10 Dope Signature Sneakers You Don't Know About

Player/athlete: Steve Francis
Year: 2001

"It's the hottest thing to touch the earth since I was born." Such went the Steve Francis quote attached to his Wink DMX, the shoe he'd wear in his third season. This may have been a slight exaggeration. Overlasted and metal accented, the Wink DMX was flashy and short-lived - kind of like Stevie Franchise's NBA career.

Player/athlete: Dikembe Mutombo
Year: 1995

Sometimes there doesn't need to be a sequel. Dikembe Mutombo's first adidas signature shoe was perfect, accented as it was with details highlighting his African upbringing. The Mutombo II, while technically a more advanced model, just didn't have that same out-there feel. There was no Mutombo III.

Player/athlete: Jerry Stackhouse
Year: 1996

The first Stack is coming back soon, but anyone who grew up watching Jerry Stackhouse is waiting for these. The Stack 2 featured Fila's 2A cushioning system, a crazy speedlacing setup, and plentiful amounts of reflective 3M. These just scream '90s.

Player/athlete: Dawn Staley
Year: 1999

The late '90s was the golden age of women's professional basketball, as the ABL and WNBA competed for talent and sneaker companies turned out signature product. Nearly everyone remembers Sheryl Swoopes' Nikes, but Dawn Staley's Zoom-equipped S5 was right up there with Swoopes' best.

Player/athlete: Eddie Jones
Year: 1997

Yes, there were Jordan signature shoes for players other than Michael Jordan in the '90s. Namely All-Stars Vin Baker and Eddie Jones, who started out in the Pro Strong and the Pro Quick respectively. But the best of the bunch - at least to us - was Eddie Jones' second shoe, the Quick 6. Sleek and ventilated, and branded with a stylized "EJ" on the upper eyelet, the Quick 6 was one of the best Jordan shoes of the late '90s, period. We'd love a retro, but we'd settle for some proper photos, even.

Player/athlete: Grant Hill
Year: 1996

If you ask people their favorite Grant Hill shoe, the III probably won't come up. The soon-to-return II, yes. The I, absolutel. Even the IV. The III gets overlooked. But with its pronounced midsole, lower cut, and decided Air Flight One/Zoom Flight influence, it shouldn't be.

Player/athlete: Mike Carroll
Year: 1994

If you know the Vans Mike Carroll at all, it's from the Supreme re-releases. In its initial form, the midcut wasn't around long, as Carroll left Vans not too long after to start Lakai with Rick Howard. But the Vans Mike Carroll, which was sort of a more technically advanced Half Cab, deserves more than just collaborative shine.

Player/athlete: Akeem Olajuwon
Year: 1986

Long before he put his name on bargain shoes from Spalding (and before he added the proper "H" to his name), Akeem Olajuwon had a signature line with Etonic. And why not? He was one of the kings of Phi Slama Jama and the first overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. There were several versions of the Dream shoe, but the speedlace-equipped one shown here may have been the best.

Player/athlete: Tim Hardaway
Year: 1998

Back when I worked at SLAM, I used to see Tim Hardaway every time he played at MSG. And every time, the ritual was the same: I'd hand him the newest issue, and he'd flip straight to the sneaker section in the back. As befitting a Chi-town native, Timmy was into kicks. So when he finally was rewarded with a signature shoe, the Zoom T-Bug Flight (which was something of a Zoom Flight 98 takedown), it had to be a crowning achievement. And when we ran it in the mag, he knew about it.

Player/athlete: Jason Lee
Year: 1995

Before he became a well-known actor, Jason Lee was one hell of a street skater. As such, he became just the second person to get a signature shoe on Airwalk - the first being Tony Hawk. Lee's shoe was a simple lowcut that should be held in the same esteem as Airwalk classics like the Jim and the One. Or, considering his part in this, even higher.