Tip-off of the 2016-’17 NBA Finals is scheduled for tonight, and excitement for the Cavaliers-Warriors match-up is at an all-time high. The series has already been dubbed “The Trilogy” and there’s no doubt that it will have the attention of nearly everyone in the sporting world. Part of that is due to the six-day wait between Game 1 of the Finals and our last glimpse of playoff action, but for the most part it’s because both teams are absolutely loaded with talent.
As I’m sure everyone reading this already knows, this series will feature seven current all-stars in an all-out battle of the “Superteams.” Of those seven all-stars, five have their own signature shoe. And since it’s the NBA Finals, that means special colorways of those signature shoes.
But which players are bringing the most heat into this series?
1.) Nike Kyrie 3 “Obsidian”
Nike’s Kyrie 3 model, and the entire Kyrie line for the matter, has been well received by children and adults alike. So much so that the Kyrie 2 was the only performance shoe to crack the top-ten best-selling shoes across all brands last year. Given the reception of the Kyrie 3 across all social media platforms, it wouldn’t be very surprising to this year’s model to the same as its predecessor.
Not only is the Kyrie 3 considered to amongst the top signature shoes based on its performance capabilities, but the overall look of the silhouette. It also helps that Nike continues to find the perfect color combinations to accent the shoe’s overall dopeness(?).
The colorway, dubbed “Obsidian”, sports an obsidian upper with metallic gold logos on the tongue and lateral quarter. It also features a speckled white midsole with a gum rubber outsole. All-in-all, this is arguably one of the cleanest colorways of the Kyrie 3, and there’s no doubt it’s earned the top spot on this list.
2.) Nike KD 10 “Still KD”
Via Nike
Nike’s KD line has been challenging what a basketball shoe is “supposed” to look like since the release of the KD 8s. The KD 10 is no different.
For most, the design of Durant’s latest silhouette may seem a bit off-putting. And yes, it dose look quite odd at first. But if it performs anywhere near close to what the KD 9 did, or as much as Durant claims, then this sneaker is sure to be a dope release.
Per Nike, Durant had this to say about the KD 10:
“I got a pair of the Flyknit Racer during the 2012 games in London and immediately loved them. That shoe is so stylish, so innovative and so comfortable. I’ve been asking for Flyknit in my shoe and the KD10 is my best shoe yet.”
The all-white upper with silver accents definitely makes this colorway of the KD 10 cop-worthy, but that’s when things get interesting/weird. An early release of the “Still KD” 10s will take place tonight during Game 1 of the Finals, but only when Durant is on the floor, and only through Nike’s SNKRS app. That means every time Durant is subbed out, or there’s a break in the game, the shoe’s availability will be temporarily removed. Quite the intriguing marketing move if you ask me.
3.) Anta KT2 “The Chase” Away
Via AntaAmerica.com
Very few basketball sneakers manage to pull off a colorway that’s predominantly gold and white, but the KT2 does so pretty effortlessly. Whether you’re a fan of the design of Klay Thompson or not, it’s pretty tough to complain about the newest model of his signature shoe. Everything about this colorway, from the gold speckled midsole to the textured heel counter, add up to a solid-looking shoe. Which, by the way, compliments the model’s fairly incredible performance capabilities.
However, when images of “The Chase” pack were first released on Twitter, the shoe was met with a mixed reception. Some praised Anta for making a pair of shoes that were “secretly fire”, while others roasted its look. Though it should be known that the of roasting new sneaker releases seems to be a new trend on Twitter (see: adidas Harden Vol. 1, Crazy Explosive PK and KD 9 Elite, all of which are considered to be amongst the top performance basketball shoes of all time) by those who aren’t exactly close to the sneakerhead community. That’s not to take shots at those who make negative comments about certain designs, it’s just a reminder to always be skeptical of what others say. If you think a shoe is dope, cop it.
4.) Nike LeBron Soldier 11s “Unknown”
Via @NBA
So a couple of things here:
- No one seems to know the name of this colorway
- No one knows whether LeBron will wear these during the Finals or not
The red gradient midsole pairs quite nicely with the all-white upper, and I have to admit, this is a pretty dope colorway of the Soldier 11s. Again, very little is known about this colorway which means there isn’t much to say about it. We’ll just have to wait until more information is revealed.
5.) Under Armour Curry 3Zero “Team Royal”
Via NiceKicks.com
I was always told that if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything. So let me just not…
