NBA All-Star Game 2016: East vs. West Jerseys and Top Player Shoes

The NBA All-Star Game doubles as a fashion show.

Typically, shoes are the big draw. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and other superstars always have special editions of their own lines of kicks, and this year will be no different.

Let’s dive right into the top shoes from the NBA’s top superstars.

Shoes 

LeBron James

Nike

These are…OK.

Green, black and gold screams “money,” not All-Star Weekend. The King’s “LeBron 13” model from Nike will fly off the shelf simply because LBJ’s name is attached to it. But it definitely won’t be the hit of the ASG.

Nike also put out an off-the-court version of the 13s, which is dubbed “LuxBron.” These aren’t made for the hardwood, but they’re much prettier to look at.

Best of all, Kanye West likes them:

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Wow this is pretty cool ... good job NIKE team... Lebron is my brother pic.twitter.com/QrzpkRwWAk

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 9, 2016"

Pablo approved.

Kevin Durant

Nike

Now we’re talking.

Durant’s “KD8” line melds together flags commonly seen throughout Toronto, the game’s host city, per Sneaker Bar Detroit:

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The shoe is inspired by the classic look of flags spotted throughout Toronto that represent the city’s internationalism, brings a fresh graphic twist to the KD8’s Flyweave upper. Removable patches adorn the heel and tongue, and a White and Light Blue marble graphic, which references Toronto’s icy winter weather, decorates the outsole.

"

These are colorful and flashy but not in-your-face. Just like KD is on the court.

Kobe Bryant

Nike

As noted by Kicks on Fire, the All-Star edition of the “Kobe 11s” pays homage to the Northern Lights, which can be seen in Eastern Canada. Like Durant, the Mamba is showing respect to the All-Star host location.

The glowing, snake-like green feels appropriate for Bryant, too.

The final All-Star kicks of his playing career are definite hits. Don’t expect Bryant to stop making shoes at all, though. As long as money keeps rolling in, Nike will keep churning ‘em out.

Dwyane Wade

Li-Ning

Dwyane Wade knows how to party.

His Li-Ning “Way of Wade 4” All-Star shoes are much funkier than any of his fellow players. Sole Collector’s Brandon Richard noted that the design isn’t earth-shattering, but it’s still fun:

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Conceptually, it's nothing new—we've seen all-over iridescent sneakers before. However, it feels special in comparison to previously released colorways of the WoW 4 and will stand out on the court more than anything else we've seen thus far.

"

Wade’s shoes will glimmer and shine in different light angles on the court, which is a claim no other All-Star can make.  

Stephen Curry

Under Armour

Under Armour kept it humble for Stephen Curry’s “Curry 2” All-Star model. It’s sprinkled with gold and has a clean, bright feel to it.

It seems made for royalty.

That’s appropriate for the league’s reigning regular-season MVP, who has led the Golden State Warriors to the best 52-game start in NBA history.

Jerseys

Players control their shoes. The league controls jerseys.

We can all agree that the threads were better back in the day. Check out these throwbacks from Uni Watch:

This year’s look is alright. It’s not bad, by any means, but it isn’t the most festive we’ve seen:

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2016 All-Star Game Jerseys  pic.twitter.com/GFoBLH5R5N

— TheAthleteWorld™ (@TheAthIeteWorld) December 10, 2015"

Notice the Toronto-themed designs on the shorts and backs of the jerseys.

According to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, the league is “moving a step closer to putting advertisements on jerseys.”

The All-Star ones could serve as a bit of a test, as they will feature a Kia logo near the left shoulder.