Welcome to March, where upsets are bountiful, emotions run high and names are etched into the fabric of collegiate lore. But for true sneaker aficionados, those memories are inexplicably linked with the kicks that each team suited up in. From the Reebok Question’s take over of the 2000 Final Four to Mike Bibby and the Arizona Wildcats getting to rock the Foamposites before Penny Hardaway ever got to, March has grown into a platform for the various sneaker tastemakers across the country.
As the pinnacle of college basketball begins, sneaker trading app Tradeblock is celebrating accordingly, kicking off a first-of-its-kind tournament challenge featuring the best sneaker drops from 2020 to 2023. All you’ve got to do is hit a perfect bracket, and $25,000 could be yours.
Instead of your typical geographical regions, Tradeblock has sectioned off all four areas of the bracket based on a sneaker release year. After polling their online community for accurate seeding, a total of 68 different sneaker releases have been pitted against one another. Collaborations run rampant from Travis Scott and Off-White to J. Balvin while Zion Williamson’s “Voodoo” Air Jordan 1 Lows and a duo of Kobe Bryant signatures make for the perfect tournament sleepers.
For us, there was only ever one championship matchup in mind; the Nike Kobe 6 Protro in the “Reverse Grinch” and “Mambacita” colorways. In the end, the “Reverse Grinches” got the nod for their striking clad-red color blocking that’s become just as heralded as the regal purple and gold pairs the Black Mamba became synonymous with.
Inspired by the millions of college basketball hopefuls itching to craft that one perfect bracket every year, a grand prize of $25,000 will be awarded to the individual(s) whose brackets align perfectly with the selections of Tradeblock’s internal committee. And just like March, upsets are inevitable. In the event that no perfect brackets remain, Tradeblock will award $10,000 to the individual(s) who accumulated the most points in their bracket; with one correct matchup prediction equaling one point.
Head over to Tradeblock to fill out your own bracket with a chance to win $25,000 at the end of the tournament. In order to qualify, make sure you’ve got your bracket set before March 31st at 11:59 pm CT.
