Nike’s 2018 NBA All-Star Line Up vs adidas’ All-Star Drops 

KOBE PROTRO X UNDEFEATED
Back in ’06, Kobe Bryant dropped 81 points against Toronto wearing his first signature Nike shoe. The Kobe I Protro revisits that design with the latest performance innovations. For this release, Nike has partnered with Undefeated to reimagine the Protro for the city of LA.

LEBRON X KITH
Chapter two of LeBron James and KITH’s Long Live the King collection is made up of footwear and apparel designed for royalty.

90/10 PACK
Nike considers footwear a canvas for self-expression, so each design of the latest take on Nike icons (including the Special Field Air Force 1 Hi, Air More Money, Vandal Hi Supreme, Air Force 1 Low and Huarache) in this collection is 90-percent completed. The final 10 percent is left to the wearer’s imagination thanks to a white-based canvas upper that allows for customization in a multitude of ways.

AIR FOAMPOSITE ONE XX QS
The Air Foamposite One first dropped in the 90s, but its futuristic look (delivered by pouring a synthetic liquid into a mold) still astounds today. This cosmic colorway of the basketball classic was first seen in 2011 as a sample of the Galaxy iteration but has not been produced until now.

NIKELAB X RT VICTORIOUS MINOTAURS
Fashion designer Riccardo Tisci continues his style-forward streetwear collection with Nike, celebrating on- and off-court basketball style through his mythical squad, The Victorious Minotaurs. The collection’s bold silhouettes include apparel, footwear and accessories.

AIR ZOOM GENERATION
​LeBron James’ debut signature shoe, the Nike Air Zoom Generation, was originally released in 2003. The sneaker’s responsive cushioning, lightweight support and breathability returns in a wheat colorway.

In celebration of the NBA All-Star Game’s return to Los Angeles, Nike is unveiling three signature player edition (PE) shoes inspired by communities in and around the City of Angels. A heat-activated Swoosh that changes colors to reveal iconic Southern California landmarks completes each shoe.

KYRIE 4 ASW 
Taking inspiration from Venice, this shoe features a tie-dye graphic print that captures the culture of the city. The light blue outsole represents the ocean and pink sockliners show a custom graphic of the city and the well-known Venice sign at the corner of Pacific and Windward avenues.

KDX ASW
This Santa Monica-inspired version has a multi-color knitted upper that highlights the array of colors seen during a quintessential sunset on the Santa Monica Pier. The insole contains a custom Santa Monica graphic and a marble-pattern outsole grounds the design.

PG2 ASW
Looking to Paul George’s hometown of Palmdale for design direction, these colors represent the various aspects of the Inland Empire. The gray represents the desert and dust of Palmdale, while the orange is meant to highlight the sunset on the horizon. The pop of green is a nod to the nature around this area. Lastly, the sockliner features a custom graphic of Palmdale, and a grit out and midsole highlight the city’s terrain.

All PEs will be available on nike.com and at select retailers beginning February 15. Check out nike.com/la and SNKRS for more detailed release information.

Analysis and Notes

Interestingly enough not listed here are every version of the Harden Vol. 2 that will be releasing:

adidas Harden Vol. 2 | The Vision, The Ignite & California Dreamin (Official Images)

There are also two pair of unlisted sneakers dropping as adidas is trying to maintain some secrecy. In February the brand is also delivering an “Undyed” pack which appears to be a release timed to match the 90/10 pack from Nike:

Both brands are making every effort to highlight their best products. If I had to choose I would say that Nike is delivering the biggest drops and will dominate the weekend and month as the All Star Weekend drops that aren’t showing up on the list for Nike are by far the best of the entire weekend. The Air Jordan 3 Retro is making an appearance in 4 different iterations and the Gold Toe Air Jordan 1 will also release. Who do you think will win this battle?

Just in case you are leaning towards adidas this is also releasing next weekend… damn