by Sandy Dover for Baller Mind Frame of Complex Media
You may have already caught wind of future Hall of Famer and “Shaqramento Kings” owner Shaquille O’Neal having his original Reebok sneaker, the Shaq Attaq, released in colors inspired by his native Newark, New Jersey — also known as the “Brick City”. If you didn’t, check back on it here, but if you did already catch the noise, see more of the beauty shots of the Shaq Attaq Brick City classic, courtesy of Reebok Classic. …
by Sandy Dover for Baller Mind Frame of Complex Media
The Reebok Question is easily one of the greatest basketball shoes ever designed and produced. Though the shoe itself was a direct competitor to the sneaker competition of its day and somewhat an anti-Air Jordan even as Michael Jordan himself was exiting the game (as a Chicago Bull, at least), it was behind the design as a performer.
Somewhat heavy even for a guard in 1996 while using a technology that was already beyond its heyday, The Question was enough of a cultural beacon to attract people to acquire the footwear – however, with the Reebok Q96, performance is now at the forefront of reimagining the classic sneaker. …
It’s always a funny thing with classic footwear. What fans and collectors value most are the original colors of shoes that they value most and any deviations, no matter how minute, are usually criticized. If you have a great design, sometimes, colorways can be thrown together in a multitude of hues and still look good, while others can be atrocious with any deviation from the original.
Which makes Reebok’s “The Big Shaqtus” version of the original Shaq Attaq model so interesting.
Shaquille O’Neal, who played with the Phoenix Suns during two seasons from 2008 to 2009, could easily have been wearing this shoe and it be a great model, just like his original Orlando Magic colorways (note the touches of the Suns logo sun streaks at the ankle).
While the NBA was much more conservative about footwear in the 1990s, the ease of constrictions has allowed for many shoes that feature an array of colors to be worn on the court in games, making the black/purple/orange triad on The Big Shaqtus version something of a “what if?” kind of shoe.
It’s a new classic take on an old classic model, and it’s one of the best I’ve seen done.
–SD
By Sandy Dover
As featured by Yahoo!
The Reebok Kamikaze II may be one of the greatest shoes in basketball history. A performer relative to its time in the mid-1990s, the Kamikaze II — which can be viewed in greater detail here — was a star sneaker worn by one of the greatest talents in the history of basketball, Shawn Kemp. Aesthetically, it was dynamic, it was eye-catching, but it also was much-maligned. Because of its predecessor, it failed to capture the same cache as the first version did, and because of that, it languished, in shoe stores and the hearts of sneaker fans. That’s since changed, as the Kamikaze II’s reappearance has been welcomed by people who now see its excellence as time has passed, and it has come back better than ever.
One of the main problems that I had personally with the Kamikaze II, originally, was that it wasn’t bold enough. That may seem a bit nuts to say, considering its zig-zag vertical design, but it was fairly pedestrian, because it mainly was a black shoe at retail. Kemp, a member of the Seattle SuperSonics upon its release, wore a black/white/forest green and black/white version, both of which were nice shoes, but were fairly pedestrian (and because of stricter color rules for NBA footwear, experimentation wasn’t embraced in color and companies often didn’t like making shoes that the players weren’t allowed to wear themselves); save for Kemp’s player-only version of an all-white tumbled leather Kamikaze II (which was beautiful to see), the shoe didn’t lend much else. …
The original Reebok Shaq Attaq is the best signature shoe in Shaquille O’Neal’s footwear catalog. It’s also arguably the best Reebok shoe in the brand’s basketball category history.
It’s sleek, smooth, high (but not atrociously high), comfortable, and different.
In a sense, Reebok’s Shaq Attaq was an answer to all brands where shoes for big men on the hardwood were often unattractive, clunky or slappy, and burdened with straps and heavy rubber. The Shaq Attaq was a new kind of shoe for a new kind of athlete. Just as Shaq himself was quick, exciting, smooth, and new, so was his Shaq Attaq.
The azure blue accents, the mixture of suede and leather, the blue tongue Pump, and that unforgettable “SHAQ” Dunkman logo makes the shoe a classic of the classics.
–SD
The Reebok Shaqnosis has always been a shoe that stood out, namely for its so-called hypnotizing, concentric design. It was an attention-getter in its initial release and still somewhat in its retro glory.
I’ve never been a fan — namely, because of the fact that concentric circles on a big, wide shoe aren’t attractive to me in and of itself, and the fact that Shaquille O’Neal’s original player-only version balanced the drastic design with a higher cut, making his non-retail version significantly easier on the eyes that the standard mid.
Well, Reebok Classic has resurrected the Shaqnosis in a special “Barracks” colorway that pays homage to Shaq’s military upbringing.
And I like it a lot.
One reason that I like the Barracks version is that it eschews the mapping of the traditional color placement and leans on the upper being totally monochromatic; this gives the Shaqnosis a much smoother look and layout and makes it easier on the eyes.
A second reason for my favorable opinion of the Barracks is that a soft cargo green is used with dark grey and tan, which are attractive colors for a lifestyle sneaker; the Shaqnosis is literally transformed into something other than a walking spiral and becomes more of something that flows when it comes to wear.
Thirdly, because of the color change from black to white to softer hues, the silhouette of the shoe stands out, and the shape is very attractive. Even if the Shaqnosis weren’t known as Shaq’s signature shoe, the design of the sneaker, in its shape, is impressive. The Barracks colorway helps encourage the life to the shoe to be extended, by breaking away from its heritage.
Reebok scores high on this.
–SD
The 1996 NBA Draft is one of the most heralded moments in the history of the league. So many great players who have now become future Hall of Famers were selected that year, but none more controversial or as purely talented as Allen Iverson, the famed combo guard that became world-famous as a Philadelphia 76er.
Going along with the theme of that particular Draft Day, Reebok has commemorated his special day (and his retirement) with the “Draft Day” edition of his very first signature, The Question.
From an aesthetic standpoint, this version may be the most impressive and coincidentally, the most likely shoe to be worn in a Sixers uniforms. Where the DD edition impresses with great success is in its use of premium quality and color pop. It’s not a shoe that’s shiny and glossy; it uses high-quality suede and a true blue to exalt its design. White and red are used expertly on The Question as accent, and it can be worn in any kind of traditional or non-traditional way.
It’s just a great sneaker, and an honorable way for The Question to be retro-released.
–SD
Photos and release courtesy of Reebok:
In one of the deepest drafts in NBA history, a 6-foot guard from Georgetown rose to the top of his class in ’96.
Despite the high expectations that would follow, Allen Iverson’s rookie of the year performance proved he was worthy of the #1 selection.
Reebok Classic honors this historic moment with a fresh treatment on Allen Iverson’s signature rookie year model, the Question Mid #1 Draft Pick.
Featuring a blue suede upper and speckled white mid-sole, the Question Mid #1 Draft Pick pays tribute to Iverson’s career in Philadelphia with a nostalgic royal/white/red treatment reminiscent of the ‘90s Sixers uniforms.
The customary “3” that adorned the Question Mid during Iverson’s rookie year is replaced with number “1” to commemorate the Sixers selection of the Georgetown guard.
Reebok Classic, for the first time ever has created a “what if” Kamikaze II Mid story sure to please….
Despite signing a national letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Kentucky, Shawn Kemp never laced up a pair of blue and white kicks for the Wildcats.
Kemp declared himself eligible for the 1989 NBA draft and soon became one of the greatest on-court, with a serious shoe game to match. Kemp’s brief stop in Kentucky became a flash in the pan as electric as the lightning bolt design on his signature Kamikazes.
A personal and noted favorite of Sandy Dover Creative.
Press release as follows, courtesy of Reebok:
Reebok Classic brings back a trophy straight from the locker room, the Pump Pay Dirt OG.
The first ever cross training shoe to feature Pump technology, the Reebok Classic Pump Pay Dirt was originally released in 1992 as part of the Preseason pack worn by NFL and MLB greats alike.
Tough enough for the field with enough style for the street, the Pump Pay Dirt OG remains one of the most durable kicks in the game with an armor-like cage surrounding the upper, a mid-foot strap, speckled midsole, and Classic Pump technology for a custom fit.
by Sandy Dover for Yahoo!
After 16 years, Reebok, revitalized from its rebranding as a retro sportswear brand from its former status as an present-day footwear giant, has re-released its classic Allen Iverson signature shoe (one of several), The Answer I – Iverson’s second signature shoe, which was a footwear response to his first shoe, The Question, which played off his nickname (the namesake of said re-release). …
SNDVR 