Sneaker News 
NBA All-Star Weekend has come to a close and now our attention is solely focused on the looming trade deadline and the arduous second half of the season. But before you guys shift gears and put ASW behind you, we’d like to recap you with some of the coolest sights and sounds from our four days out in The 6. We braved the frigid temperatures, spent about $500 on cab fares, ate poutine just once, and overall had a great time in The North while experiencing all that the sneaker brands had to offer. Join us as we recap this awesome All-Star Weekend for the ages.
Jordan Brand’s Retail Space At 306 Yonge
First off, the store is located right at the Yonge-Dundas Square, which is pretty much Toronto’s version of Times Square. The interior design was beautiful and on the right wall was a showcase of some sick Jordan PEs and samples from the past, while the far wall had the primary shoe display on a glass barrier that gave customers a look into the stock room. Downstairs was the customization center, where shop-goers were given opportunities to design custom tees, hoodies and more with Jordan Brand design specialists. The best part was the ongoing appearances by Jordan athletes, topped only by Michael Jordan himself.
Steph Curry Shuts Down A Foot Locker
Dude got some Michael Jackson type response. Hundreds of kids showed up to see reigning MVP Steph Curry at Foot Locker, and there were reports that some kids at the front of the lines were getting trampled. It’s clear that Steph is officially the biggest star in the NBA….and the fact that he got choppered in to the mall is proof of that.
Michael Jordan Gives Kobe Bryant The Highest Of Sneaker Honors
At a special Jordan Brand shindig on Friday night, Michael Jordan presented an exclusive set of Air Jordans to Kobe Bryant as a farewell gift. The entire Air Jordan legacy (from 1 to the newly unveiled XXX) was constructed in all-white premium materials, with the lone exceptions being the Air Jordan 3 and 8 in Lakers form. The brand upped the ante by releasing a similar all-black set exclusively on eBay, which ended up selling for nearly a quarter-million dollars.
NIKE SNKRS XPRESS
We all know about Nike’s SNKRS XPRESS retail pop-ups in Toronto, NYC, LA, and Chicago. Each store released some limited edition product, but what separated the T-Dot location was that the SNKRS XPRESS was in an actual train car. Entrance was via appointment only and shoppers got to cop some of the latest products while enjoying some refreshments and getting their shoes cleaned courtesy of Jason Markk.
Reebok and Allen Iverson at Capsule, Toronto
Allen Iverson will always be a fan draw, and the event thrown by Reebok at sneaker boutique Capsule was definitely a major highlight of the weekend. Iverson freely answered a number of questions involving Tyronn Lue, the shoe he refused to wear at All-Star, his thoughts on the 2001 NBA Finals against the mammoth Lakers, and much more. Read our interview with The Answer here.
The NIKEiD Loft
Nike Basketball’s annual All-Star offering featured a sick iD option called the “Best Of” Collection, which paid tribute to All-Star MVP honors by Kobe, LeBron, and KD. It also included a great color-shift option on the Air Force 1 (Low, Mid, and High) with three distinct color options. NIKEiD Loft was by appointment only, where customers got individual design sessions with iD specialists while being fed some dope finger foods. We got a chance to chat with Charles Williams and Devon McKinney, the product and color gurus of NSW Basketball; we’ll bring you more on that later.
Jordan Brand Invitational At The Mattany Athletic Center
Before all the All-Star events kicked off, Jordan Brand hosted a special showdown between the best young talent from the USA and the world. On their feet was the all-new Air Jordan XXX, which seemed to help these teens fly up and down the court with ease. Better believe some scouts were on hand.
Drake Puts On A Show With Air Jordans And An Awesome Jacket
Drake certainly has a knack for stirring up energy at the right times. While the NBA All-Star Weekend is certainly all about the players and the fans, the Toronto native gave us reason to talk about him when he unveiled new “Home” and “Away” versions of the Air Jordan 8 inspired by his strange fandom of the Kentucky Wildcats. His Farewell Mamba jacket on Sunday night was also the conversation piece.
Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon Put On A Dunk Contest For The Ages
Lavine and Gordon put on a Dunk Contest that is hailed as being the best since MJ and ‘Nique duked it out in ’88. The two high-flyers went tit for tat with 50-rated dunks, and did so while wearing two of Nike’s most recent offerings – the Hyperdunk 2015 Low and the even newer Hyperrev 2016.
Russell Westbrook Breaks Necks, Wins MVP with The Air Jordan XXX
While many had their money on Kobe Bryant winning the All-Star Game MVP, that honor went to Russell Westbrook, who put up a rather predictable statline of a lot of points, a lot of rebounds, and a lot of assists. He did so in style, wearing a special “Cosmos” edition of the Air Jordan XXX, which shouldn’t be confused with the one Tinker showed us last month.
