A lot of sneaker news happens each day, so it's hard to sift through all of it and shake out the clutter. Your Twitter feed is likely full of Air Jordans releases dates and sneakers on sale, but what's paying attention to? Beyond that, there are daily industry rumbles that may affect the athletic footwear world as a whole. Oh, and memes, Vines, and other shenanigans, too. Here's what you need to know.
Michael Jordan Thinks His Sneaker Legacy Is Stronger Than His NBA Career
"To me, it's much bigger than Michael Jordan. It's going to outlive me in terms of what I did for the game of basketball," Jordan told USA Today. He says it's "amazing" whenever he sees kids who were clearly too young to have watched him in action wear his sneakers."
NikeLab Suprirsed Everyone and Decided to Release the "HTM" Kobe Xs
"Memorabilia specialists Profiles in History have just listed an eBay auction for a pair of O.G. Nike Mags that were actually worn by Michael J. Fox's Marty McFly character in Back to the Future Part II. According to the listing, this is just the second vintage pair that Profiles in History have ever obtained, with this particular pair being the better preserved of the two."
"After being spotted in the competition's sneakers more than a few times last month, Harden's adidas deal kicked in today and to celebrate, the brand literally sent him a truckload of sneakers. From Ultra Boosts and D. Lillards to Tubulars and Superstars, Harden's adidas rotation is already looking stacked."
Here's the Best Look Yet at Public School's Air Jordan XII Collab
"The entire sneaker is dipped in a dark anthracite shade and opts for a completely tonal look from the laces to the outsole. Aside from the easily wearable color, one of the most interesting things about this collab is its unique construction, which ditches the Jordan XII's traditionally stitched upper for what appears to be something closer to Nike's seamless Vach Tech material. Meanwhile, the XII's signature "TWO 3" tongue detailing has been replaced with a "PSNY" script."
"Born and raised just outside of Washington, D.C., VanHook, now 34, worked as a middle school teacher in inner-city Philadelphia and as a wetsuit designer before joining the Swoosh in 2008. (He’s also an accomplished painter.) His time at Nike has included stints in the cross-training and sportswear departments, with his most famous silhouettes reflecting his wide-ranging interests, as seen in the goth-inspired raised geometric diamonds on the Free Orbit 2 SP and the rustic retro-futurism of the Solarsoft Moccasin. He’s now the design director for Nike’s burgeoning soccer department. With three of Nike’s elite designers having abruptly defected to rival adidas late last year, VanHook’s role at the company is more important than ever as he sets himself up to carry Tinker’s torch. But where will that road lead? How will he get there? Let Nate tell you."
