Image via Complex Original
As the Olympics wrapped up, so did Nike Basketball's ongoing "20 Designs That Changed The Game" feature. And while we greatly enjoyed the trip down memory lane—especially via designer reminiscience and early sketches—we couldn't help but come up with 10 more Nike Basketball shoes we'd like to hear more about. As for what 10 we would have done away with, well, couldn't it have been 30? Click through 10 More Nike Basketball Designs That Changed The Game, and let us know which ones you would have liked to see.
10. Nike Air Unlimited
Year: 1994
A big-man shoe worn by both Chris Webber and David Robinson, the Air Unlimited did for straps what the Lamborghini Countach did for air intakes. A study in support that even Leonardo Da Vinci could have appreciated, the Air Unlimited was the ultimate in on-court experimentation.
9. Nike Shox Stunner
Year: 2003
The Shox Stunner was not a pretty shoe. Designed with the NCAA Tournament in mind, it was a clear victory of form over function, with layers of synthetic material providing support exactly where it was needed. It didn't have the BB4's elegance, but as a pure performance shoe, it was unmatched in the Shox line.
8. Nike Air Garnett III
Year: 1999
Following a mostly forgettable first signature shoe and a scrapped second one, Kevin Garnett got a winner with the Air Garnett III. Fitted with Tuned Air in the heel, Zoom up front and an oh-so-fashionable fade upper, the Garnett III was at the forefront of both tech and style—just in time for Da Kid to get his mainstream shine.
7. Nike Air Go LWP
Year: 1995
The Air Go LWP, a part of an entire Nike "LWP" (Lightweight Performance) line was to indoor basketball what the Air Raid was to outdoor. A minimalist shoe before minimalist was cool, the LWP had an exposed Air bag on the OUTSOLE, which stripped away rubber rather than foam, and allowed for even more weight savings. Worn by the Hardaways, the LWP was one of the first true point guard shoes.
6. Nike Zoom KD 1
Year: 2009
The first signature shoe for Kevin Durant was a significant shoe. Not just because it was Durant's first model, but because it was a (relatively) inexpensive shoe that performed. Based on what Durant himself needed and wanted, the Zoom KD 1 stripped away all that was unnecessary, leaving intact just the right bits.
5. Nike Zoom LeBron IV
Year: 2006
How exactly do you design a sneaker for a guy who's built like a rhinocerous and changes direction like a hummingbird? This was Ken Link's problem starting with the Zoom LeBron II, and it was fully realized in the Zoom LeBron IV. Beefed up with Foamposite and an enormous carbon shank plate, the IV wasn't light, but LeBron didn't NEED light. He needed strong, and the LeBron IV—while a difficult shoe for anyone but LeBron to play in—was perfect in its own way.
4. Nike Air Force Max
Year: 1993
The Nike Air Force Max was more than just an update of the Air Force 180—it was a game-changer in every sense of the word. The last proto-Barkley signature, it was also adopted by a bunch of bald-headed ballers in Michigan who would have as great an effect on style as they would the game itself.
3. Nike Zoom Flight (The Glove)
Year: 1998
All those lace covers and shrouds? This is where they came from. The 1998 Zoom Flight, designed for and with Gary Payton, concealed a high-performance chassis under a sleek, zippered upper. It's absolutely a crime that these have yet to receive a retro release.
2. Nike Zoom Kobe V
Year: 2009
Where the Zoom Kobe IV leaned in the lowtop direction, the Kobe V was a full-on crossover. Nearly everything from the Kobe IV was done with the V, only better. It was lighter, lower and more fully realized than its predecessor, the difference between a feathered dinosaur and an actual bird. Even now, with the Kobe VIII on the not-so distant horizon, the V looks like the future.
1. Nike Zoom Flight
Year: 1996
The first Nike Zoom basketball shoe, the bug-eyed Zoom Flight was futuristic in a "this is what the future will look like!" sort of way, what with the liberal application of carbon fiber and the matte/shiny contrasts. Many shoes are inspired by cars, but this one actually looked like one—a handbuilt exotic capable of terrifying speeds with otherworldly control.
