No one on the court had swagger like Chuck. We’re not saying he had the most, but it certainly was never duplicated. Charles Barkley was part of the celebrated Class of ’84 that changed the NBA and sneaker game forever and penning his name to that Nike contract was just as vital to his career as signing his first deal with Philly. Unlike Mike, he wasn’t exactly the physical specimen that comes to mind when you think of one of the greatest NBA players of all-time — a power forward trapped in an inside linebacker's body — but the attitude was always well represented. Nike might have had just as much to do with that as Sir Charles’ game: Teaming Barkley with some of its greatest designers, The Swoosh was successful at building a brand around Charles that fit the exact specifications of greatness that he exemplified on and off the floor.
The ‘90s was a great time for sneakers — brands didn’t have many precedents which allowed them to really challenge creative boundaries and instead of attempting to carefully craft a player’s persona they let the player sell his brand by simply being themselves and having fun with it, creating classics in the process with more than just a model’s design. This year, it was time for Nike to resurrect the memories of one of basketball’s best through an update of his signature sneaker line for the youth to flourish in on playgrounds and school gymnasiums.
All-Star 2013 saw the release of the Barkley Posite Max as part of the Area 72 Collection, which was followed by a more traditional "Philly" release. Through August, Nike will be releasing the Nike Barkley Posite Max in four additional colorways globally. The shoe was inspired by a trip to a dinosaur exhibit at a museum that designer Marc Dolce visited. Dolce (who also helmed the design of Penny Hardaway's Air Penny V and Zoom Rookie) helped blend the aesthetics we’ve grown to love from CB34’s past shoes while adding innovations of the future — giving you the best of both worlds. For now check out the images above (including original sketches and artwork by Jeff Foster) and video below, and make sure to set your calendar alerts — it’s going to be another cruel summer.
