DERRICK ROSE BROUGHT TO TEARS AT UNVEILING OF HIS NEW SNEAKER

Derrick Rose carries an authenticity with him everywhere he goes that embodies a true desire to bring his team, his city, and his fans to victory. That truth is one of the reasons that he is so loved in Chicago, and also a large part of the success of his line of sneakers with adidas. For the unveiling of his newest shoe, a press conference was held where a video showing his injury in the playoffs last year and subsequent rehabilitation brought the star to tear - not the first time such a thing has happened.

Rose eventually drew the strength to speak on his emotions after hanging his head low and crying for some time. LA times reports:

“It’s truly a blessing with all the stuff that is going on in the city,” said Rose, who starred at Englewood High in South Chicago and spent one college season at Memphis before becoming the No. 1 draft pick in 2008. “A kid from Englewood’s got something positive going on. That makes me feel so good. … To have my true fans, that means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to my family.”

LEBRON JAMES DEBUTS LEBRON X

While we already knew what the LeBron X looks like, the shoe had not yet been officially debuted until Sunday, when the reigning MVP marched onto the court for what would mark his second gold medal wearing a U.S. flag-themed version of the sneaker. No news yet as to whether this will be the model we see hit stores when the shoes drop, but we can certainly count on this being one of the more coveted to start. The Zoom Max cushioning and Hyperfuse construction will make for Olympian performance, as well. More info on the LeBron X here as it arises. 

(Source: nikeinc.com)

THE DREAM TEAM DOCUMENTARY

The Dream Team was the greatest team ever assembled in professional sports history. During the 1992 Olympics, the team destroyed every challenger they witnessed, including trash-talking and pounding on each other in practice. During their rise to Olympic stardom, the team won by an average of 40 points, and 20 years later its members sit down with NBA TV to reminisce about the incredible journey. Catch the story on June 13th and watch the exciting trailer above.

LI-NING BD DOOM “PLAYOFF” CUSTOM

While the talk of the town might have been Amar’e vs. the fire extinguisher, Baron Davis made sneaker fans’ headlines as well when he rocked a pair of custom Li-Ning BD Dooms in Game 2 of the Knicks vs. Heat series. Big Doves is a custom shoe designer that captures perfectly the roots of customizing with an airbrushed “Knickstape” tag on the side of a shoe that features an orange, black, and white Baron Davis logo on the tongue.

Davis has been doing well in this series in Jeremy Lin’s absence, and despite the Knicks’ struggles, the point guard from LA has proven that he still has what it takes to compete on the opposite coast amongst the highly critical NY fan base. 

(Source: bigdovesnyc)

BROOKLYN NETS “HELLO BROOKLYN”

The New Jersey Nets are packing their bags and moving to Brooklyn. Jay-Z will be happy that the trip from his often-courtside appearances back home will be much shorter now that the team over which he holds a minority ownership has moved to the town that made him a superstar, and the video released shortly after the logo redesign press release shows the desire to make a slew of changes.

Playing on history and the feeling of progression natural to the BK, the video shows the new logo in play for the first time, and teases the uniform unveiling that should happen in September of 2012.

(Source: hypebeast.com)

ESPN X MICHAEL JORDAN “IT’S NOT CRAZY, IT’S SPORTS”

The latest ad from EPSN called “It’s Not Crazy, It’s Sports” follows a man who shares his name with the greatest basketball player in history. A middle-aged white guy who coincidentally has the same first and last name as one of the most dominant athletes ever seems to disappoint those around him when they find out that he may not be who they were expecting.

(Source: hypebeast.com)

KEEPING SCORE: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE WHITE-AMERICAN NBA SUPERSTAR
In a very well-written article on the role race plays in contemporary sports, Alec Banks brings up some great points on the origins of the NBA’s Caucasian sensations, and their transition from American Dreamers to foreigners trying to get a slice of the American Pie. Insightful commentary on interracial acceptance and its impact on American sports fill this piece from HypeBeast’s weekly Keeping Score article.

Have the white American basketball players become the mixed American superstars? Look no further than Blake Griffin, Steph Curry, Deron Williams, Jason Kidd, Kris Humphries, and Joakim Noah as evidence of multiracial players who take on a much bigger role on a team than just roster junkie. While the sample is small, there’s no denying that more and more 80’s and 90’s babies will be born from a bi-cultural relationship as the country moves toward a place where acceptance is common place.

Check out the rest of the article here.

KEEPING SCORE: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE WHITE-AMERICAN NBA SUPERSTAR

In a very well-written article on the role race plays in contemporary sports, Alec Banks brings up some great points on the origins of the NBA’s Caucasian sensations, and their transition from American Dreamers to foreigners trying to get a slice of the American Pie. Insightful commentary on interracial acceptance and its impact on American sports fill this piece from HypeBeast’s weekly Keeping Score article.

Have the white American basketball players become the mixed American superstars? Look no further than Blake Griffin, Steph Curry, Deron Williams, Jason Kidd, Kris Humphries, and Joakim Noah as evidence of multiracial players who take on a much bigger role on a team than just roster junkie. While the sample is small, there’s no denying that more and more 80’s and 90’s babies will be born from a bi-cultural relationship as the country moves toward a place where acceptance is common place.

Check out the rest of the article here.

NIKE ZOOM HYPERDUNK 2011 SUPREME BLAKE GRIFFIN PE

So you thought the “Galaxy” hype was over? Well not if Blake Griffin has anything to say about it. The Player Edition Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 Supreme debuted on the court by Griffin in the 2012 All-Star Game proves that there are still a few ways that Nike can work its immensely hyped theme into its equally hyped models alongside the names of the NBA’s biggest players. The intergalactic upper, star-speckled midsole, and far-out logo set this pair off, which will be available shortly.

(Source: regularolty.com)

NIKE ZOOM HYPERDUNK 2011 LOW JEREMY LIN PE

While already signed for a sneaker deal, Jeremy Lin hadn’t actually gotten a shoe to call his own until now. This year in the midst of the Linsanity, Nike releases official photos of the Asian American NBA star from Harvard’s first player exclusives. The Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 Low Jeremy Lin PE will feature a Knicks-themed colorway with a “J.L. Sophomore” tongue patch and graphics on the insole.

(Source: nicekicks.com)

NIKE DUNK HI QS PREMIUM 2012 NBA ALL-STAR
In a move referencing the 2012 All-Star-game bordering NASA Kennedy Space Center, the newest Dunk Hi Premium QS model features obvious space branding and Nike-infused logo reinterpretations. With a velcro Swoosh, interchangeable branding opens up colorway options, while graphics give an outerspace feel and black mid- with translucent outsoles round out this convincing pair of Dunk highs.
Pre-orders are now offered through SOLEROOM for a retail of ¥13,800 JPY (approximately $181 USD).

NIKE DUNK HI QS PREMIUM 2012 NBA ALL-STAR

In a move referencing the 2012 All-Star-game bordering NASA Kennedy Space Center, the newest Dunk Hi Premium QS model features obvious space branding and Nike-infused logo reinterpretations. With a velcro Swoosh, interchangeable branding opens up colorway options, while graphics give an outerspace feel and black mid- with translucent outsoles round out this convincing pair of Dunk highs.

Pre-orders are now offered through SOLEROOM for a retail of ¥13,800 JPY (approximately $181 USD).

(Source: hypebeast.com)