“Thanks for the shoes. They really work.” – Vince Carter
The quote featured above is a note Vince Carter supposedly faxed to Nike after the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, Australia. After involving 7’2″ French center Frederic Weis in the “le dunk de la mort” (the dunk of death), who wouldn’t think it was the shoes? The 6’6″ Vince Carter, wearing the Nike Shox BB4, drove to the basket, took flight, and dunked over on Weis in what may be the most memorable Olympic basketball moment ever. The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal that year; however, the “le dunk de la mort” may be more unforgettable than the actual gold medal to many. If you recall, Nike re-released the Shox BB4, a shoe that incorporated Nike’s Shox technology (16 years in the making at the time), in its original colorway at select spots during the summer of 2009. Do you vividly remember this day in sneaker history?
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Vince Carter dunks on Frederic Weis
Nike Shox BB4
Vince Carter dunks on Frederic Weis
Vince Carter celebrates after dunk on Frederic Weis
