Every fan of the NBA has at some point in their life designed their own basketball shoe. But few have the resources like Kanye West to actually sit down and create their very own footwear. The YEEZY creator has been working on his first performance basketball sneakers for a minute now. They were first rumoured to drop in Spring 2019, but that never materialised and up until 2020 the design had hit a few more snags along the way.
The most notable halt in the process of getting the shoes on the feet of fans was from the NBA. With a design that included reflective panels in the heel, officials at the NBA said that the shoes would never be allowed to be worn on court in any official capacity as it didn’t meet guidelines.
When I designed my own basketball shoes at the age of 9 I chose to include a go-go-gadget oil slick from the heels to prevent anyone catching me; I can only imagine Kanye’s inclusion of a blinding reflective panel was his attempt at achieving some sort of on court advantage. Either that, or he forgot that he was trying to make a performance shoe and not another piece of YEEZY fashion.
With the shoes looking set to be banned on court, YEEZY and adidas were going to have a tough time marketing the new kicks if basketball players couldn’t even wear them.
Fast forward to All-Star weekend 2020 and we look set to finally see a release for the YEEZY BSKTBL “Quantum”. The high-top construction features a zebra pattern design, which does include the 3M reflective material on the sides. So we don’t know whether the NBA have allowed the shoe at this point or whether Kanye has just given up on the idea of a performance piece that can actually perform in the professional game. Maybe he is hoping the major hype already circulating the release will outweigh any lost opportunity on the court.
YEEZY have gone slightly Frankenstein on the new design. Amalgamating features from previous YEEZY models such as the 700’s toe box shape and panelling, the 350 V2’s wavy pattern and the Primeknit with zigzag 3M features. As it is a basketball shoe, the collar extends much higher than any previous look to support the ankle.
The new YEEZY BSKTBL “Quantum” will be available at some point during the All-Star Weekend for around $225 (174) in select stores and online. Whether you cop or not, head over to Laced to find great prices on some of the most sought-after Yeezy trainers.