Some of the NBA’s current, young stars are starting to get signature sneakers. LaMelo Ball announced his MB.01 sneakers in the fall for a December release, and there is talk of Jayson Tatum and Trae Young following suit soon. If you’re impatiently awaiting these releases, keep your eye on some of the best retro signature shoes (some of which are getting a rerelease next year).
Penny Hardaway Signature Sneakers
The Nike Air Penny I and II are both really well-loved by sneakerheads, and two styles of the Air Penny 1 will be back on the market in 2022 with the “White/Varsity Royal/Black” and “Black/Varsity Royal/White” colorways, which we can enjoy together with the smaller Nike Air Foamposite Ones.
Tracy McGrady Signature Sneakers
McGrady’s line certainly belongs to a certain era of NBA style, but it’s also timeless for a lot of sneakerheads, and fans in general. It’s also slated for something of a comeback, with Adidas releasing a T-Mac 1 “All-Star edition next year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of McGrady’s legendary duel with Kobe Bryant in the 2002 All-Star Game. This edition will come in a sleek silver colorway with black accents, and should be a treat for T-Mac fans.
Michael Jordan Signature Shoes
Michael Jordan is far and away the most significant in this category. His Air Jordans are a household name, and they’re even getting a collab to appear in Fortnite. Not only this, but the Air Jordan 7 from 2006 is making a comeback, scheduled to be released in 2022.
Kobe Bryant Sneakers
Kobe Bryant’s legendary status as a sensational basketball player and a humble human being follows him even now, even though he is no longer with us. He worked with Nike to create the Nike Kobe series of sneakers, including his Nike HyperDunk shoes in 1998.
Grant Hill Signature Shoes
Hill is not unlike T-Mac in terms of career trajectory. Grant Hill’s FILA shoes are kind of iconic among some NBA sneakerheads, which is great news since the Sprite x Fila Grant Hill 1, inspired by the commercial in 1995, is currently available.
Kyrie Irving Signature Sneakers
Irving is the most modern on this list. Like some of the Kobe Bryant shoes, Kyrie’s are excellent to actually play basketball in, while some shoes from other players tend to be a little clunky and unwieldy, making them difficult to run on the court in. Kyrie Irving was the fourth player in the history of Nike to create his own signature shoes, and he was only 22 when he did so.
Allen Iverson Signature Shoes
Allen Iverson is largely credited with a sort of NBA style evolution. Iverson brought “hip hop culture” to the forefront of the NBA, and is now looked back on fondly for having brought about more player individuality and making the league more marketable. Great player, beloved shoes. “The Answer’s” shoes, cleverly named Reebok Question 1 began the series, with the Reebok Question Low coming back for another run in 2022.
Sneakerheads have a busy year ahead of them, with new releases from up-and-coming players together with well-loved shoes from older players all coming out at roughly the same time. These sneakers sell out fast, so make sure you keep an eye out for them going on sale soon.
