Here’s one from left field. When you think of Adidas & their range of signature series basketball shoes, you would be forgiven for automatically thinking; Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Kevin Garnett... Bigsneakz Australia thought it was time to introduce you to something rarely heard of Down Under... A basketball shoe for chicks with serious game! The ADIDAS TS ACE COMMANDER – designed for and in conjunction with Candace Parker of the L.A. Sparks WNBA team.
The TS Ace Commander is Parker’s first signature shoe, so the team at Adidas worked closely with her to ensure each element of the shoe design represented her personality and in game requirements.
The white/purple/gold colour way is obviously reppin’ the Sparks team colours. These sweet pair of sneakz incorporates Adidas’ CLIMACOOL technology, allowing the foot to breathe easier during the game. A new style internal/external mid strap provides extra foot support so you can cross your opponent over & adiPRENE insert aids forefoot propulsion and efficiency, leaving your defender in a dust cloud like Wile. E Coyote screaming ‘HELP!’
As we hinted at above, women’s basketball shoes are almost unheard of, particularly here in Australia. What’s even more impressive, and high five’s all round to the team at Adidas, is that they have designed a women’s basketball shoe that will actually appeal to women. The look great, they colours work, THEY”RE LIGHT WEIGHT (approx 370 grams) and are simply awesome!
Check ‘em out!
A Little Bit About Candace Parker...
Candace Parker is in her third season in the WNBA with the L.A. Sparks. In 2008 she was the first ever player to be named Rookie of the Year & MVP in the same season. (Her first ever WNBA game, Candace recorded 34 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists). Parker was also part of the 2008 USA Olympic Gold Medal Team. This season, Parker is currently averaging 20.6ppg, 10.1rpg & 2.2apg.
The Washington Wizards may have selected John Wall with the first pick in the 2010 NBA Draft but Reebok beat them to the punch when it came to inking his signature on a lucrative contract. That’s right, Reebok have subbed themselves back into the game and like the Wizards, are counting on Wall to bring them back to prominence.
This pair of sneakz won’t hit stores until the latter part of 2010 and whilst there is little real information about the Zig Slash it’s obviously incorporating the ZigTech Reebok have been using on their recent model trainers. We also know it’s a patent leather body, in a hi-top and that John Wall lived up to all the hype throughout the NBA Summer League in Vegas!
Bigsneakz will keep you posted as more information comes to hand. But for now, you’ll have to take Reebok’s word for it... The Legacy Starts Here!
In other news, special shout out to Boomer, Patty MIlls for his performances over the course of the Vegas Summer League. He's sure to ink up soon with Portland and get some handy burn this season.
Here’s a shoe for all our hoopin’ ladies out there. Not simply because this shoe is named & targeted for netballers but because at BASKETBALL stadiums all over the country the girls just seem to be loving these shoes. You have to give the team at Asics credit; they’ve well & truly cornered the market with their Netburner Series of shoes. From tiny tots to tall timbers, court sports chicks are dominating in Asics.
One of the latest models – the Gel Netburner Pro 6 – is marketed as an ‘Elite Netball Shoe.’ It looks & feels like a running shoe, and performs like you could only wish a court sport shoe would. Without neglecting their niche market, Asics could be forgiven in rethinking its marketing to involve a broader target audience… Then again, everyone seems to know about these anyway!
Featuring all the ASICS technology that has given the netburner series its rise to fame, the big tick of approval from mums & dads across Australia is that it’s ‘Sports Medicine Australia Recommended.’ What's great is that the kids won't be seen complaining about the choice.
Unlike the modern day basketball shoe, Asics haven't released the Pro 6 multiple bright & bold colour ways, but they do offer a very neutral white/navy/lilac in the Pro 6 shoe.
Slightly more expensive than the rest of the ASICS range but cheaper than the basketball alternatives. RRP AU$190.00 and available in sizes 6-12.
Looking for something more entry level? Try the Asics Academy at AU$150.00. It'll get you moving, includes numerous Asics features and won't bust your bank!
It would be fair to say that here at bigsneakz australia, we love talking about cool sets of sneakz. Whether they are a new release, special edition or the old favourites – we love ‘em & since you’re here, we figure you do too...
This week bigsneakz australia stumbled upon someone who definitely shares a passion for his favourite footwear. And since we’re all about sharing the love, we’d like to introduce you to, Daymon Greulich.
Daymon is a freelance artist/designer based in Melbourne, Australia who specialises in poster design & illustration. He’s pretty good, so he got a job with Disney Toon Studio where he worked for over 2 years on some of their big productions. Daymon has also created some of the best gig posters for musicians such as; Jack Johnson, Kings of Leon, Jet, Queens of the Stone Age and Pearl Jam to name a few, with custom requests coming from all over the globe.
But it’s the work Daymon does in his down time that caught our eye here at bigsneakz australia - creating genius through passion - with the result being, sneaker art. All the big name players over the years get a run; Pumps, Air Jordan’s, Superstars, Air Max, Allstars,Dunk’s... Even the old New Balance 574’s feature in some of his work. Clearly, Daymon knows a good pair of sneakz when he sees them and spares no time in the detail when recreating them!
His website, features an online store where you can order prints of selected work. Prints are all reasonably priced and are a perfect gift idea or as we did here at bigsneakz australia, treated ourselves to something new! There is also a contact link should you wish to discuss a personalised creative design with Daymon himself.
Sneakers are a passion, that's why we say 'listen to your sole people.'
Do you have a collection or perhaps a pair of go-to's for a big night or hot date? What's your favourite set of sneakz & why? Share your story with all of us here at bigsneakz australia.
Don't forget to lace up with the bigsneakz facebook page & follow us on twitter.
Ok, so we’ve got our feet set – now just get us the ball…
The bigsneakz australia juggernaut left the station barely 12 hours ago & the response provided by the public has been fit for a king (King James that is!) So while we’re hot, we’ll just keep lettin ‘em fly.
You could be excused for not noticing the side order of NBA Finals recently – basketball fans worldwide were too busy feasting on the main course which is undoubtedly ‘Free Agency 2010.’ Columnists and NBA experts have had July 1, 2010 circled on their calendars for the last 18 months, with a big question mark next to ‘What will LeBron do?”
Thankfully, we’re a little under a week away from gaining perhaps a slightly better understanding of what exactly is going through LBJ’s head. Of course it’s about winning… Isn’t it? It has to be. Wherever James signs it’s going to be for the maximum salary, so it has to come down to winning & where is he most likely to get his hands around the Larry O'Brien Trophy... Isn't it?
One thing is for sure, regardless of what team James is reppin’ it’s almost a certainty the Nike Air Max LeBron VII already comes in the correct colour way. Over the course of the 2009-2010 NBA Season, James has rocked no less than 12 editions of the VII’s. Nike won’t even need to consider producing the VIII’s until at least All-Star Weekend 2011. (But if we must, we suppose we can lace the VIII's up sooner!)
Whilst the Kobe V’s are dominating the guard market, it’s pretty safe to say the forwards are getting’ it done with power in LeBron VII’s. And like LeBron himself, this signature shoe just keeps getting better & stronger & lighter & more advanced & well… just better!
Credit to the design team at Nike, they keep forging ahead with new concepts & improvements so it’s no surprise they are on top of the shoe world right now. The LeBron VII introduces basketball specific technology via Nike Max 360 air sole – a cushioning first for Nike, designed for multidirectional use, providing up to 80% more air than any previous full length performance basketball shoe. Improved Flywire Technology makes the shoe lighter & stronger, making continual developments from when it was originally introduced in the Hyperdunks.
It’s our rookie entry here at bigsneakz, so we’re drawing on some experience from a combo that knows how to get it done in big game situations. Nike & the Black Mamba have teamed up once again and their latest instalment has come up bigger than a seven game finals series!
The Zoom Kobe V is quite possibly the lightest performance basketball shoe ever to hit the market. An upgraded design from the not so old Kobe IV, the Zoom Kobe V’s are more of a traditional ‘low top’ giving it more of a guard focussed appeal (It is Kobe afterall). Dual Zoom Air means that the shoe features Zoom Bags in both the heel & forefoot, aimed at providing extra cushioning throughout. Nike are pumping the next-generation Flywire Technology for enhanced durability & better fit. This ultimately is a huge factor behind the shoe being so light (approx. 300 grams) and we can expect it to continue being a major feature on all their signature shoes for the next 12 months.
There’s your usual improvements as you would expect with any upgraded version; the outsole pattern is designed for additional traction – a must for the agile baller, the sculpted midsole for an overall better fit. But what really caught our attention was the moulded heel, inspired believe it or not from soccer – yes that other sport that forks out ridiculous amounts to its stars each & every pay day! The heel is designed to reduce foot movement within the shoe, resulting in better performance & less internal wear.
Did we mention that this shoe is light? (Approx. 300 grams!!)
It almost sounds too good to be true. So much so, we tracked down a pair of Size 15’s and let our resident hoops specialist test run them over a month of training & competition. The verdict – they’re as legitimate as Kobe’s jump shot with less than 2 clicks left on the clock.
The colour scheme displays good variety but there is a strong Lakers theme throughout. A couple of special additions expected to pop up here & there. They are available in Australia and retail for around the AUS $240.00
Bigsneakz congratulates the 2010 NBA Champions – L.A. Lakers. Awesome seven game series against traditional rivals Boston, if only everyone could get rings! Game 7 proved – Defence Wins Championships! Kobe – Finals MVP (Must have been the sneakz) and our main man, Phil Jackson – title #11
