10 Times Celebrities Gave Away Their Prized Sneaker Collections

Image via Complex Original

When: 2011, 2013

Sneakers: Assortment of 100+ pairs

In 2011, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas capped off a season of stunting with a very generous giveaway. “Agent Zero” gave away more than 100 pairs of heat with a trivia contest that took place on his now-defunct “Sneaker Champ” Twitter account. 

Then, he did it again in 2013 with his “Jersey and Shoe Giveaway,” although details on that are hard to come by since he’s deleted his Instagram page.

When: November 2014

Sneakers: Nike Air Yeezys, Jordan Retros, Nike Sportswear

“Swaggy P” took an easy, yet awesome, approach to his sneaker giveaway, choosing to leave a box full of sneakers on the side of the street. Although he wasn’t completely clear about which kicks would be given away, there was some serious heat pictured, so it’s safe to say whoever ended up finding the box got a pretty amazing, early Christmas gift.

When: November 2014

Sneakers: Air Jordan III “True Blue”

Although Wale didn’t actually give away a full collection, this gesture was so cool that it deserves a spot anyway. Late last year, he put up an Instagram post telling fans to use a #WaleWizards hashtag, with one lucky attendee getting the rapper’s signed sneakers delivered straight to their seat. He ended up blessing a young fan with one of the best Jordans of all-time.

When: December 2014

Sneakers: Mostly Jordans 

When it comes to sharing his love for kicks, Trinidad James is one of the most passionate rappers out there. Late last year, he proved that he’s one of the most generous, too, when he gave away more than 50 pairs of new and lightly worn kicks to those who needed them the most. Fans were instructed to donate their own pairs to the Salvation Army in exchange for one from James’ personal collection, making this one of the best celebrity giveaways yet.

When: December 2014

Sneakers: Jordans, Nike Basketball

As a former Jordan Brand athlete, you already knew that whatever Richard Hamilton had up his sleeve was going to be good. In 2014, he invited friends over for a sneaker giveaway unlike any other we’ve seen since. Hamilton issued the challenge of carrying as many sneakers as one could without dropping a single pair. If they did, the kicks stayed with “Rip.”

When: December 2014

Sneakers: Jordans, Nike Sportswear, unreleased Zoom Revis

Although he’s not exactly a household name, there’s no denying that John Geiger has earned celebrity status amongst sneakerhead circles. To wrap up 2014, the man behind the “Misplaced Checks” gave away a ton of heat through Instagram, although the post has since been deleted.

When: March 2015

Sneakers: Jordan Retros

This recently signed Philadelphia 76er gave retro ’heads a treat when he took to the ‘Gram to show his appreciation for Jordan Brand’s generosity, and offered up a pile of kicks to his fans that included “Chicago” Xs, “Hare” 1s, and “Stealth” XXs. The point guard even took the time to sign pairs for the lucky winners.

When: July 2015

Sneakers: Jordan P.E.s and Team Jordans

The NBA’s all-time three-point leader surprised us earlier this year with a scavenger hunt of sorts in Connecticut. “Sugar Ray” personally hid select kicks from his collection at landmarks throughout the state, leaving followers with clever hints along the way. The giveaway came to an end after a couple of weeks, but it was a fun way to mix things up while it lasted.

When: July 2015

Sneakers: Jordan Retros, Nike Basketball, Nike Sportswear

DeMarcus Cousins decided to go with a good-old-fashioned lottery for his giveaway. Well, sort of. The Sacramento big man gave his followers a ton of heat, including “South Beach” LeBrons and “Toro Bravo” Jordans. Best of all? He even offered worldwide shipping for sneakerheads abroad.

When: Ongoing

Sneakers: Too many to name

Hip-hop and sneaker legend DJ Clark Kent does his giveaways a little differently. He captions each on-foot shot with “one a days,” a phrase he tags quite literally. Many of the sneakers end up stashed at random locations, lying in wait for their new owner. The coolest part of the whole thing is that Clark remains humble, rarely posting about the actual giveaways themselves. Salute.

Check out 10 times celebs had their own amazing sneaker giveaways. Gotta be prepared for the next time one of these stars is feeling generous.