Pictured: Jordan I High '85 "Natural Grey"

Trophy Room x Jordan I High
Expected Release Date: February 10, 2021

Jordan I High ‘85 “Natural Grey”
Expected Release Date: February 10, 2021

CLOT x Air Jordan XIV Low
Expected Release Date: February 11, 2021

Nike Air Force 1 B “3M Snake”
Expected Release Date: February 11, 2021

Nike Dunk Low “Hyper Cobalt”
Expected Release Date: February 11, 2021

adidas T-Mac 2 “All-Star”
Expected Release Date: February 12, 2021

Jordan VI “Carmine”
Expected Release Date: February 13, 2021

While we strive to provide the most updated information at the time of publishing, unless confirmed by the sneaker companies themselves, all release dates are subject to change.

Pictured: J.Cole recreating the cover from "2014 Forest Hills Drive" to promote his newest signature shoe, Puma Dreamer 2 "January 28".

Revenge of the Dreamers:

Back on January 28, Puma released its latest collaboration with J. Cole, the Dreamer 2. Its debut black and yellow colorway is dubbed the “January 28th,” paying homage to both Cole’s birthday and the popular track from his album 2014 Forest Hills Drive. It's a mid-cut performance basketball shoe designed (and marketed) to be worn on and off the court, and has been featured on the feet of Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma and other Puma athletes in recent weeks. It sold out quickly on Puma’s website on release day, but scant pairs can still be had at select retailers as of this writing. Puma’s big bet on aligning itself with the rap community and its continued emphasis on lifestyle products seems to be paying off, with J. Cole being one of the brand’s biggest stars.

LeBron SNKRS Upset: LeBron X “Ring Ceremony”

In one of the cooler initiatives from Nike’s SNKRS App, sneaker fans were given the opportunity to vote on an upcoming LeBron release. In a bracket-style setup, fans chose between rare LeBron PE’s throughout the years, including the Stewie Griffin-inspired LeBron VI “Cartoon,” Knicks-clad “Hardwood Classics” LeBron VII and the purple suede Air Zoom Generation. In a bit of a surprise, the winner was the “Ring Ceremony” LeBron Xs. Designed to commemorate LeBron’s first championship with the Miami Heat back in the 2011-12 season, this winning pair should go into production later this year.

Is 2021 the Year for Foamposites?

In recent years, it’s become apparent just how much sneaker culture influences global high fashion. With people like Virgil Abloh and Kim Jones, notable Air Jordan aficionados, holding down prominent posts at luxury fashion houses, it’s never been more evident. But in an interesting twist, the big sneaker influence in the early part of 2021 hasn’t been Air Jordans or Dunks, but the polarizing Nike Air Foamposite. Just in the last few weeks, the Foamposite silhouette–maligned or iconic depending on who you talk to–has served as inspiration for a new Abloh-designed Louis Vuitton sneaker, and appears to be the next shoe to score a coveted Comme des Garcons collaboration. Hate it or love it, it appears as though the Foamposite could be in for a big 2021.

Pictured: P.J. Tucker's new Player Exclusive Kobe VI (left) next to the unreleased Nike Air Yeezy II "Cheetah", which inspired the Tucker's PE colorway.

The league’s resident Sneaker King, P.J. Tucker, will be a mainstay in this column for obvious reasons. He has one of the most eclectic, insanely rare collections of kicks known to man. Last week, he broke out his newest Kobe VI PE for this season. The purple pair is inspired by the Nike Air Yeezy II “Cheetah,” a never-released sample colorway, which was reportedly inspired by Kobe Bryant and his Kobe VII “Christmas” colorway.

January 26 was a sad day not just around the league, but around the world, as fans mourned the one-year anniversary of the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. Bryant was honored on court by his NBA brethren with a slew of sneakers paying homage to his legendary life and career.

Last season, the Kobe V was arguably the most popular shoe in the league. Early returns in 2021 indicate that the Kobe VI might take that honor this season. Following the success of the “Grinch” colorway’s release at the end of 2020, the league has been inundated with new and exciting PEs from everyone, but the best one so far might be this retro San Antonio Spurs “Fiesta” colorway from DeMar DeRozan. Great kicks to go with one of the best color palettes in NBA history.

1991 NBA All-Star Game (February 10, 1991):

The All-Star Game and its accompanying weekend of festivities has long served as a runway for the newest and craziest sneakers of the season. In many ways, that tradition of making the All-Star Game an all-important date on the sneaker release calendar was birthed by none other than Michael Jordan. For years, Jordan made the weekend his personal sneaker showcase, debuting the predominantly black colorway of his newest sneaker in Sunday’s game. From certified classics like the [“Black/Cement” III][(https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/air-jordan-3-history) and “Black/Red” IV, to sneakerhead favorites like the “Bordeaux” VII and “Aqua” VIIIs, All-Star Weekend was always Air Jordan time.

At the 1991 game, Jordan continued his string of debuts by breaking out the “Black/Infrared” Jordan VI for the first time in Charlotte. Jordan, starting in his seventh All-Star Game, scored 26 points in a 116-114 East victory, but it was his buddy and teammate Charles Barkley who took home the MVP trophy, scoring 17 points and adding 22 rebounds. The VI would go on to accompany Jordan on the way to his first NBA Championship a few months later, solidifying itself as one of the greatest Air Jordans of all time in the process. 30 years later and it's still making waves.