Sneaker, sneakers and mo’ sneakers!
Jordan XX3, CP3’s first shoe and why performance kicks aren’t selling well.
The Last few days of my life just confirmed that there is a future for basketball sneakers. Also solidified my theory on why performance sneakers aren’t selling as well. First let me tell you what happened when I went to Nike HQ and sat down for a very in-depth Jordan Brand history lesson conducted by Prof. Gentry Humphrey (Footwear Business Director, Jordan Brand) and the Mad Scientist Tinker Hatfield (VP Innovation Design& special Projects Nike Inc and the man who pretty much changed the sneaker game forever).
Jan 7th they unveiled the Jordan XX3, this was the 1st time I actually saw the shoe in person and let me tell you, mucho props to the Jordan Brand. The pictures don’t really do ‘em justice (Kicks section SLAM 115 on sale now). I don’t care about what camera the picture is taking with, or who’s the photographer. If you think these shoes are ugly and you haven’t seen ‘em in person you need to go stand outside of the nearest sneaker store and wait for them to be released.
Ok Maybe that’s a lil O.D but before you make your final call you need to hold them in your hand. The Black colorway are the best looking Jordan’s since the 16’s and coincidently that’s the last joint Tinker designed. Not to down play the 17’s, or 19’s but I honestly think this is a better-looking shoe. The Carolina blue and white colorways aren’t too high on my Dope meter but my opinion did go from “yuck” to “oh, these are cool” once I had them in my hand. There will only be 529 pairs of the white and blue colorways sold. 529? 23 stores will only have 23 pairs sold for 23 days, a new store everyday!
The other colorways will be sold at regular rates. Jan 8th, I rolled up a half hour late to Pop Burger in NYC (Burgers were amazing) for an exclusive look at Jordan Brands latest signature shoe. CP3 now his own monument and they aren’t bad at all they are pretty, pretty, pretty good (in my Larry David voice) if you ask me! The silhouette looks like a combo between the Kobe lites and the 22’s. I don’t have any pics to show you but as soon as I have ‘em you will see and judge for yourself. I like ‘em a lot and they are inspired by damn near everything in Chris Paul’s life! It’s very personal.
Now to breakdown my theory.
When a classic anything is made, it isn’t made overnight! It’s very rare that people appreciate art for what its worth at first chance. Music, sneakers, movies, clothing, anything down those lines, critics hated Scarface when it hit theaters in 1983, and look at it now, an American classic! Jay-z couldn’t get a record deal to save his life and now he’s damn near the CEO of hip-hop and deemed as one of the greatest to ever do it!
My point is a classic is what ever the consumer makes it. You can’t force it on to people, the people have to connect with it in a special way and that’s why it won’t be a while for performance sneakers to begin to sell again. We have to wait for the next generation to come up and long for LeBron’s, AI’s or even Gilbert’s shoe the way we did for Jordans. Jordans always didn’t sell out immediately. Back in the days you could get some J’s weeks after they came out. You didn’t have to pre-order them. Back in the day you could get J’s at JC Penny. JC Penny was a bargain department store for crying out loud!
Of course they were the hot item but people weren’t camping outside for ‘em like they do now. People do that now because they couldn’t get them when they came out the 1st time. They remember one of the old heads had ‘em and when they were coming up and when they were through with them you were rocking the hand me downs. And you only got to experience part of what it felt like to rock J’s. Or you could even take me for example I remember the hype everybody put on the shoes but my moms wasn’t going to break her $70 limit. So when I got my own money what’s the 1st thing I did… that’s right you guessed it! Kids these days never even seen Mike play, they don’t know what a double nickel is. They don’t know that Mike won the Slam Dunk Contest in the white/red 3’s. They don’t know the story of mike coming out of retirement and playing at the Garden in the 1st half with his 1’s on (2nd half his feet were killing him). They are living off the hype from us and soon that hype will go away.
One day they will have their own sneaker hero. There’s a sneaker out there that some l’il boys big brother has and his mom wont buy for him and when he gets some paper that’s the 1st thing he has on his list to get. And when they bring ‘em back when he’s in college, that’s when performance shoes will sell again. No other sneaker brand has that connection to the people like that because Jordan is holding down that spot, so until Jordan’s lease is up in the house of dominance. Performance sneakers sales shall perish!
47 Responses to “Sneaker, sneakers and mo’ sneakers!”
Jan.11 at 3:29 pm
white hot eboy says:
Thank you, Konate. I like the line about kids that never saw Mike play. If they only knew….
Jan.11 at 3:31 pm
white hot eboy says:
I read somewhere that the limited release 23’s may go for as much as $2,000 a pair on Ebay, etc. That’s insane.
Jan.11 at 3:43 pm
John D says:
“The Black colorway are the best looking Jordan’s since the 16’s and coincidently that’s the last joint Tinker designed.” Nope, Tinker designed the XX. Also, he didn’t really design the XVI, he started it and then passed it off to Wilson.
Jan.11 at 3:43 pm
TADOne says:
$2 g’s?! F*ck, I need to get my hands on a pair then.
Jan.11 at 3:44 pm
peteb80 says:
Well, they do look ugly in the picture.
Jan.11 at 3:46 pm
Ryan Jones says:
“…and why performance kicks aren’t selling well.”
I’m sure it’s not because they’re generall A) overpriced and B) ugly. Anything but that.
Jan.11 at 3:47 pm
white hot eboy says:
The black ones are ridculously nice.
Jan.11 at 3:49 pm
Myles Brown says:
Meh.
Jan.11 at 3:51 pm
daanswer says:
The black ones will work….definitely….
Jan.11 at 3:54 pm
H to the izzo says:
Nice,but not worth over 100$
Jan.11 at 3:56 pm
BETCATS says:
23 23 23 23 23 23 2323 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 (thats 23 23 time)
Jan.11 at 3:57 pm
white hot eboy says:
Izzo should be sponsored by Starbury.
Jan.11 at 5:30 pm
Ben Collins says:
I figure that this would be a good place to tell everyone that my friend hooked me up with the new Melos in black and red and they feel like caviar on my feet.
A-thankyou.
Jan.11 at 5:34 pm
Ben Collins says:
And Konate, I agree with your theory in, uh, theory. But classic things are either tremendously pretty at first glance or tremendously ugly at first glance (see: the Astros and Padres retro unis). These shoes just look pedestrian-leaning-ugly to me. I’d much rather have those AF1/Jordan combos.
Jan.11 at 5:39 pm
Myles Brown says:
God those are dope.
Jan.11 at 5:47 pm
O says:
Them XX3’s are HOT garbage, man. What is it with these FUNKY designs lately?!?! MAYBE they’d look better in the right color, but these ain’t the ones.
Jan.11 at 5:49 pm
O says:
Just saw the black and red XX3’s and i must say that those are official tissue.
Jan.11 at 6:50 pm
The Cool says:
I don’t care if I held the motherlovers in my hand they still look like straight ass. What the heck is jordan thinking? Maybe it’s a classic and I have to let it grow on me. save me with that crap these shoes are really not that hot. play wit it.
Jan.11 at 6:50 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
yeah the black 23’s are hot.
Jan.11 at 7:27 pm
Slick Nick Da Ruler says:
Classic 23’s, one last hurrah before it’s over.
Jan.11 at 7:34 pm
Big L says:
I like the white ones. Great post Konate; I didn’t get my first Jordans until I was 18 and could buy them myself. No way my mom would drop over $100 for sneakers. Nowadays, kids just don’t know the impact and quality of life rocking Jordans feels like. There just the “hot” sneaker. I think LeBron is onto something though. His line is probably one of the better ones to come out in a long time.
Jan.11 at 8:15 pm
jumpman 2323 says:
everything you guys are saying right now is what everyone said when his first shoes came out. plus this writter has got the dumbest author in slam. someone needs to go back to 4th grade and get edumacated
Jan.11 at 10:07 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
XX3rd.
Jan.11 at 10:37 pm
Konate says:
is that my man Nick Depaula?
Jan.11 at 11:11 pm
blake says:
To the the guy up there, Tinker DID design the XVI- read “Driven From Within”
Jan.12 at 12:12 am
Chris O says:
If LeBron wore his IV’s in the ECF’s last year, that shoe would be classic. It’s classic to me already. XX3 is the first post-XIV Jordan i’m looking at. I’m very disappointed that this isn’t the last one.
Jan.12 at 11:29 am
OSD says:
While I appreciate Konate’s opinion on the XX3, if you’ve been a sneakerhead for more than 20-years, I look at the 23 as a disappointment to nth-degree. While I can appreciate the cues pulled from MJ, those of us that have seen every Air Jordan
released by Jordan Brand, I shake my head and wonder what TH and others were thinking. I know I’m being tough, but I’ve come to expect alot from TH and Jordan Brand. Will cats buy the XX3? Absolutely, but they will not be a memorable sneaker like their predecessors. Also, with their price tag, who is Jordan and Jordan Brand catering too? It’s no longer the kid that wants to be like Mike and mow lawns,
hold a part-time job bagging groceries or delivering newspapers. The wrong message is being transmitted. Enough said. Walk GOOD!
Jan.12 at 1:53 pm
zoomskill says:
the blue colorway looks the best but i still expected more
Jan.12 at 5:51 pm
skillz says:
i dont get it ? they are a limited edition ? but the other colors? they limited too?
Jan.12 at 6:33 pm
J.B says:
c’mon people, now thats a nice shoe.
only if they weren’t 185.
damn you rich people.
Jan.12 at 7:25 pm
hursty says:
regardless of how you all feel, u guys are gonna buy em cos theyre the last shoe that Mikes gonna do. whether theyre stylin or ugly as hell, theyre gonna sell well.
Jan.12 at 7:26 pm
hursty says:
ha, it rhymes.
Jan.12 at 7:50 pm
Mr. Boone says:
Where can i find pics of different color 23s?
Jan.12 at 10:42 pm
Paps says:
Awesome shoes. On a side note, I hate that Lebron wears 23. They should have retired that number like Gretzky.
Jan.12 at 11:57 pm
jordan says:
XX was last one Tinker designed before
XX3.
Jan.13 at 3:00 am
T says:
These are special . They might be the last offcial pair. What better number to end on ? For real though all these MF’s need to lower the price on their merchandise, they could sell more and still have big profits.
Jan.13 at 4:25 pm
rory breaker says:
the lebron 2 low is a future classic. http://nicekicks.com/lebron-james-shoes/nike-zoom-lebron-2-ii/zoom-lebron-2-ii-low-310845-001/
Jan.13 at 5:29 pm
Konate says:
Good point, T. the suits know they should lowere their prices but why? big business is here to captilize on the stupidity of the consumer.
Jan.13 at 10:43 pm
G-Roc says:
The 1st XX3 release is going to be nuts. 23 stores, 23 pairs…yikes!
Jan.14 at 1:45 am
Konate says:
yea man i wonder what sizes they are going to sell?
Jan.14 at 2:20 pm
John D says:
To Blake, I have Driven From Within. I know Tinker started the initial design work, but I don’t really consider it a Tinker shoe because like I said he passed the design off to Wilson. Tinker didn’t do it from start to finish.
Jan.14 at 4:08 pm
Jrizzle says:
sickest shoe ever
Jan.28 at 7:57 pm
Bryan says:
The Hype over the limited and last shoe, the 23’s, don’t match the style/design of “classic Jordan.” For those that are going to pay more than the sicker - u don’t need to rock those to get respect. Keep those classics on your feet.
Feb.1 at 9:44 pm
Yung Fresh says:
They’re classics I got the black n red ones, twenty years from now they will be worth thousands. Man keep ‘em comin you got my support.
Mar.24 at 12:02 pm
LIL A.I says:
Dem go fed.
Apr.4 at 10:24 am
Air Jordan XX3 Review - Fiji says:
Guys - check out my full review of the Jordan XX3 http://kicksnet.com/shoe-reviews-basketball/xxiii-air-jordan-review/ I have some serious issues with comfort - pinky toe ping and also traction slips caused by the low profile outsole in combination with the large graphite arch plate… Not to mention the price. But YES these kicks are on the cutting edge of technology and have all the refinements expected from the dominant leader, Jordan Brand.
Apr.29 at 12:11 am
KJ says:
“Back in the days you could get some J’s weeks after they came out. You didn’t have to pre-order them. Back in the day you could get J’s at JC Penny. JC Penny was a bargain department store for crying out loud!” Classic moment duke! I use to work at Penny’s back back in high school and actually copped both Red/Black and White/Black 12’s for the price of one a day after it was released. Damn I miss those days!!!!!