KICKS #9: Your Exclusive First Look
KG, T-Mac, Chauncey, Duncan and Arenas all weigh in…
So here it is, your first look at the cover of Kicks issue 9. A few years ago, we did a cover of KICKS that featured Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady and Tim Duncan together, all talking about their then-new shoes from adidas. Now, we’re taking it to the next level. For the new issue of KICKS (issue number 9, officially on newstands August 22) here’s a first look at the cover…
As far as in the magazine, there’s a lot of cool stuff, from Russ’s exclusive Q&A with Kobe Bryant to my cover story to Sam’s story about spending a day in Queensbridge with Ron Artest. (That’s right: Sam, Ron Ron and Queensbridge.) And of course there’s tons of exclusive shoes and stuff throughout.
And while we’re talking exclusive, this cover is a first glance at the five shoes signature shoes adidas is dropping for each of these guys next season. Here are some quick takes from each guy about his shoe. For tons more (images and text), go cop the magazine…
NAME: Tim Duncan
SHOE: The Stealth
“I’ve started to work out in them and they’re very comfortable. I love the look of them. My favorite ones so far are the ones I wore, the very last ones I wore, because I wore them during the season and I got to play in them. Those were awesome, those were great. I like a little ankle support, so probably a little above mid. That’s about it. I just like to be low on the ground. I like to be close to the ground. It improves my speed. (Smiling) I’m a speed guy…as you know.”
NAME: Gilbert Arenas
SHOE: Gil Zero
“It’s a great, great start. It’s probably one of the best shoes I’ve seen in a while. It’s hard to find a shoe everyone likes, and sometimes I guess you just gotta go simple. You know, one that looks like you could wear it with jeans or play. That’s what I like about it. You know, when I, I just thought about, what would I go buy. For the last six years, that’s why I don’t wear basketball shoes. I just don’t like the way they look. Like, I can’t buy a pair of basketball shoes and put ‘em on and wear ‘em at school and look nice, with some jeans with a little polo shirt. That’s the kind of look I wanted in a basketball shoe. ‘Hey, that looks nice with that jersey! That looks nice with those jeans!’”
NAME: Chauncey Billups
SHOE: C-Billups
“I just wanted, I wanted some ankle support in my shoe, and I like to be able to tie my shoe tight, too, because I wear ankle braces too. So I needed it to be kind of roomy in there, I needed it to be so wide because I wear an orthotic. I like how it came out. My favorite thing about them? That they mines, that they mines, you know what I’m saying? I like ‘em, they light, you know what I’m saying, and they’re mine. They’d come to me and ask about different stuff you like. I wore so many different shoes, and I’d like different things — the backs of some shoes, or whatever, a lot of different things.”
NAME: Tracy McGrady
SHOE: T-Mac 6
“I love my shoe, man. It’s comfortable, it’s clean, it’s light. It’s a nice clean look. Real comfortable and supportive. Having my logo and number on there, that’s enough for me. But they added one of my signatures on there, that’s pretty clean right there. Can I tell a difference playing with the new formotion pods? I can. When I’m playing, I can notice a difference. Like, I never seem to turn my foot inside. It’s like a weird feeling man! This part (the arch) hardly ever touches the ground. So I don’t know man, we’ll see.”
NAME: Kevin Garnett
SHOE: KG Bounce 07
“The soles of the shoes have a South Carolina side and I have a Chicago side, and both those sides are just my way of saying thanks to the people that are on that shoe, the people who have been with me since day one, the people who have been through thick and thin with me. Rocky times, tough times, great times, the highlights, that’s just my way of giving a sense of appreciation to South Carolina and Chicago, because I really feel like without one or the other I wouldn’t be sitting here today. I am the way I am because of the things that I know, things that I’ve learned through those two avenues. I wanted to go for something that was different, because my last shoe I went for something that was more of a track shoe, because the Samoa is one of my favorite shoes and I wanted to sort of imply some of that in there. When it came to this shoe I wanted something different. They threw out the Gucci print — the GGGGG, the KKKKK, it was totally different. I love suede on leather. I love a comfortable shoe. I just don’t think a shoe should be build for basketball. I did that with the KG2 and I really wasn’t happy with just the basketball shoe. I like shoes you can rock with jeans. I like a lifestyle shoe.”
40 Responses to “KICKS #9: Your Exclusive First Look”
Aug.18 at 3:59 pm
M.K. Petrik says:
I am liking that cover. Nice job to the crew who put that together.
Aug.18 at 4:12 pm
jay broder says:
lang- you are G-D! love kicks every year. do not mean to blow you guys but but i am pumped for the kobe Q&A and his shoes better be dope!!!! i am talking in line with a concord or foamposite kind of dope..his shoes have been wack so far and i am a die hard kob fan!
Aug.18 at 4:23 pm
Allen says:
i’m rockin the black and white kobe uptempos. they’re okay for balling, but they look sweet on the street
Aug.18 at 4:29 pm
Nadav says:
Eh, so NBA jerseys are gonna be rocking the Adidas logo? That’s a big no-no. What is this, soccer?
Aug.18 at 5:07 pm
O'Nell says:
I Cant wait. Cant believe this is the 9th ed of kicks. It seems like it was the other day when KG was on the cover of what i like to call “The O.G Nike Bible”
Aug.18 at 5:29 pm
Jake Appleman says:
After hanging out in QB, you guys went to a Met game, right Sam?
Aug.18 at 5:56 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Sadly we did not. But I did see a brawl that was almost as good as the malice at the palace (M.A.P.?) at a Mets-Reds game this year.
Aug.18 at 6:19 pm
idizzle says:
Sweet, all the boys wearing their ADIDAS, and I love Adidas so this might be the best Kicks yet.
Aug.18 at 8:27 pm
pawnograffiti says:
Hey Slam team! In ish 100 in the readers poll there was question about “Which SLAM Era player is most deserving of a cover” and a lot of peeps voted GArenas, you dropped a tidbit about a cover will be coming soon enough! I hope this is not the cover, Cause Gilbertology deserves a cover all to himself, Please don’t let us Arenas fans down by sticking him next to all those “ORDINARY” players like T-Robot, KG, T-MAC, C-Billups cause Gilbert is just way to zany not to have a cover by himself.
Aug.18 at 9:03 pm
Troy Dallas says:
I love those stealths tim duncan is wearing. The silver and black look is definitely looking nice. It kinda reminds me of the feature that was done with Tim “iceman” duncan a while ago. And yea, I think its about time Zero Limit Gilbert got a cover.
Aug.19 at 5:17 am
timmyhero says:
GUYS SO COOL
Aug.19 at 2:10 pm
P2 says:
Does anyone know if the “Kobe 2″ will be the Adidas Kobe 2 retro or the Nike Kobe 2?
Aug.19 at 8:11 pm
Michael NZ says:
Just make sure Kicks #9 gets to New Zealand. Please. Didn’t see the last couple. Nice cover too.
Aug.19 at 11:58 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
It’s the Nike Kobe 2.
Aug.20 at 1:55 am
alan says:
what them new wade’s gonna look like?? can ya’ll send me a link or a picture?? jus send it to my email
Aug.20 at 5:25 pm
Samantha G says:
i love the Tim Duncan’s stealth shoes.
Aug.20 at 6:49 pm
PistonsNation says:
What ever happened to Converse? They used to be the offical joints of the NBA. Magic, Larry, Isiah, Dr. J all rocked ‘em.
Aug.20 at 9:07 pm
Myra says:
I think the C-Billups look better than all them other shoes. They are hard core. I will wear them when im ballin and when im just wearing my basketball shorts and t shirt to rock them.
Aug.20 at 9:32 pm
Damien W. says:
I’m just happy that Billups has his own shoe, it’s about time that an all around PG get some show. Hehehe
Aug.20 at 10:02 pm
richard says:
I like the concept of the magizine but you should list retailers that carry the shoes because sometimes they are impossible to find ie the Pony EKGs from last year.
Aug.20 at 10:35 pm
brian says:
is the answer x in there. i wanna see that shit!
Aug.21 at 12:35 am
Mat says:
The new LeBrons are nice, they’ve been posted on the net already.
Aug.21 at 9:17 am
KJ says:
SLAM: KICKS! Keep up the great work. Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy when it the newstands here in Tampa, FL. Next year in KICKS 10, how about a reader section on their favorite all-time shoes. Mine would be the GH4’s by FILA and worn by Grant Hill. Peace KJ in Tampa
Aug.21 at 11:54 am
Wizfan says:
Whens gilbert gonna get a real cover?
Aug.21 at 9:50 pm
baller numero uno says:
i dont were shoes usually bricks but when i see those new tmacs i always got to get 3 pairs in different colors.
Aug.21 at 11:05 pm
Kenneth Carino says:
Damn.. Adidas got the NBA contract?? they need to go back to Nike!
Aug.25 at 12:17 pm
Gerardo says:
It´s a good cover,maybe the best cover by kicks, period…
Aug.26 at 2:43 pm
David says:
I got nothing but respect for Adidas in all but didn’t Nike dominate the leauge last year. I think the brand should get the cover.
Aug.26 at 7:22 pm
shane says:
yo man were r is the answer x man i wanna see dat
Aug.26 at 11:42 pm
Derick says:
i agree with what David said. Nike should’ve gotten that cover or at least someone who is signed to Nike. Adidas has their new staple which is formation technology, but nike has dominated the leauge with the Huarache series, and the shox as well. Regardless i’ve got nothing but respect for adidas, it seems like there catching on to the new wave of technology. The Answer X’s can be seen at NikeTalk in “other band,” forum. They’ve got pics of the T-macs, the KG’s and the Answer X’s for next season, so I highly reccomend you check it out.All in all nice cover and keep the work coming Slam.
Aug.30 at 8:39 pm
Ziz de L'Antoine says:
holy crap, the wade revolutions are…..hum…..holy crap? The only person whom I can see playing in those is DWADE. Damn, I thought converse was on the right track by moderizing, boy was I wrong!
Aug.31 at 5:49 am
nabeel says:
ew t-mac 6s are ugly compared to the 5’s the 5’s were the BEST
Sep.3 at 2:43 am
lilg says:
yo fo real them c billips is raw ez hell i wanted even hoop in dem and dem gill zeros is ugly es hell they need to take dat red out da back of them and the kevin garnetts are nice
Sep.5 at 12:11 am
Rus says:
counting 4 pages into the recent KICKS magazine (no page number) on the jordan add there are these black jordan shoes that have a greenish blue jumpman logo on the shoe, the shoe looks kind of like a dub zero, anyways what is this shoe? does anyone know?
Sep.13 at 5:49 pm
Sho says:
Dear Slam, 1. Yes, you have the best bball mag out there! 2. I have a problem. I can not find your latest slam-kicks isuue anywhere. Trust me, I have been to EVERY store I know which imports mags from abroad (yes, they all have the Wade cover in stock…) but none of them have Slam-Kicks. I have been in touch with you and have received the web address which supposedly offers the Kicks mag. Unfortunately they don’t seem to offer it.
Would it be possible to send it to my regular subscription address (Of course I would be willing to pay…)? Guys, can you imagine how hard it is not to have it by now? And then seeing the above? It hurts… Now, I will dig my head into “Your Exclusive First look”. Thanks, Sho
Bball & sneakerhead from Cologne, Germany
Oct.28 at 9:56 pm
Jaime wu says:
C. Billup got nothing to show, and he have own ugly adidas shoes. Go for Nike jordan, son.
Jan.13 at 6:03 pm
victor jusino says:
did Billups ever go to college?! “they mines, they mines”.
Feb.7 at 12:36 am
Kyle Carter says:
The C-Billups are the nicest shoes in the WORLD!! I will buy two pairs of them so I can wear them on the street and on the court. The Gil Zer0s look HORRIBLE!! They are so low and they are so UGLY. Chauncey Billups has gone to college. (Colorado)
GO PISTONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Feb.15 at 2:21 pm
Monty says:
I want to order the Slam Magazines today online. How can i acheive that. I need to be up dated on my basketball news
May.12 at 10:43 pm
Ryan says:
I just bought some Duncan Stealths, I am a Mavs fan so its sort of weird wearing your arch enemies shoes but they are very comfortable and they breathe very well.