As the largest sportswear company in the world, Nike has been the prime example when it came to performance basketball sneakers –and that was especially evident in the 1990s.
Using new and outlandish designs, combined with tried and true performance features, Nike was able to create silhouettes that stood the test of time.
Embodying the “larger than life” motto, players such as Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen wore these sneakers and made them their own. The Nike Air More Uptempo was just one example.
Emblazoned with a massive “AIR” on the side inspired by architecture, graffiti, and pop-up art, the Air More Uptempo was made with Air at the forefront as it also provided excellent cushioning with a full-length Air Max bag. These were Scottie Pippen’s weapon of choice when he represented the USA in the Olympics.
The Nike Air Max2 Uptempo is most notable for being worn by the Duke Blue Devils in the mid 90s, and their success continues to this day. Featuring a heel Air unit, lightweight construction (at the time), and lockdown, the Air Max2 Uptempo was a more reserved option for 90s ballers.
Though many college players donned the Air Force Max, the strapped sneaker is best known as the sneaker that Charles Barkley wore during his MVP season with the Phoenix Suns. And although the Suns lost in the NBA Finals against Michael Jordan’s Bulls, this sneaker would forever be synonymous with Barkley.
Lastly, the Nike Shake Ndestruct was made for those players that did the dirty work: defending, rebounding, and setting screens. This is why Dennis Rodman decided to make these his own. Known for its offset lacing system, the Ndestruct also featured an outsole durable enough to handle the rigors of both indoor and outdoor play.
These sneakers may almost be 20 years old, and with the ever-changing sneaker landscape, one thing remains constant: these were sneakers that caught your eye, regardless of where you are. These sneakers were meant to stand out and by all intents and purposes, they succeed 20 years later.
If you wanted to read the full Nike post, you can click here.
What do you think about the sneakers above? Have you ever played in them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Nike
Great designs and colorways being worn by star players made these shoes. Barkley, Pippen, Rodman, and Webber. Extends to the Penny and Glove lines. One of the major disappointments about current signature lines is the colorways. Too dull at times, over the top and far too flamboyant in other cases, or just the wrong combinations in many instances. Sometimes simplicity (black and white with an accent color) is best.
I agree. You can never go wrong with straight up black and white.
just an observation with the triple white air more uptempos. front air max bags from the arch to the forefoot has the old school lines in the middle just like the old days. brings back them feels
the golden era…
no mention of foam/flightposite?
Apparently Nike doesn’t think of them as having the same impact as these 4…
I played in the Air Force Max a lot back when i had the body to actually play a little bit in the league.
Had two pairs of them and both of them are still in use today. I gave one pair to a friend who is more of a collector and the other pair takes a beating every sunday at a refugee basketball project. The only two things that show their age on this shoe are the mesh part of the tongue which is kind of yellow and of course the outsole which looks like the outsole of a Crazy Explosive after one time playing outdoors. Not bad for a shoe from the early 90ties. Nike was more than able to produce high quality performance shoes and i’m waiting for the day when they will do it again…
True that. Sometimes $ gets in the way of quality, which sucks.
why 90s shoes endure today? aside from the sick design, construct, materials and sick colorways, the players that don them are fucking sick.
Amen.
I think it has a lot to do with the fact that those of us who couldn’t afford more than a pair a year/season now have the deadly combination of nostalgia and good paying jobs.
Plus, it didn’t hurt that those shoes look really nice too.