for the city of Baltimore, not only is it possible the Air Force 1 wouldn’t be around today, but the entire concept of “retro” sneakers may have never come into existence. 

Nike discontinued the Air Force 1 in 1984, as was eventually the practice for all of its sneakers, except for in Baltimore, where the stores Charley Rudo, Cinderella Shoes, and Downtown Locker Room were able to convince the company to continue supplying them exclusively with new pairs. 

The “Color of the Month Club” was thus born, creating the idea of exclusive colorways and a culture of collecting them. Seminal sneakerheads would travel from all over the East Coast just to get the limited-edition sneakers that would sell through at a rate of 100 percent. 

After witnessing the success of the program, Nike would then bring back the Air Force 1 on a wider basis in 1986, marking the first time it had ever reversed course on a discontinued sneaker. 

First Pair of All-White Lows, aka “Uptowns”

Somewhat inexplicably, the now-quintessential all-white Air Force 1 wasn’t born until the mid-’90s. The precise history is a bit murky, a consequence of the pre-internet era and sneakers still being a relatively niche interest, but it’s clear it took at least a decade before the entire shoe arrived draped in white. Some colorways had gotten close, such as an otherwise white version with a gum sole from 1991, but none would hit quite the same as the true “Triple Whites.” 

Part of the appeal comes down to the versatility of the blank slate, but an outsized amount of credit has to go to the community of hustlers in New York City. Dating back to the ‘80s, drug deals have been attributed with ditching pairs of Air Force 1s as soon as they show any signs of wear as a way to flaunt their wealth. Given how easy it is to spot any smudge on a pair of all-whites, maintaining a crisp pair at all times became an even more natural flex. It’s because of this history that sneakerheads will often deride those who wear dirty, or “cooked,” all-white Forces. 

Because of their popularity in Harlem in particular, all-white AF1s are commonly referred to by the nickname “Uptowns,” as in Uptown Manhattan. However, their appeal spread throughout the five boroughs and the broader East Coast — and hip-hop would go on to showcase (and further facilitate) an even broader reach. 

Hip-Hop, Collaborations, and the 2000s

Because rappers often drew their style inspiration from drug dealers, it was only natural for the sneaker to become a staple in the culture. Jay-Z, who operated in both spaces, is often credited with being the first rapper to specifically call out a pair of Triple-Whites on record, as he rapped in 1998 on “Can I Live II,” “ For all my n****s with the all-white Air Force Ones and black guns.” 

The relationship between hip-hop and Air Force Ones would become even greater in the early-aughts, most prominently in the song “Air Force Ones” by Nelly. Other rappers closely associated with the sneakers are Fat Joe and the entire Dipset crew. Nike even made exclusive pairs of AF1s for the record labels of Jay-Z and Fat Joe — Roc-a-Fella and Terror Squad, respectively — which wouldn’t be released to the public until more than a decade later. 

The early-’00s ushered in an increase in regionalized exclusives and the onset of collaborations such as the Japan-only Air Force 1 Low CO.JP “Linen” from 2001 and Stash’s Air Force 1 High from 2003. Together with Nike’s Dunks, this period of Air Force 1 releases set up today’s landscape for hyped sneaker drops. 

Throughout this same time, Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse also continued to wear the Air Force 1 High sneakers while playing in the NBA — rejecting modern technology in favor for in-game footwear that was already two decades old. 

Nike Welcomes High Fashion 

Riccardo Tisci, then working at Givenchy, became the first high-fashion designer to be tapped by Nike for collaboration on a sneaker in 2014, when he transformed the sneaker into a full-on boot while also releasing less extreme versions of the high-top. 

Tisci’s work opened the door for other designers to make more extreme changes on Nike sneakers for their collaborations — Virgil Abloh would run with this idea most prominently — and for Nike to remix the silhouette in-house to become a platform, hiker, duck boot, and more. The Air Force 1 has essentially never gone away fully, but never has it appeared in as many forms as it does today.

More About Nike Air Force 1 Shoes

The legacy of the Nike Air Force 1 Shoe has transcended decades. In 2024, Footwear News deemed it one of the Greatest Shoes of All Time for its timeless design, game-changing Air technology, and unique position as a cultural chameleon through athletics, musical genres, and all style perspectives. Not only is it a simple and versatile gold-standard white sneaker for women and men, but it carries a particular streetwear attitude that continues to permeate today’s ever-changing trends.

“The first time I saw them in 1982, they became my favorite,” DJ Clark Kent told Footwear News. “But when they became a staple on the feet of NYC hustlers in 1984/85, it became a shoe of legendary proportions. It has always been simple, beautiful, easy to wear, and style — without costing too much — the perfect shoe. Air Force 1s are beautiful. And the importance came from the real influencers: The people in the streets.”

In recent years, the Nike Air Force 1 was reportedly the most purchased sneaker of 2020, according to the NPD Group, and soon after, launched to the top of the Lyst Index 2021 Hottest Product list. Based on social media buzz, searches, and sales, the best Nike shoe ranked highest among women and Gen Z, likely due to a new generation of sneaker fans discovering the icon, alongside similar rising trends involving rubber and resin sneakers. Plus, the shoe enjoyed a slew of high-profile collaborations around that time, including Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton Air Force 1 which was dubbed the “greatest sneaker collab ever” and crowned the Shoe of The Year by Footwear News in 2022. Although the core sneaker design has not altered in recent years, the Air Force 1 continues to serve as a blank canvas for new colorways and exciting collaborations.

Most recently, Nike announced the Air Force 1 Low “Animal Pack” slated to drop by the end of the year, which features animal-printed pony hair Swooshes and vamps, and trendy chocolate brown uppers in a soft, suede-like material. The “Year of the Snake” Air Force 1 will also be released in the coming months for the Chinese New Year, along with a Kobe Bryant-themed Air Force 1 tribute shoe, and a new Supreme collaboration involving the Nike Air Force 1 Mid. Additionally, you can look forward to a soon-to-drop “Halloween” iteration of the shoe, a “Vanta Black” colorway described as Nike’s “blackest shoe ever,” and even an SB re-work of the classic silhouette in 2025, complete with skate-ready features and black and gray mixed suede uppers.

New Air Force 1 shoes unsurprisingly sell out in mere days, so if you miss out on a coveted collab or want to sport a style no one else can access, the Swoosh offers Custom Air Force 1 shoes for site members, where you can create your own colorway as a one of one design.

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50 Years of Nike Through TV, Film and Celebrities

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About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

While the Air Force 1 buzz may have cooled off some in recent years as attention has turned to slimmer silhouettes such as the Adidas Samba and Puma Speedcat, Nike’s early 1980s basketball shoe is the sort of timeless sneaker that transcends trends. One pair in particular, the white-on-white Air Force 1 Low, is among the most iconic shoes of all time, and Nike will be treating it to a premium update for spring 2025. 

Official Nike product images of a premium all-white Air Force 1 Low have surfaced in a mixed-material design reminiscent of the brand’s mash-up “What the” styles. Each panel on the upcoming Air Force 1 Low makes use of a different material, although unlike many of the brand’s “What the” concepts, the pair features matching left and right shoes. 

Materials include a woven leather toe box reminiscent of a 2003 made-in-Italy release and a heel which could be a reference to 2007’s ultra-rare Lux colorway, which was released for the model’s 25th anniversary for a retail price of $2,000 and featured real crocodile skin. While premium, the leathers used on the upcoming iteration aren’t as exotic, resulting in far closer-to-standard pricing. 

Other highlights on the new Air Force 1 Low include tumbled, perforated and patent leathers and a recycled rubber outsole. Also of note is the silver dubrae, which features a Swoosh in place of the usual “AF1” text.

Considered by many to be the most significant Air Force 1 style, the white-on-white Low was originally introduced to the market during the 1990s, although its exact time of arrival isn’t clearly documented.  

As of publishing, the multi-material “White/White/White” Nike Air Force 1 Low is expected to be released early ’25 at a retail price of $130. 

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Virgil Abloh’s most coveted Off-White x Nike collaboration is expected to make a comeback in 2025.

Rumors of a ‘25 Off-White x Air Jordan 1 release have swirled on the internet for weeks, and new details appear to corroborate the early leak. While it seems all but confirmed that an Off-White x Air Jordan 1 will be released next year, the specifics behind the collab’s return to retail remain inconclusive.

Reports indicate that an Off-White x Air Jordan 1 inspired by Abloh’s original sample of the model will arrive during holiday ‘25. The pair is expected to come in a “White/White” colorway reminiscent of the blank canvas used by the late designer while prototyping the collaboration. There’s also a possibility the upcoming style could match the European-exclusive colorway of the sneaker, which was released in 2018.   

On the heels of 2017’s “The Ten” Off-White x Air Jordan 1 — which remains one of the most coveted collaborations between Abloh and Nike — the brands revisited the design just a few months later with the launch of the all-white iteration in March 2018. The white pair was strictly exclusive to European retailers and never launched stateside, meaning a potential ‘25 release would be the first time the sneaker was available in the US. 

Although it lacks the “Chicago” flair of the “The Ten” colorway, the European-only Off-White x Air Jordan 1 is one of Abloh and Nike’s most desirable designs. Its regional scarcity has led to highly inflated resale prices, and StockX’s 12-month historical data shows that the “White/White” pair has actually been selling for slightly more than the original “The Ten” version over the last year.

In ‘17, Abloh revealed that the “The Ten” Off-White x Air Jordan 1 was originally planned to be all-white. During the design process, Abloh saw someone wearing white Nike Dunks at the airport and changed his mind, deciding that the all-white versions of the models would potentially look too similar.

“I couldn’t tell if they were [Nike] Dunks or Jordans,” Abloh said. The lightbulb went off in my head: What makes the shoes iconic is the colorway. That’s when I was like, I almost made a mistake.”

Thus, the red, white and black “Chicago”-inspired pair ended up being the debut Off-White x Air Jordan 1, but the all-white theme was revisited shortly thereafter with the Europe release.

“People would have been like, ‘It’s cool, it’s just experimental. We’ve seen too many colorways of too many shoes; it’s not interesting,’” Abloh said of the sneaker’s original white-on-white look. “The shoe would have totally missed the mark.”

It remains to be seen exactly which Off-White x Air Jordan 1 will be released in ‘25, but for now, a “White/White” colorway with a style code of AA3834-100 is scheduled to arrive during the holiday season.

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On the NBA’s opening night, competition spilled over to the sneaker giants.

Nike took a thinly veiled shot at Adidas Tuesday through its Twitter/X account in response to an Anthony Edwards commercial that debuted earlier in the day and the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over Edwards’ Minnesota Timberwolves. “Still the King. No lies detected.,” the post read, referencing the lie detector concept of the Adidas spot.

Edwards takes a lie detector test in the ad and answers several basketball and sneaker-related questions. When the young T-Wolves star says his signature sneaker — which Adidas can’t seem to decide to call the AE 1 or Anthony Edwards 1 — is the best in the game, the lie detector confirms the veracity of response. When he says a younger player could take his place, however, the machine cries foul. When he says he’s the top dog regardless of his lack of consideration for MVP last season, the lie detector returns to straight lines.

LeBron James, aka the “king,” and the Lakers defeated the Timberwolves Tuesday night 110 to 103. James put up 16 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, while Edwards contributed 27 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Bronny James, LeBron’s son, was held scoreless in his NBA regular season debut but played just three minutes.

Edwards has taken on the adversarial role from the jump for his runaway hit sneaker, as an earlier commercial for the AE 1 saw him disparaging other NBA players’ signature models.

This isn’t the first time he’s been a focal point of a spat between Nike and Adidas either. When Edwards said the NBA player he’d most like to see in his shoe was Kevin Durant, a longtime Nike athlete, the elder superstar said on Twitter/X that he wouldn’t “put a big toe in them Mfers.” In a response that was then deleted, the Adidas Basketball account posted, “u dusty bouta retire soon anyway.” A follow-up tweet saying, “meant to send that from the burner account…” was left published, though, and referenced Durant’s own fraught history with alternate social media accounts.

Last season saw Edwards continue in his growth to become one of the league’s brightest stars, and his Adidas sneaker has been widely praised and touted as the best signature sneaker debut in some time.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Nike is bringing pony hair and two animal prints to a wild pair of Air Force 1 Lows invoking some of the brand’s most beloved collaboration.

The Nike Air Force 1 Low “Animal Pack” is the unofficial nickname for the sneaker with a lineage to Atmos‘ collaborations of the same name. Despite all that’s happening on the shoe, though, the execution could be considered tame compared to the Japanese retailer’s “Animal Pack” series.

Pony hair takes on a leopard print pattern for the Swoosh and vamp, while the same material is applied to the mustache with zebra striping. Solid brown then forms the rest of the upper to dial down the effect, with the eyestays in suede and the rest of the upper in what looks to be either canvas or a thinly woven corduroy. Black is then used for the tongue and insole branding, as well as the sole unit, while brown is used for the heel marking the insole itself.

The “Animal Pack” is not to be confused with the “Safari” treatment, even though both have come from Atmos collaborations and feature animal prints. The latter refers to a black and white ostrich print along with shades of brown that began with a landmark 2001 Air Max 1 collaboration inspired by the Air Safari and has subsequently been applied to a variety of other sneakers. Atmos first introduced the recurring “Animal Pack” treatment in 2006 through an Air Max 1 and Air Max 95 featuring pony hair with even more animal prints than the Air Force 1 Low here.

The Nike Air Force 1 Low “Animal Pack” is expected to release before the end of 2024 but has not been confirmed with a more precise release date or price. This post will be updated as more information on what should be one Nike’s best in-house drops for the remainder of the year.

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About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

The journey of designing and releasing a signature shoe is a long one. A’ja Wilson, whose Nike shoe is slated for a 2025 release, shared the joys and challenges of the process at a media event Monday.

The two-time WNBA champion was one of the featured guests during a series of discussions about all-things basketball, which took place at Nike’s headquarters in New York City. Wilson was joined on stage by Nike Inc. president of geographies and marketplace Craig Williams, as well as Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum via Zoom. The conversation was moderated by ESPN and MSG basketball analyst Monica McNutt.

Among the topics discussed, the three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player shared the pressures that come with having a signature shoe.

“There is pressure when it comes to competing with other brands or just wanting to [have] the best shoe, but at the same time you don’t want the message to get lost, you don’t want the storytelling to get lost. That’s tough because there are a lot of great ideas,” Wilson said. “We have some dope shoes out there. You don’t want your shoe to be just another one. You want longevity, you want a shoe to have a name after a game you had, like the [Air Jordan 12] ‘Flu Game.’ That type of substance is a lot of pressure.”

She continued, “Sitting at the table with your team, having those hard conversations, that caught me by surprise. I thought they were going to be like, ‘Here’s a shoe, we’re just going to put your signature on it’ [Laughs.] But no, they were like, ‘We’re going to break it down,’ and I didn’t think I was ready for that, but now I am and I am so excited and thankful for my team.”

On stage, Wilson, too, shared the joys of being a signature athlete.

“It’s a blessing to me, honestly. It’s something that you dream of as a kid, like, ‘Oh, I get my shoe. Oh, my God, this is it.’ To see it coming to reality has been a lot of hard work, but also a lot of fun,” Wilson said. “I have an awesome team that is trying to put my weird words that I say into a shoe, which is great, because I’m like, ‘I want the thing that goes the thing,’ and then they’re like, ‘OK, we’ve got it.'”

She continued, “It’s unique to me because it’s a shoe that can do a lot. It’s a versatile shoe — anyone can wear it. It’s not a big man shoe, a big woman shoe. It’s going to be comfortable for everyone, and I hope everyone feels that.”

Nike announced in May that it was working with Wilson on a signature collection that would include a shoe, dubbed the A’One. A month later, the brand revealed her logo, which features a star in the “A” of her signature.

Speaking exclusively with FN in July, Wilson provided some insights about her A’One sneaker.

“When people look at my position in basketball, they think of a big-man shoe, a forward or center shoe. The A’One is not that. It is the complete opposite,” Wilson told FN. “It’s very versatile because that is my style of play. And I wanted a shoe that was going to be comfortable and durable for 40 minutes because the last thing I want to worry about on court are my shoes. And it’s a low top.”

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.