The 20 Greatest Sneakers in Oregon Basketball History

Image via Complex Original

As the NCAA Tournament swings into Sweet 16 mode the remainder of the weekend, we keep our college sneakers coverage in full effect — this time taking things up to Oregon, the home state of Nike, where even the fans get exclusives. With that being said you already know they have been hooked up with some sick special edition jerseys and The Swoosh also kept them laced with a few kicks that you weren't holding unless you were on the squad. Click the gallery to check out The 20 Greatest Sneakers in Oregon Basketball History. 

20. Nike Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 

When: 2012 

Who: Devoe Joseph 

Pushing things even further since the Hyper line was introduced in 2009, Nike trimmed all the fat and still kept the Hyperfuse 2011 functionally dope to rock on and off the court. The endless colorways have made this the go-to sneaker for most college players this season. 

19. Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 

When: 2012

Who: Tyrone Nared  

The Flywire technology on the 2011 Hyperdunk model is nothin' to mess with. The shoe allows players to move without too much restriction but the support is enough to keep players from worrying about snappin' their ankles. The kicks are so responsive a player an stop on a dime and dunk over a Kia if needed. It ain't hard to tell Nike's innovation game really can't be beat in any arena of products — sorry, Apple. 

18. Air Jordan XVII+

When: 2010

Who: Malcom Armstead 

Armstead held onto these for a minute, ballin' in the 2002 release during a home game versus Cal in 2010 along with the "Black Out" jerseys. Armstead broke out the special edition "Croc Print" edition that released for $200 but with the reptile print you gave up the briefcase and the lace covers — not that true ballers really needed either.

17. Nike Air Money

When: 2007

Who: Aaron Brooks

If you're on the cusp of retiring from your middle-of-the-week, old-man rec basketball league you likely remember these from the courts somewhere around your prime. The Air Money originally dropped in 1996 and featured a unique lacing system, mesh upper, and visible heel Air-Sole unit allowing for maximum comfort and breathability. Eddie Jones wore them in the L before Jordan put him on.

16. Air Jordan V "Black/Metallic Silver"

When: 2011

Who: Jabari Brown

The most-heralded recruit in recent Oregon history, Jabari Brown may not have had the impact the team was hoping for before he left the institution just months later, but the Jordan V "Metallic Silver" look on the court was fire. 

15. Nike Air Force V

When: 1990

Who: Terrell Brandon

You won't see a point guard playing in a shoe like the Air Force V now. The real high-top cut (sorry youngins, your new highs are mids) and large Force logo on the tongue mixed with comfort and durability were a must for David Robinson and the lows for Sir Charles. Terrell Brandon worked with a pair running the helm for the Ducks, leaving as one of the school's greatest. 

14. Air Jordan XII "Taxi"

When: 2010

Who: Tajuan Porter

The first colorway of Mike's XII signature kick was the sneaker of choice of Tajuan Porter for a few games during the 2010 campaign. The OG white and black joints were dubbed the "Taxis" for the black and yellow arch area, taking inspiration from the cabs in the city that never sleeps. 

13. Air Jordan XV "White/Dark Pine"

When: 2000

Who: Fred Jones

Before he was rocking the rim in the league, Fred Jones knew it was appropriate to lace up in the greatest. The Air Jordan XV was inspired by the NASA-designed X-15 fighter plane, a little bit of Prada Sport, and MJ's signature tongue wag. Has any sneaker really displayed a player's personality as much as Mike's? Very doubtful. 

12. Nike Air Zoom Huarache 64

When: 2006

Who: Aaron Brooks

In the middle of the Huaraches making a major comeback for Nike, the Huarache 64s dropped with the team shoe concept in mind. Just like most other Huarache models the shoe featured a design that was just as on point as the performance — lightweight and stable, something a speedy guard like Brooks might appreciate.  

11. Nike Shox BB4

When: 2003

Who: Matt Short 

Ideal for wing players, the Nike BB4s were a futuristic movement by Nike. The first basketball shoe to feature the all-new Shox cushioning technology (BB4 stood for basketball and four Shox columns) and the shoes popularity in the NCAA took off like Vince Carter over 7-footers.

10. Air Jordan XI "Concord" 

When: 2003

Who: Andre Joseph

A few years after the "Concord" XIs retro-ed for the first time, Andre Joseph broke out one the most classic Js for battle on the hardwood. If you have been following our College Greatest Sneakers series the past few months there's nothing else that needs to be said about these — if not, here's a late pass library pass to the '90's greatest sneaker.

9. Nike Zoom Kobe VI "Grinch" 

When: 2011

Who: Joevan Catron

One of the most original colorways to drop in any Nike sneaker, Kobe's "Grinch" VI didn't get too many looks other than in his X-Mas Day loss to the Heat in 2010. Catron rocked the Dr. Seuss inspired pair shortly after the holidays with no worries of ruining Christmas. 

8. Air Jordan XIII "Playoffs"

When: 2011

Who: Johnathon Loyd  

2011 was kind to Jordan-heads, dropping classic after classic retros in case you missed out the first time, messed your pair up, or were too young to appreciate the art. The "Playoff" XIIIs were a huge part of Jordan's final run with the Bulls in chase of their sixth ring over Karl Malone and company. Tinker used Jordan’s on-court persona “Black Cat,” due to his speed and fast reflexes, as inspiration. The design of the shoe reflected the name perfectly with a fast look and cat eye hologram on the ankle. 

7. Nike Air Jet Flight

When: 2001

Who: Luke Ridnour

Probably most famous on the feet of Steve Nash, the Nike Air Jet Flight also found favor on the feet of Luke Ridnour. The shoe shared design cues from the Jordan Trunner and Nike Air Presto, using lightweight mesh to help guards stay quick on their feet. Alright, Luke might not have been Nash in that respect but we can't front — his game was on point and repped the Ducks to the fullest

6. Nike Air Force STS

When: 1989

Who: Terrell Brandon

During his run with the Ducks, Terrell Brandon favored the Nike Air Force STS which is such a dope shoe even by today's standards. You might remember these on the feet of Larry Johnson when he was runnin' with the Rebels. The large branding on the heel and tongue combined with elephant print on the side — you can have all your Jordan retros, we need these back in the mix. 

5. Air Jordan 2010 Team PE "Oregon" 

When: 2011

Who: Olu Ashaolu    

"Duck Team Issue" — having the founder of Nike as an alum never hurts. In 2010 Oregon issued the team a pair of the black and white team kicks to add to its on-court arsenal. 

4. Nike Zoom Kobe VI iD 

When: 2012

Who: Carlos Emory 

With Nike giving everyone a chance to make up their own kicks, it was only a matter of time before players started killing their own colorways of our favorite models. J.R. Smith might be the iD king, but Carlos Emory brought the ruckus with his almost all-murdered out Kobe VIs. The kicks look ill with the hits of yellow on the outsole and lining — props on the all-black branding though. 

3. Air Jordan XIII "Altitude"

When: 2011

Who: Johnathon Loyd  

Forget the Playoffs for a second, Johnathan Loyd got all crazy when he broke out the "Altitude" XIIIs. A perfect match to the Ducks' uniforms (that night, at least), the XIIIs would have drawn plenty of attention on their own, Johnathon.

2. Nike Zoom LeBron II PE "Oregon"

When: 2005 

Who: Malik Hairston 

The Zoom Generations were LeBron's first Nike sneaker, but the IIs were the first to feature his name on the sneaker box. With teams like the Yankees and OSU Buckeyes getting the most love from Bron-Bron outside of the Cavaliers locker room, it still wasn't that shocking that the Oregon Ducks would get set up with their own colorway of the double-stacked full-length Zoom Air sleds — nothing like home-court advantage. 

1. Nike Zoom Hyperfuse PE "Oregon"

When: 2012

Who: Carlos Emory 

As soon as you saw the bright yellow upper, you knew this was something cooked up specifically for the Ducks. Thanks to a few connects over in Beaverton, Oregon got hooked up with yet another player edition of one of Nike's top performance sneakers. You see the school's signature 'O' up on the ankle support, now it's OK to show your sneaker O-Face — we're blown away too. *pause*