As we step into the second half of August, the world of footwear shows no signs of slowing down. This week holds a wide swath of drops from signature basketball shoes for rappers to revivals of early ’00s and mid ’90s classics, but before we give you the rundown on the best kicks of the week let’s take a brief look back at last week’s goings-on.
After Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing in January, basketball fans and sneaker lovers alike were left wondering if/how Nike would continue to roll out his signature footwear line. Those questions were answered in resounding fashion with the announcement of Mamba Week, an extensive celebration of Kobe centered around five special Kobe 5 Protros. Michael Jordan, the man Kobe drew so much inspiration from, had a moment of his own — even if he wasn’t directly connected to it. Christie’s and Stadium Goods teamed up for a “Game Worn” auction of MJ’s game-worn shoes that netted a whopping $931,875 USD, with the Air Jordan 1 High from the infamous “Shattered Backboard” game selling for $615,000 USD alone.