NBA All-Star Weekend is a time when the league's marquee players and top personalities bask in the spotlight to entertain fans of the sport. For hypebeasts, well, it's something much bigger. It's a season of exclusive and limited edition sneaker releases that come once in a lifetime. Adidas. Jordan. Nike. Every major sneaker maker blesses the retail circuit with a series of collections to help commemorate the annual event.
With New York City serving as the backdrop for this year's game, we've seen a high influx of designer collaborations, retro releases, and signature player shoes-every one worthy of occupying a substantial hunk of your closet. So for the collector types, start staking out the local Footlocker, as well as eBay, and make it your mission to score these ridiculously rare All-Star sneakers.
The Jordan Brand pays tribute to the Statue of Liberty with a special pair of 10s finished with premium leather Cement Grey and Tropical Teal accents, while being crowed with a Gold Jumpman logo on the back heel.
A star is born within Nike's Constellation collection that serves as a fresher take on the shoemaker's most popular sneaker. Incorporating a number of design elements inspired by the Big Apple's embrace of the sport, this exclusive model flaunts a head-turning star texture and diamond pattern, topped with an Air Max bubble in the heel.
This year's leading all-star vote getter and MVP candidate receives a signature shoe worthy of his explosive playing style. Stephen Curry's limited edition one-off dons an atom-laced design with "purple rain" camo upper and galaxy-like Charged midsole that in unison signifies the mysterious energy surrounding Dark Matter in the universe.
A throwback with retro flair, Ewing Athletics rereleases the special edition pair worn by Patrick Ewing during the 1990 All-Star Game. It keeps intact the same aesthetic as the game logo, highlighted by a teal suede clash with a royal and white star-patterned toebox.
For its 30th anniversary, the Jordan brand honors the birthplace of basketball's most iconic figure. A luxe pair of AJ1s adorned in fully black python textured leather with gold embellishments and special heel design featuring gold-plated "MJ23" and "1985" labels-His Airness approves.
Designer Eric Avar shares his own vision of the future Foamposite, one that sees us shinning in a pair draped with a full mirror-built Foam shell.
Despite retiring from the game, Allen Iverson receives some all-star love as his signature shoe tackles a two-tone colorway reminiscent of this year's uniforms. White tumbled leather blended with a textured black mudguard wraps the entire shoe.
This generation's most coveted baller might be sitting out this year's festivities, but Nike made sure his presence was felt during All-Star weekend-campaigning the 10th iteration in the Kobe sneaker line. Up to 10 design elements are found within the soles of the Kobe X, where as its look garners motivation from the ideas shared at the 1964 New York World Fair, which makes it historical by default.
Even if Derrick Rose failed to make the All-Star team, Adidas still saw it coincidentally fit to release the D Rose 5 Boost in celebration of both its 45th Anniversary and what would have been the former MVP's fourth appearance at the game. One can only gaze at some of the incredibly detailing here from the faux snakeskin paneling to the Run DMC-inspired lace jewel. But it's the patented shell toe that gives it soul.
Leather and suede overlays mated with a black, tonal three-dimensional star studs-you would swear this was a Christian Louboutin collaboration. More like Neo from The Matrix, as Nike's futuristically gorgeous hi-tops feature cyptic numerical coding that represents NYC area codes. The Hyper Jade accents and icey Pylon midsole add to its ruggedly swagger.
Leave it to Kanye to crash the party in stylish fashion. The musician's first sneaker collabo apart from Nike surprisingly drops on All-Star weekend and has sneaker fiends yearning to snag one of the limited 3,000 pairs being released. Your best odds right now are by downloading the Adidas Confirmed app.
