Kicks

Kobe Bryant fans will have an opportunity to bid on the late NBA legend's game-worn sneakers from his first game in the league via Gotta Have Rock and Roll auctions.

The pair of Adidas from November 1996 are signed by Bryant, come with ticket stubs from his debut game and a letter of authenticity from MEARS. They are expected to sell for between $300,000-$500,000 when bidding begins on Wednesday. 

Per the auction site's listing: 

The shoes come from Laker superfan Scott Hurlimann, a North Dakota native. Knowing the Lakers were playing against the Timberwolves, his two favorite teams, and Kobe was making his first appearance, he needed to go and watch the young star’s first appearance. Before the game, Scott met all the players outside of the stadium, including Bryant, and got numerous items signed. Scott asked Kobe if he could have his shoes after the game, to which Kobe responded “No problem, just meet me out here after the game”. Sure enough, Kobe came out with the shoes. The shoes exhibit heavy wear, which is noted in the MEARS letter, most likely because the shoes were worn during various practices before the game. A few years later, Scott managed to meet Kobe again outside a hotel and got a very rushed initialed autograph on the shoes. These are without a doubt the most important Kobe Bryant shoes to ever come up for auction.

Bryant played just 6:22 that night, missing his only field goal attempt while recording one rebound and a block in his NBA debut. The Lakers won, 91-85. 

The two-time scoring champ went on to win five NBA titles, earn 18 All-Star selections, make 12 NBA All-Defensive teams and was named the 2007-08 MVP. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class in May.

Bidding on the sneakers opens at $100,000. 

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving walked back comments he made about his upcoming Kyrie 8 signature sneaker and indicated the shoe is back in the design phase.

"When you're building something great, there sometimes comes a point when you need to recalibrate and refocus to ensure everyone involved is aligned," the seven-time All-Star said Tuesday. "This is where the KAI11 brand and Nike are. It was unfair to put the blame on Nike or any one person."

Kyrie Irving releases statement regarding his comment about Nike, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/GEKdOgd8Ja

— B/R Kicks (@brkicks) August 3, 2021

Responding to an Instagram post by user @k11kicks that purportedly showed photos of the Kyrie 8s, Irving didn't hold back, saying he had "nothing to do with the design or marketing" and that the sneakers were "trash."

Kyrie speaks on his next shoe with Nike pic.twitter.com/mHnaihhTs7

— B/R Kicks (@brkicks) July 28, 2021

The 29-year-old has been with Nike since July 2011, with his first signature sneaker rolling out in 2014. According to Sportico's Kurt Badenhausen, he earns $11 million annually from the endorsement deal.

Beyond him just calling out Nike publicly, Irving's comments were surprisingly because he appeared to have had a big hand in designing one of his signature shoes in the recent past.

The Undefeated's Aaron Dodson interviewed Irving and designer Ben Nethongkome about the Kyrie 6 in November 2019. He wrote how the new line "represents an authentic transition from athlete to artist" for Irving and that the star point guard "became more hands-on than he’d ever been with any of his previous five models."

One would've expected Irving to have similar input on the Kyrie 8s, which seemingly wasn't the case.

Regardless, the matter is now resolved, and the saga may have gotten fans even more interested in seeing what Nike will deliver.

Kanye West is suing Walmart for selling a replica of his Yeezy Foam Runners, according to TMZ. 

In legal documents obtained by TMZ, West claimed Walmart's "unauthorized exact copy" could be costing Yeezy hundreds of millions of dollars in lost sales by selling the knockoffs, which sell for $24.99 on the Walmart website. 

A spokesperson for Walmart said the shoe is not produced by the company itself but is posted by third-party sellers. 

"We take allegations like this seriously and are reviewing the claim," they said. "We will respond in court as appropriate after we have been served with the complaint."  

The Jordan Brand expanded its WNBA roster in a significant way Monday.

It announced a partnership with 11 players in Maya Moore, Kia Nurse, Asia Durr, Satou Sabally, Chelsea Dungee, Aerial Powers, Crystal Dangerfield, Arella Karin Guirantes, Te'a Cooper, Dearica Hamby and Jordin Canada, which Alyssa Hertel of USA Today noted represents the largest group of women's players that Jumpman has endorsed.

"The world needs female voices, and we can’t ignore that or else we’re not growing," Michael Jordan said in a statement. "The Jordan Brand is committed to giving women a platform to amplify their voices, which influence, inspire and push culture forward."

This was about more than just basketball.

The announcement from Jordan Brand pointed to the "blurring of on- and off-court activism" and the "commitment to creating impact by influencing society and championing Black community initiatives" that have defined the WNBA, especially of late.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the @WNBA’s inaugural game, Jordan Brand is proud to announce its largest female roster ever: A group of inspiring women, whose impact extends far beyond the court, and who continue to prove they’re here for a reason.

Photo by Ming Smith.

— Jordan (@Jumpman23) June 21, 2021

Basketball almost took a backseat inside the WNBA bubble in Bradenton, Florida, when players used their platforms to call for justice for those impacted by police brutality and systemic racism. They wore messages such as Black Lives Matter on their jerseys and even took a stand against then-Georgia Sen. and then-Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler, campaigning for Rev. Raphael Warnock, who ran against her and won her Senate seat.

"Representation really matters at this point in time," Seattle Storm star Canada said. "To have 11 Black women be a part of this brand allows the younger generation and younger women to see that they can be like us—they can have that opportunity. I didn't see that growing up."

This will only serve to give these players a bigger platform given the prevalence of Jordan Brand and its connection to the GOAT himself. As for the Jordan Brand, it announced a $100 million pledge to the Black community in July 2020.

The announcement followed the news in May that Breanna Stewart became the 10th WNBA player to sign a signature shoe deal when her partnership with Puma was revealed.

One month away from the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy, Nike has unveiled an all-new apparel line with merchandise featured in the movie. 

The Space Jam: A New Legacy collection is highlighted by the LeBron 19 sneakers with a design that encapsulates the world the movie is set in.

Inspired by the futuristic magic of Space Jam, the LeBron 19 introduces an otherworldly, space-age look.

The Space Jam: A New Legacy collection from Nike and Converse releases beginning in July on https://t.co/QytNJeB2G4, SNKRS and at select retailers. pic.twitter.com/KQIoA5PECY

— Nike Basketball (@nikebasketball) June 8, 2021

“In designing the LeBron 19, we were definitely guided by what was happening in the film,” said Jason Petrie, Nike Basketball footwear designer. “We wanted to give LeBron a brand-new feeling that was synonymous with an otherworldly, space-age kind of look.”

Maverick Carter, who is LeBron James' business partner and a producer on the movie, explained the unique relationship between Nike and Space Jam: A New Legacy:

“The biggest moment in the movie for our characters is the final game. It culminates into this epic showdown with real consequences for everyone playing. The game matters. So when a kid sees the characters wearing Nike gear, their imagination makes the connection that Nike gives you the tools to uncover the best version of yourself.”

In addition to the LeBron 19 shoe, the movie will also include three different styles of the LeBron 18 that highlights classic Looney Tunes rivalries. 

Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase Space Jam-inspired clothing. There will be a collection of Goon Squad and Tune Squad jerseys, shorts, hoodies, jackets and backpacks. 

The Nike collection of Space Jam: A New Legacy will be made available to the public starting in July. 

The movie will be released in theaters and on HBO Max on July 16. 

Upper Deck announced the launch of a new series of Air Jordan shoes autographed by Michael Jordan set to debut Tuesday. 

The first release is a pair of never-before-released Air Jordan 11 Retro "Bred" 2019 sneakers. Jordan first wore the Jordan 11 Breds in April 1996 while leading the Bulls to the first championship in their second threepeat during the 1990s.

Each of the releases will feature Jordan's signature on a size 13 shoe. There has been no confirmation of how many releases will be part of the series, but the combination of Jordan's signature and the beloved Jordan 11 shoe should make it a highly collectible way to kick things off.

An autographed pair of Jordan 1s recently sold for $560,000 at auction in a record sale for sneakers. 

Leaked images of a Nike shoe honoring Gigi Bryant weren't approved by Vanessa Bryant, who said she designed the shoe but decided against selling the shoes. 

After an Instagram user posted an image of the shoes and claimed they will be released this summer, Vanessa Bryant issued a statement on the social-media platform saying they "are NOT approved for sale" and she hopes they don't get sold by Nike: 

"I do not know how someone else has their hands on shoes I designed in honor of my daughter, Gigi, and we don't. I hope these shoes did not get sold. ... If someone can share how they have these shoes in their possession, that would be great because my daughters and I don’t have any of Gigi’s MAMBACITA shoes."

Bryant noted she worked on the design of the Mambacita shoe, including selecting the colors, inside pattern and a No. 2 in honor of Gigi's basketball jersey. 

However, when Vanessa and the Bryant estate elected not to renew their contract with Nike in April, she also decided not to sell the sneakers and they "were not approved to be made in the first place." 

Per ESPN's Nick DePaula, Vanessa and the Bryant estate didn't re-sign with Nike because of frustration with the apparel company "limiting the availability of Kobe products during his retirement and after his January 2020 death in a helicopter crash."

DePaula added the estate was also frustrated with the lack of kids' sizes for Kobe's signature sneakers. 

Kobe Bryant originally signed a contract with Nike in 2003 after spending the first six seasons of his NBA career with Adidas. The Los Angeles Lakers legend signed a five-year extension with Nike in 2016 shortly after the announcement of his retirement.

Kobe and Gigi Bryant were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on Jan. 26, 2020. 

Under Armour dropped a series of performance stats Friday that show a direct correlation between Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry wearing his "Curry Flow 8" shoes and his MVP-level performance during the 2020-21 NBA regular season.

The Curry Flow 8, which launched to the general public in December, was in development for three years and became the first signature sneaker released as part of the company's Curry Brand.

Under Armour showcased some previously unreleased advanced statistics from Second Spectrum, the NBA's analytics partner, that illustrate the seven-time All-Star's improvement in key categories compared to his last MVP season with the Warriors in 2015-16:

• Points Per Direct Iso: Up 20 percent
• Stepback Three Pointer Effective FG%: Up 16 percent
• Effective Field Goal Percentage: Up 4.6 percent
• Blowby Drives: Up 3.2 percent
• Distance Covered Per Game: Up 1.9 percent
• Average Speed: Up 1.6 percent

The UA Newsroom story suggested the shoes were beneficial to his success and added the design was a "contributing factor in his standout performance."

In November, Curry told Peter Verry of Footwear News the Curry Brand was a "unique opportunity" that would be "strategic" in its growth plan, starting with his signature shoe.

"It's the first true innovation story. It's something I've never worn before," Curry said. "It's one of those experiences you have to put on your foot and find out [why it's special]. It's got technology and innovation that I'm excited for people to learn about."

The 33-year-old Ohio native proceeded to capture his second NBA scoring title by averaging 32 points, the highest total of his 12-year career, across 63 appearances during the 2020-21 campaign.

His success moved him to the forefront of the MVP conversation at season's end alongside the likes of the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid.

Curry and the Warriors will try to lock down a playoff berth Friday night when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies in an elimination game in the Western Conference play-in tournament.

Indiana Fever rookie Kysre Gondrezick has agreed to an endorsement contract with Adidas.

Per ESPN's Nick DePaula, Adidas will sign Gondrezick to a multiyear shoe deal that is expected to give her a "lead role as the face of the next generation" of basketball for the company. 

A two-year starter at West Virginia University, Gondrezick was named to the All-Big 12 first team as a redshirt senior in 2020-21. She averaged 19.5 points on 36.4 percent three-point shooting and 4.5 assists per game in 28 starts.

After declaring for the WNBA draft in March, Gondrezick was selected No. 4 overall by the Fever. She joins a backcourt that already features Kelsey Mitchell, Tiffany Mitchell and Julie Allemand. 

Gondrezick will be tasked with helping turn around an Indiana franchise that has finished under .500 and hasn't made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. 

The Fever will begin the 2021 season on May 14 against the New York Liberty at the Barclays Center.

It's one thing to buy game-worn shoes, but Grammy-worn sneakers are on another level. 

According to TMZ, rapper Kanye West sold a pair of prototype Nike Air Yeezy 1s he wore at the 2008 Grammy Awards when he performed "Stronger" and "Hey Mama."

Kanye West 'Grammy Worn' Nike Air Yeezy 1s Sell for Record $1.8 Million https://t.co/kpBATHLvuN

— TMZ (@TMZ) April 26, 2021

The shoes sold for $1.8 million, which shattered the record for the most ever spent on a pair of sneakers. The previous high came last year when a pair of 1985 Nike Air Jordan 1s worn by Michael Jordan himself sold for $615,000.

Sneaker investment marketplace RARES purchased Kanye's shoes, which means they might be flipped in a future sale.

Considering the unique look featuring a pink medallion lace lock in the shape of a "Y", there could be further interest in the noteworthy footwear.