For the United States, yesterday marked the official end to a jam-packed summer in the sneaker world, and we undoubtedly witnessed a plethora of intriguing stories throughout the past three months. From the ‘remaster’ announcement to Drake’s numerous debuts of Jordan exclusives, check out the eight sneaker stories that dominated Summer 2014.
Kevin Durant Signs New Contract with Nike
Kevin Durant‘s contract situation had everyone fidgety and impatient for at least the duration of a month. The former UT Longhorn was courted by Under Armour to the tune of $350 million after his contract with Nike expired earlier this year. Durant eventually agreed to new terms with Nike, but the sneaker sports world was ablaze and engaged in every happening of this circumstance.
King James Unveils LeBron 12 from NIKE Headquarters
King James dominated the very tail end of the season by officially unveiling his 12th signature shoe, the Nike LeBron 12, at the NIKE Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon during the last full week of summer. The launch event marked the first time the brand held a huge media summit for one of James’ shoes since the Nike LeBron 8 in 2011.
Jordan Brand to Remaster Retro Line in 2015
Jordan Brand proved that it hears the cries of its consumers about quality – or lack thereof – in regards to the retros released, so this summer the brand stated that it would create a remastered retro line in 2015 to many people’s excitement. As part of its 30th anniversary, Jordan Brand stated that it will focus on the quality, materials, shape, and detailing of various models, such as the Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 7, and Air Jordan 10.
Jordan Brand Releases Air Jordan XX9
After officially debuting the Air Jordan XX9 in the spring and selecting Russell Westbrook to be the first to wear it on the court, Jordan Brand chose the last month of the summer to unleash the XX9 to the masses.
Drake Shares A Look at his Air Jordan PEs
Signing a shoe deal with Jordan Brand obviously has its perks. After agreeing to terms with the brand in the winter of 2013, Drake debuted a barrage of sneakers exclusive to him this past summer. There were Air Jordan 3s for the Drake vs. Lil Wayne tour; Air Jordan 3s spotted on his feet in a Nicki Minaj video; Air Jordan 3s debuted at his annual OVO Fest and more.
Roger Federer Debuts NikeCourt Zoom Vapor AJ3 by Jordan
Roger Federer broke out the first-ever Air Jordan-inspired tennis shoe on the court at the US Open with Michael Jordan, one of his childhood idols, on hand. The NikeCourt Zoom Vapor, inspired by the iconic Air Jordan 3, featured the ever-so-popular white/cement scheme.
adidas Launches Crazylight Boost Basketball Shoe
This summer, adidas not only debuted the CrazyLight Boost but released it as well. At the end of July, adidas precisely launched its most anticipated basketball shoe to date in Las Vegas – with Damian Lillard and Derrick Rose on hand – before officially releasing the shoe on September 1.
Jordan Brand Stops Production on the Air Jordan 3
At an official event during the month of August, Jordan Brand shocked the world and crushed spirits at the same time by announcing that it will stop production on the Air Jordan 3 model for the foreseeable future. Specifically, the brand’s Vice President of Footwear David Schechter stated that the silhouette would remain locked away for an unknown period of time.
