Its always dope to see NBA signature shoe athletes pay homage to the AAU teams they played for when their a young athlete on the way up. The adidas D Lillard 1 ‘Oakland Rebels’ pays tribute to the team Dame Lillard played for as a young buck.
Check out the official unveiling provided by adidas and let us know down in the comments if you guys plan on picking up a pair.
Today, adidas and Damian Lillard dropped the latest colorway of the D Lillard 1 signature basketball shoe. Paying homage to the AAU program that helped make Damian the player he is today, the D Lillard 1 Oakland Rebels edition celebrates the NBA All-Star’s path to success.
Damian remembers where he came from and the determination it took to play for a program that was once overlooked. The Rebels never received a shoe deal during the point guard’s time with the team, so the players fundraised in their community to have sneakers to play in. Now, Damian supports the program that raised him by donating shoes, uniforms and practice gear.
“The Oakland Rebels helped mold me, so I had to give back to them,” Lillard said.?
The exclusive colorway is inspired by the team’s uniform with a sky blue upper while the full-length adiprene+ midsole compliments a red tonal snakeskin print on the heel and toecap. The royal blue laces feature flecks of red and “DAME” is printed on the right tongue.
The shoe also features a signature #4BarFriday freestyle that highlights Damian’s journey and gives praise to Raymond Young (Director of the Oakland Rebels program) in the sockliner:
Oakland Rebel childhood.. working hard but over looked
My story’s inspiration ain’t no secrets I’m an open book
Hardwood back boards the rims don’t even break away
Taught us how to grind.. proud to say we learned the Raymond way.
The Rebels play in the adidas Uprising circuit and will debut the sneaker on-court July 8 during a tournament in Anaheim, California.Fans can grab their own D Lillard 1 Oakland Rebels edition ($105) on July 10 at Foot Locker? and adidas.com?.