WEARING IT WELL

Raheel Ramzanali: 4 signature shoes I’m excited about for the second half of the NBA season

Raheel Ramzanali
Jan 23, 2018, 8:11 am
Russell Westbrook's new shoe will debut next month. Nike.com

We’ve now crossed the halfway mark of the NBA Season and with that comes the second wave of signature shoes from NBA players to hit the market. Traditionally, players released shoes right before the season so they could show off the latest and greatest to sneaker hungry consumers, but now with the rise of how important the NBA All-Star Game has become in fashion and headlines, more and more guys wait until February to launch their official shoes.

Look, I play basketball at least twice a week and it is still my favorite sport to compete in so I like to keep up with the latest technology and comfort when it comes to basketball shoes. I’m the guy that is trying all of the newest shoes out there and reporting back with friends (What’s up, fellow baller Joel Blank!) on the pros and cons of every shoe. We’ve already had LeBron, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Steph Curry announce their signature shoes so I’m not going to include them in this list. So with that being said, I want to rank (by personal excitement) the upcoming signature shoes from NBA players for the second half of the season.

Russell Westbrook’s Jordan Why Not Zer0.1 

To say that I’m excited about this shoe would be an understatement. I keep refreshing my browser to see if Nike somehow messed up and made these available before the Feb. 15 launch date. Westbrook is the most intriguing player to me in the NBA. He plays with a reckless abandonment that people either hate or love. When he’s on the court he’s running all over the place and I’ve always wondered how Jordan Brand would design a sneaker that captures not only his game, but keeps him safe out there playing the way he does. Enter the Jordan Why Not Zer0.1 - Westbrook’s first ever signature shoe. Westbrook has always played in the latest Jordan shoes, but finally we’re given a pair of shoes that are built for his exact specifications. These are by far the most intriguing shoes of the 2018 releases because the tech specs are second to none and the style, like Westbrook’s game, is either a hit or miss depending on your aesthetics since they look like a futuristic shoe tank.  Launches Feb. 15; $125. 

James Harden’s Harden Vol. 2

While this shoe hasn’t been officially announced by Adidas just yet, the Shoe blogs have all but confirmed that they will be releasing within the next month or so. Last year’s Harden Vol. 1 was a huge success since it was the first Harden signature shoe with Adidas AND it featured the most comfortable cushion in the game, Boost. While some performance reviews thought the shoe was a big heavy, the Vol. 2’s look like they will be the perfect combination of weight and comfort with Adidas Boost and what looks like to be a mostly PrimeKnit upper. Like James, the initial colorways of the shoes are unique and very fashion forward. Here’s hoping the Harden Vol. 2’s can help James and the Rockets make a deep run to the finals. Launches TBD; Price TBD. 

Paul George’s PG2

Before last weekend’s matchup against the Cavs, OKC forward Paul George finally announced his much anticipated follow-up to the PG1 with the PG2s. I’m especially excited for these shoes because they are budget friendly at $110 AND include some of the best technology that Nike has to offer with a new Adaptive Lockdown System + a 10mm unit of Zoom Air for the ultimate cushion! As George put it, these shoes are built for guys that play hard on the defensive side, but also like to get buckets. My only beef with these shoes are that they look like the Nike HyperRev 2015 (shoes that PG played in before he got his own signature line) and not something totally new like Westbrook or Harden’s shoes. Launches Feb. 10 (Playstation edition); $110.

LeBron James’ Nike Zoom Soldier 12

One of my favorite things to look for in the NBA playoffs is if LeBron is wearing his actual signature shoes or shoes from his secondary Soldier line. The Soldier line is regarded as the best performance shoe for everyday players since we’re all not freaks of nature like LeBron. Now these shoes aren’t the best looking since they feature straps on straps on straps, but they really are great to play in. I still contend that the Zoom Soldier 9 is the GREATEST performance shoe ever since it has the best lockdown and comfort that was built for a king, but enjoyed by us peasants. Nike hasn’t even announced the release of this shoe yet and really we haven’t seen any leaks regarding the 12th version of this shoe, but as it is with every Soldier shoe, it will be announced in April right before the playoffs. Launch TBD; Price TBD.

Let me know which shoe you’re excited about and what you’re currently playing in by tweeting me @The_Raheel.

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TEXANS TRAINING CAMP WATCH

Texans top pick just turned up the juice ahead of preseason debut

Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

The Houston Texans have just a couple of practices before their preseason debut. Here are 11 observations from Tuesday’s workout.

1.The offense stunk on Tuesday. It was inconsistent and resembled more of last year’s disappointing performances than any other practices in this training camp.

2. Davis Mills and his receivers had a few miscommunications on Tuesday. Mills sailed a pass to nobody when he and Brandin Cooks weren’t on the same page. There were some other throws to nowhere in the day. It was something that hadn’t been present at all in training camp to this point.

3. There were a few “good coverage” notes on Tuesday. Not to say there was one specific player, but a handful of team-level efforts that led to the note.

4. It wasn’t all wrong from the offense. After a pass to nowhere Davis Mills and the offense bounced back. It was a second down during a team drill and Mills fired a pass to Chris Moore for six yards. Rex Burkhead would pick up a first down on a rush a play later. A non-positive play last year on first down doomed this team. That hopefully won’t be the case for this year’s team.

5. Chad Beebe is going into his fifth season in the NFL, his first with the Texans. The former Vikings pass catcher has flashed a few times in training camp. He has an uphill battle being new to the team but is trying to make himself a factor.

6. Phillip Dorsett had a big catch over the middle. Davis Mills stood back and delivered as the offensive line held up and Dorsett reeled it in for a huge gain. No defenders were around him. It is between Dorsett and Chris Moore for the chance to be the slot wideout opening day. With Dorsett’s return to practice, it is becoming a fun camp battle.

7.Speaking of returns to practice, Tytus Howard was back. Howard has his reps managed and after practice, offensive line coach George Warhop Howard was “getting his wind” back. When Howard was having his reps managed rookie tackle Austin Deculus played at right tackle. Deculus looks much more consistent than minicamp and OTAs.

8. Kenyon Green is still out with an injury. It is getting to a critical time where the time missed might prevent the first-rounder from starting week one. Max Scharping hasn’t looked bad in his chances with the first team. Offensive line coach George Warhop said they believe in Green and his ability and he has been in meetings to stay up to date.

9. Ka’imi Fairbairn was perfect in one of the special team periods. He drilled all five kicks, each further than the last, and was crushing the football.

10. Derek Stingley was very sticky in some early reps on Nico Collins. The third overall pick is so smooth when he is working. Later his coverage forced a throw from the offense that had no chance of being completed.

11. The play of the day was made by Derek Stingley. The offense was about five or six yards out of the end zone needing a touchdown to win. With six seconds left on the clock, any completed pass that wasn’t a touchdown was game over. Davis Mills dropped back a step and fired to Nico Collins who Stingley covered. The rookie kept the second-year player out of the end zone to earn the defense a win. This was one of the better Stingley days and he did a lot of work. At one point, it looked as though he and Rex Burkhead had some words and almost led to an offense and defense scuffle, but it stayed to just some shouting. The rookie shined today.

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