WEARING IT WELL
Raheel Ramzanali: 4 signature shoes I’m excited about for the second half of the NBA season
Jan 23, 2018, 8:11 am
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Two of baseball’s best square off Tuesday night as the Houston Astros welcome the Philadelphia Phillies to Daikin Park for a three-game showdown between division leaders. Both teams have hit their stride heading into the matchup, with Houston sitting atop the AL West at 45-33 and Philadelphia leading the NL East at 47-31.
The opener features a must-watch pitching duel between two left-handers in strong form. Framber Valdez (8-4, 3.09 ERA) takes the mound for the Astros, coming off a stretch of dominance that includes 99 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP across 15 starts. He’ll be matched by Phillies ace Ranger Suárez, whose 6-1 record and 2.20 ERA have helped anchor one of the National League’s best rotations.
Both clubs are rolling. The Phillies come in having won eight of their last 10, boasting a .284 team average and a +24 run differential in that stretch. Houston has gone 7-3 over its last 10, hitting .276 and outscoring opponents by 16 runs.
Offensively, the stars are beginning to surge. Jeremy Peña continues to deliver at the top of the Astros’ order with 11 homers and 16 doubles, while Jake Meyers has been red-hot, collecting 16 hits in his last 37 at-bats. For the Phillies, Nick Castellanos remains a steady extra-base hit threat, and Kyle Schwarber’s power has started to show up again with three home runs in his last 10 games.
Philadelphia has thrived when keeping the ball in the yard, going 21-9 when not allowing a home run. That will be tested against an Astros lineup that ranks top-four in the American League in on-base percentage (.323) and is 27-13 at home.
This is the first meeting between these two contenders this season, and it comes at a pivotal point on the calendar. The All-Star break is approaching, the standings are tightening, and every game is beginning to carry October weight. Tuesday night in Houston will feel like a preview of something bigger.
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