Kickasso Kustoms was working double time this week with the Air Jordan 11 All Red Python for Joe Anderson, and his newest project for 50 Cent. The Air Jordan IV (4) “Liberty” customs by Kickasso Kustoms drawing inspiration from Lady Liberty, decked out in a mint green upper with antiquing effects. Black streaks are scattered all over, with hints of gold and moss green appearing throughout the uppers to mimic the wear from all the tried and true years the Statue of Liberty has stood tall. A Statue of Liberty tongue patch is present to seal the deal with these new customs from Kickasso Kustoms. Five stars to Kickasso for such a great concept! True art!
The Nike Air Yeezy 2 Red Octobers aren’t the only kicks that look dope in an all red color scheme. Kickasso Kustoms, one of the best sneaker artists around, just possibly kicked the Air Yeezy 2s butt with his latest release of an AJ11 creation. The Air Jordan XI (11) All Red Python customs by Kickasso Kustoms are a 1 of 1 creation for NFL wide receiver, Joe Anderson, and take cues from the Yeezys. From top to bottom, these Jays are in a monochromatic crimson tone, with python skin wrapping around the bottom of the uppers. And to add that touch of extra details, the lacing features gold aglits on the tips. These kicks got me thinking “Yeezy who?” Check out a detailed close up on the shoes down below, and show someKickasso Kustoms some love!
Quick: What is the significance of March 28, 1990 in NBA lore? Well, when in doubt, it’s best to guess that Michael Jordan—the greatest player of all-time—had a hand in making the date special.
On this day 24 years ago, MJ posted a herculean performance for the Chicago Bulls against Mark Price, Craig Ehlo, John “Hot Rod” Williams and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the 117-113 overtime win, Jordan finished with 18 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a career-high 69 points. He shot 23-of-37 from the field (62.2 percent), 2-of-6 from beyond the arc and 21-of-23 from the free-throw line. The only other Bulls player to score double-digit points in the affair was Horace Grant—who finished with 16.
Despite a lackluster performance from Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, who finished with more turnovers (eight) than points (seven), Jordan willed his team to victory with arguably the best regular-season performance of his storied career.
During the course of the 1989-90 season, Jordan averaged 33.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.8 steals per game. His scoring and steals statistics were the best in the league that year. He was named an All-Star, All-Defensive First Team member and All-NBA First Team representative as well.
The Bulls finished the 1989-90 campaign with a 55-27 record under head coach Phil Jackson, but fell to the eventual-champion Detroit Pistons, 4-3, in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Although sports fans are obsessed with making player comparisons, I believe that MJ is still in a class of his own. He’s a five-time MVP and six-time champion. Miami Heat superstar LeBron James comes close in terms of MVP honors (four), while Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is one ring away with five, but neither equates to Jordan in the opposite category.
The comparisons will never stop, but it’s important to remember MJfor what he was: a true basketball icon.
After dropping a new pair of Nike Air Foamposite One “Imperial” customs earlier this month, sneaker artist Revive Customs is hitting fans with another ultra-luxurious pair of kicks! The Air Jordan VI (6) “Marble Floors” customs by Revive Customs feature marble print all over the uppers, with a classic checkerboard print along the rear. The checkerboard pattern that spreads all over the tops of the uppers is a golden creme and brown, and surrounds a deep red Jumpman logo on the heel. An alternate marble pattern in black and white make an appearance on the midsoles, which tie in the grey/white marbling on the toes. A huge shout out to Revive Customs for doing an amazing job on these kicks! Keep them coming! Check out more pictures of the “Marble Floors” custom AJ6s below!
Kickstradomis has been murdering his recent projects, like the AJ3 “Wolverine” or the Lebron 10 “What the Clevelands?” that he just created. Now here’s a look at more sneaker heat from Kickstradomis, as he brings us a tropical themed rendition of the Air Jordan VI! The Air Jordan VI (6) “Aloha” customs by Kickstradomis feature a Hawaiian floral and palm tree pattern along the center and toes of the shoes. The uppers are mostly black, with the floral print present on the midfoot. For accenting, red, turquoise, and a soft lavender make their way along the soles, each providing an intense punch of color against the dominate black of the shoe. If you thought floral print was for punks, think again! I swearKickstradomis is trying to take over the customizing game! Check out more pictures below!
Do y’all remember the Air Jordan “Golden Moments” pack of customs from the beginning of the month? (I’m still dreaming of those AJ5s and AJ11s) Well the man behind that project, Artistic Soles sneaker artist Ceesay14, is back with another custom Air Jordan creation. The Air Jordan XII (12) “Legend Blue” customs by Ceesay14 are mostly white leather upper with sweet baby blue accenting throughout the shoe. The bottom half of the uppers have baby blue sweeping across the toes, with more blue showing up on the eyelets and on the rear, beneath the heel tabs. Going the extra mile with detailing, even more blue peeks it’s way through an all white outsole, and the classic “23″ coming in the title color. Keeping it simple has proven to be another hit with these AJ12s! How are you liking these new Ceesay14 customs? Let us know, down below in the comments! More pictures below, as well!
Sneakerheads ’round the world lost their collective shits last week when rumor had it that Michael Jordan was not only displeased with the quality control exhibited by parent company Nike, but also that he was so pissed he planned on splitting from the Swoosh and taking Jordan Brand with him in 2015.
The Shoe Game reached out to Mike’s camp to address the rumors and sneakerheads needn’t worry. Your grails will continue to be retroed every year. Per Michael Jordan’s Business Manager, Estee Portnoy:
“There is absolutely no truth to this rumor claiming that Michael Jordan is parting ways with the Jordan Brand. Michael has made no such statements. He is – and will remain – fully committed to the Jordan Brand.”
Terrell Owens, as famous for his trash talk, shirtless crunches on his driveway and numerous underwhelming attempts at an NFL comeback as he is for the Hall of Fame-worthy stats he threw up, can't find an NFL suitor, instead relegated to "Celebrity Apprentice."
So, in T.O.'s never-ending quest to stay in the spotlight, ruffle feathers and make sure we all know how great he is, he recently told the world he is ready to take on all comers — in basketball, of course. And then he called out Michael Jordan, of course. And called him an old man, of course.
In a video for the social-media site HangWith, Owens dropped a couple N-bombs, told us how great his crossover and jumper are, and said of M.J. "I know he's 50-something years old. He used to be M.J., but he would be crossed-up M.J. if he comes messin' with me right now."
Michael Jordan's famous sneaker line will no longer available on the market in 2015, according to recent reports. (Photo : Twitter)
Michael Jordan's famous basketball sneakers will no longer be available on the market starting next year, the Chicago Bulls star reportedly said in an interview on a local radio station last week.
The Jordan Brand has been on shelves around the world over the last 30 years, and it has been one of the most successful shoe brands out there alongside Adidas and its mother company Nike. However, there are rumors circulating that MJ's shoe brands will stop selling in 2015, as quality issues prompted Jordan to end his partnership with Nike.
"Say it aint so!!!! Rumour has it that Michael Jordan will discontinue all sales of his Jordan brand shoes in 2015! Word is Jordan has been getting complaints about the quality of the shoes being put out and has been at odds with the company,"Nia Noelle of Power 107.5 reported.
In an interview on the Blade Run Show, Jordan expressed his concerns on the quality of the sneakers after receiving negative feedback from buyers. The five-time NBA MVP and six-time NBA champion added that he hasn't been happy with the brand, announcing that Jordan Brand will be done in 2015.
"I didn't enter the shoe game to sell anything but the best when it comes to the quality of an athletic shoe and for the past few years I haven't been happy, I refuse to continue any longer. Jordan will be done as a brand starting 2015, will I have another clothing venture?, who can predict the future? I just want to take the free time to enjoy my new wife and twins," Jordan said during the interview.
Jordan has collected a large portion of his wealth from the sales of his Jordan Brand shoes. For example, in 2013, Jordan reportedly earned $90 million to surpass the earnings of every athlete out there not named Floyd Mayweather Jr, who still lords on top of the money list.
"Jordan made an estimated $90 million last year thanks to the rich partnership he enjoys with Nike. His 2013 earnings eclipsed those of all other retired or current athletes save boxer Floyd Mayweather," Forbes reported.
With just five days left before the highly anticipated debut of the Air Jordan 3 5Lab3, this reflective gem is undoubtedly this Saturday’s marquee release. While Fat Joe and Ludacris may already have their pairs, regular sneakerheads will have a shot at copping this weekend. Pegged as a Twitter link only release, ‘heads can expect Nikestore’s tweet to go live at 8am. Will you be setting your alarm clocks to do some early morning shopping? Check out another official look at this upcoming release and let us know if these are an instant cop.
Air Jordan “5Lab3″ Reflect Silver/Reflect Silver-Black-White 585545-010 3/29/14 $225
We knew that the Air Jordan 6 would be making a return in 2014 in a number of colorways. I’m sure you’re still not done digesting the the re-release of the Air Jordan 6 “Sport Blue” happening in August (I know I’m not). And just when we thought we had a grasp on what will be releasing, here is yet another one in the works. The Air Jordan 6 Retro “Chicago”features the Chicago Bulls team colors of White, Black and Red. Completing the look are three lines by the ankle and an icy outsole. Aside from these pictures, there are no other details about the sneaker and when (or if) they will release. So keep checking back with Sneakerfiles for more information as it becomes available. Don’t forget to let us know what you think of this potential release – you copping if they do?
With the Charlotte Bobcats mired in a two-game losing streak and with an Eastern Conference playoff spot not quite yet sewn up, the team needed a big performance from center Al Jefferson on Saturday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.
If the big man needed some inspiration, he needed look no further than the first row. Bobcats owner Michael Jordan sat next to the team bench during the game, and he knows a thing or two about coming up big in important games.
Following Charlotte's resounding 124-94 win over the Blazers, Jefferson credited Jordan for providing an extra jolt of motivation, per the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell:
Jefferson certainly came to play for the boss on Saturday, scoring a game-high 28 points (on 13-of-22 shooting from the field), grabbing seven rebounds and dishing a shocking six assists.
But the man known as "Big Al" did not win this game by himself. Guards Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson also dominated their Portland counterparts:
Walker: 26 points, six assists, two rebounds, zero turnovers.
Henderson: 23 points, five assists, eight rebounds.
Now that is a real team effort.
As for Jordan, the once absentee owner has been making his presence known of late. He stopped by the Bobcats' locker room for a pep talk before a March 7 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. At the time, it was not considered a common occurrence, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer and Jodie Valade:
It would appear that Jordan really, really wants this playoff appearance. And he is a man who usually gets what he wants.
Well, don't fret, Your Airness. As of Saturday afternoon, the Bobcats had a 98.8 percent chance of making the postseason, per Basketball-Reference. Those are strong odds, and they will only go up after this victory.
Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan's famous sneakers might be in its last year in the market following rumours that the Nike subsidiary will discontinue the sales of its products in 2015.
According to Nia Noelle of Power 107.5, Jordan is contemplating to end his association with Nike over quality issues. The six-time NBA champion and the man known as the greatest basketball player of all time has reportedly not been happy about the quality of his Jordan Brand in the last few years, giving him reasons to think about cutting off partnership with the company.
"Say it aint so!!!! Rumour has it that Michael Jordan will discontinue all sales of his Jordan brand shoes in 2015! Word is Jordan has been getting complaints about the quality of the shoes being put out and has been at odds with the company.
In an interview on the Blade Brown Show, Jordan stressed his concern about the quality of his Jordan shoes and the looming end of one of Nike's most marketable sister company.
"I didn't enter the shoe game to sell anything but the best when it comes to the quality of an athletic shoe and for the past few years I haven't been happy, I refuse to continue any longer. Jordan will be done as a brand starting 2015, will I have another clothing venture?, who can predict the future? I just want to take the free time to enjoy my new wife and twins," Jordan said during the interview.
The Jordan Brand has just celebrated its 30 anniversary since the launching of the very first sneaker manufactured by Nike for the Bulls superstar. Throughout the years, Jordan has garnered millions of dollars and still earned bigger money than any active NBA players because of the popularity of his sneakers.
In fact, Jordan reportedly earned a whooping $90 million in 2013, and a part of his wealth is coming from the sales of his Jordan shoes.
"Jordan made an estimated $90 million last year thanks to the rich partnership he enjoys with Nike. His 2013 earnings eclipsed those of all other retired or current athletes save boxer Floyd Mayweather," Forbes reported.
"It marked Jordan's biggest earnings year yet in a career paved with monster paydays, which peaked in Jordan's last season with the Bulls (1997-98) at $80 million."
Whether Jordan Brand's upcoming end is true or just plain rumour, there's no doubt that Jordan has preserved his status as the most marketable athlete of all time. His gravity-defying and explosive performance on the court has transitioned well to the world of business, where he continues to keep cashing on his popularity.
Malfunctioning Air Jordan sneakers now come with a personal apology from His Airness himself.
Of course, you will need to be Tony Wroten of the Philadelphia 76ers, and you will have had to have lost the sole of your shoe in an actual NBA game.
According to The Delaware News Journal's Jason Wolf (h/t ESPN), Michael Jordan was one of many people who saw Wroten's shoe come apart in the Sixers' loss to the Pacers on Friday, March 14.
CHRIS O'MEARA/Associated Press
That's when he decided to make a phone call to the young shooting guard. According to Wolf's report, Wroten offered, "But things happen. I got an apology from Jordan. Yeah. ... He called my agent."
For the uninitiated, in the fourth quarter of what would end up being Philadelphia's 19th straight loss, Wroten lost the sole of his Nike Air Jordan 10, needing to leave the game to remedy the problem.
You can see it all unfold (read: fall apart) in the video below:
Wroten states in his brief mention of the mishap, via Wolf, "It was more embarrassing than anything." However, you would think it's far more startling for Nike to have a shoe come undone like that in such a highly-visible manner.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
In situations like this, it's best to own up and move on—and to his credit, that's exactly what the man behind the Jumpman logo did. Jordan didn't make the shoe, but he lends his likeness, name and personal brand to the sneaker, so I applaud him for what was a small but admirable gesture.
As Wolf reports, shoes ripping apart in-game is becoming fairly commonplace: "It was the third time in about two weeks an NBA player's Nike shoes fell apart during a game, after Manu Ginobili and Andrew Bogut also experienced issues with their kicks."
In case you're interested, here's Ginobili and his magically exploding shoe:
For Wroten and the Sixers, a failed shoe is just a sign of the times, because the team—with its 102-94 loss to the Bulls on Wednesday—has now dropped 22 games in a row.
So perhaps trips to the locker room, even to get a new pair of kicks, are a good thing.
I would like to think the sneaker gods have been sated, and their need for shoe sacrifices have come to an end. Still, players may want to double-check their sneakers when they lace up for the time being
Tony Wroten pivoted and spun away from the baseline toward the lane -- and lost the sole of his shoe.
For his experience, the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard says he received an apology fromMichael Jordan, whose Nike Air Jordan 10 sneaker split apart last Friday in the loss against Indiana.
"It was more embarrassing than anything," Wroten said Wednesday, according to the Delaware News Journal. "But things happen. I got an apology from Jordan. Yeah. ... He called my agent."
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty ImagesTony Wroten wore a red pair of Air Jordans for Wednesday night's loss to the Bulls at Philadelphia.
On the play, Wroten, 20, drove the left baseline and in his wake left the sole of his white Air Jordan as he pivoted to spin to his right.
Play was briefly stopped, and Wroten ran to the locker room and retrieved a black pair.
It was the third time in less than a month that an NBA player's shoe broke apart midgame. According to The News Journal's report, Manu Ginobili's andAndrew Bogut's hightops were also Nikes.
The loss to the Pacers was the 76ers' 19th in a row, a streak they extended Wednesday against the Chicago Bullswith their 22nd straight loss -- four shy of the NBA record for the longest single-season losing streak. Philadelphia looks to halt the streak Friday night at home against the New York Knicks.
But news of Jordan's apology hasn't been the only highlight during an otherwise miserable season for Wroten, who after Wednesday night was averaging 13.5 points in 24.5 minutes per game in his first full season, which includes 15 starts in 61 games.
"Everybody loves starting. It's just a different feel," Wroten said, according to The News Journal. "Personally, speaking for myself, I like starting better than coming off the bench. I feel like I play better that way. But with me, it's just a position that I'm at the 2.
"It's not like when I get the rebound I just pass it to Mike."
Michael Carter-Williams, that is, although Wroten and the 76ers likely wouldn't turn away "His Airness" -- or, even now, his shoes.
Rarely do you see the face of any franchise assuming customer service duties but Michael Jordan seems to have done just that in the wake of a shoe malfunction bearing his iconic name and silhouette.
Last Friday, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tony Wroten lost the sole of his right 'Air Jordan 10's' in freakish fashion during the fourth quarter. While trying to drive on the Indiana Pacers' Evan Turner, Wroten's shoe seemingly exploded. Wroten had to head to the locker room and later told the Delaware News Journal "it was more embarrassing than anything."
But the footwear fallout led to a personal apology from "His Airness" himself. For a player like Wroten who prides himself on having some of the best kicks in the game, this seems like an ideal turn of events. Wroten shared the silver lining with the News Journal, "I got an apology from Jordan. Yeah. … He called my agent."
Uninvited entertainment
You don't see fans running onto the ice very often during hockey games. After all, scaling the boards can't be easy and there's no real exit strategy. But those drawbacks didn't stop one man at the Air Canada Centre Wednesday, who managed to hop the boards during the Toronto Maple Leafs-Tampa Bay Lightning game andparade across the ice during a timeout. He decided to slide across the faceoff circle for good measure before being hauled off by security.
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"He called my agent," the paper quoted Wroten as saying. The quote was republished by a host of media outlets, including ESPN.com.
Wroten's agent, Greg Lawrence, told ESPN.com on Friday that his client was misquoted.
"Tony told me that the media asked him if he thought Jordan would apologize and he answered, 'He can call my agent,'" Lawrence told ESPN.com.
Jordan spokesperson Estee Portnoy also denied that Jordan called Wroten's agent.
Lawrence also said Wroten is not a Jordan endorser but does get compensated by Nike.
Wroten's sneaker split apart during Philadelphia's March 14 loss to Indiana. Play was briefly stopped, and Wroten ran to the locker room to retrieve another pair.
Wroten, 20, is a bright spot on the 76ers' roster, averaging 13.5 points per game.
Philadelphia is 15-53 and has lost 22 in a row heading into Friday night's game against theNew York Knicks. The record for consecutive losses in a season belongs to the 2010-11Cleveland Cavaliers, who lost 26 straight games.
Michael Jordan won six titles as a player under Phil Jackson, but has struggled as an executive.
Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images
There are any number of topics on which we could all benefit from the wisdom of Michael Jordan -- the best brandy to pair with a fine cigar, perhaps, or how to read the greens on the top golf courses in Dubai. But turning to Jordan, the Charlotte Bobcats' owner, for guidance on building a successful NBA team would be a little bit like looking at his cleanly shaven head and asking for hair-grooming tips. With all due respect to His Airness, it hasn't exactly proved to be his area of expertise.
That's why it was hard not to raise an eyebrow upon reading that Jordan not only believes his old coach, new Knicks president Phil Jackson, will make an excellent first-time executive, but that he is also more than willing to help Jackson learn the front-office ropes.
"Phil is great," Jordan told ESPN.com. "He's very smart. He'll figure out pretty quickly what needs to get done, and he'll have plenty of guys in the league willing to help him, myself included."
A vote of confidence from Jordan is nice and all, but in order to know whether Jackson will be a successful team executive, Jordan would first have to know how to be a successful team executive, and his previous front-office work with the Wizards and current stint with the Bobcats provide little evidence that he does. He's made a couple of apparently smart hires recently in general manager Rich Cho and coach Steve Clifford, but their job is to sift through the rubble of rocky moves Jordan has made since he took over basketball operations in 2006. (He became majority owner in 2010.) It was under Jordan's watch that the Bobcats went 7-59 two years ago, the worst winning percentage (.106) in NBA history.
The Bobcats appear to be a lock to make the playoffs this season for the second time in his tenure, but that's partly because a sizable portion of the Eastern Conference decided to take a sabbatical. Squeezing in as the No. 7 seed, where they will probably do nothing more than give the Heat or Pacers a light workout in the first round, does not constitute the fulfilling of Jordan's plan, assuming he has one.
SI Now: Zen alone can't fix the Knicks
Source: SI
On Tuesday's SI Now, Sports Illustrated senior writer Chris Mannix gives his takeaways from Phil Jackson's press conference including criticizing Jackson's comment about building through free agency and believes Melo has more incentive to return.
Then there's his disastrous tenure in Washington, where he drafted Kwame Brown No. 1 overall in 2001 and traded Rip Hamilton to the Pistons -- who, with the help of the up-and-coming shooting guard, would go on a long run of success that included a championship -- for Jerry Stackhouse, who struggled in two seasons with Washington. The hiring of Cho and Clifford might indicate that Jordan is finally getting the hang of this, but it's the equivalent of having a couple of 20-point games after years of being a bust.
In fairness, Jordan isn't under the illusion that he's been a front-office maestro. "None of us will be willing to give up great players or draft picks to [help Jackson]," he said. "That's the part of the job all of us have found pretty difficult, me included." Maybe the best advice he can offer Jackson is to look at most of what Jordan has done and do the opposite. Don't be an absentee boss. Don't hire buddies and yes-men as advisers. Understand that talent evaluation is a painstaking, time-consuming process, and a completely different skill than the one that made you famous.
Only time will tell whether Jackson gets all of that. Though his responses to questions on Tuesday about how much he will be in New York with the team were somewhat vague, it's clear that he will still spend a significant portion of time in Southern California, both for medical and family reasons. But Knicks fans can only hope that he won't feel the need to accept Jordan's offer of "help."
Maybe His Airness has a hidden agenda. He always had a way of tormenting the Knicks as a player, dashing Patrick Ewing's championship aspirations and saving some of his greatest performances for Madison Square Garden. Maybe MJ's plan is to lead Jackson down the same path of unwise decision-making that he himself followed, thereby sticking it to the Knicks one more time. If Jackson is smart, he won't accept any help from Jordan other than a box of expensive stogies. In Jordan's case, those who can't do, shouldn't teach.
