News

Lavarr Ball and herpes have a lot in common. They’re both annoying. They both won’t ever go away (just disappear for a little while) … and they both have a bad habit of popping up when you really don’t want to see them.

We’re exaggerating a little bit. Lavarr isn’t quite as bad as herpes. Sure, we dragged him a few weeks back when it was announced that none of the major shoe companies wanted to sign Lonzo (guess they weren’t going for the $1 billion package deal with LiAngelo and LaMelo that LaVarr wanted), and then we shook our heads in disbelief when he released his own $495 shoe. That was some of the most ridiculous sports-related news of the whole year. But even so, we’ve got to give LaVarr his props. Sure, he’s annoying as all hell .. but he’s managed to keep his sons in or around the headlines for the better part of a year, and shows no signs of slowing down. That’s impressive, if nothing else. read more

Ever since the Nike SNKRS app was first made available as an exclusive, invite-only way to get kicks, the game changed. Sneakerheads all over the world thirsted for an invite, and Nike proved once again that they were ahead of the curve.

Then, the app opened up to all, and it became an easy way to purchase kicks on the go. Now, things are changing up again. Nike recently announced the newest updated to SNKRS, SNKRS Stash. Wondering what it is? It’s pretty much the Pokemon Go of sneakers. read more

When you see a sneaker collab, especially a performance footwear collab, it’s usually a very high-profile thing. A brand links up with an A-list athlete for a heavily marketed, highly technical, “revolutionary” sneaker. It’s a song and dance that we’ve all see before, and as dope as it is, it’s great to see some new things every so often. Thankfully, BrandBlack is bringing us a new thing with their latest collaboration.

They’re not collaborating with a professional athlete (even though they’ve got names like Jamal Crawford on their roster). They’re collaborating with noted shoe review group WearTesters, headed up by Chris Chase … better known to most as Nightwing 2303. read more

It’s a good time to be a Cavs fan. Your team’s doing well in the playoffs and look like they’re primed to repeat. You’ve got the best player in the game (yeah, we said it), an elite point guard, and a strong supporting cast. Your team’s on the up-and-up like usual … and their shoes are selling too.

Forbes.com recently reported that LeBron James and Kyrie Irving’s signature shoes are the #1 and #2-selling signature basketball shoes on the market, and even in a down market for signature sneakers, this is something to be proud of. LeBron’s recent price drop on his shoes (they’re no longer $200) appears to have worked in his favor, and Kyrie’s lightweight, affordable and well-designed shoes are clearly moving just as well as always. read more

Matt Powell’s been writing about sneakers for years.

He works for NPD Group, a company that analyzes trends in retail and sales (Powell handles athletic footwear), and breaks down why things happen the way they do. He just released his report on the first quarter of 2017 in footwear … and it’s interesting to say the least.

Nike had 4 of the 5 best-selling shoe models in the first quarter (the Jordan IV, the Jordan VI, the Jordan XII and the Huarache) but still saw a sales loss in the high single-digits, while adidas only had one model in the top 5 (the classic Superstar), but adidas’s sales grew close to an incredible 85%. You probably weren’t wondering about Under Armor, but in the event you were, their footwear sales declined in the double digits. read more