NBA B/R Kicks of the Week: Best on Court for NBA Week 18
This particular edition of Bleacher Report's kicks of the week hits the refresh button, thanks to NBA All-Star Weekend. Over the last seven days, we saw some serious midseason heat featured down in New Orleans.
Recapping the best kicks has to feature a hearty dose of All-Star Weekend goodness. Find out which of your favorite stars conquered the footwear stage and made a name for themselves below.
LeBron James: Nike LeBron 14 BHM
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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James
Sneaker Worn: Nike LeBron 14 BHM
Nike didn't officially unveil a line of All-Star Weekend shoes, leaving their signature athletes to fend for themselves. Instead, Team Swoosh dressed everyone up in their Black History Month kicks. As the king of all things Nike, LeBron James' pair was extra smooth.
The LeBron 14 has made its mark this season. It's ended up on our weekly countdown more than a handful of times. During the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, James decided to stunt in the BHM version.
It was difficult to take the All-Star Game seriously. A final score of 192-182, in favor of the Western Conference, isn't basketball. The good news is James wore a distinct pair of LeBron 14s, helping ease our All-Star Game pains.
Eric Gordon: Adidas Crazy Explosive Low 'All-Star Weekend'
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Who: Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon
Sneaker Worn: Adidas Crazy Explosive Low "All-Star Weekend"
All of our dreams are about to come true. Adidas officially unveiled a low-top version of the Crazy Explosive during All-Star Weekend, drumming up quite a buzz.
The high top has been a performance monster. It's natural due to its on-court popularity—see Andrew Wiggins and Kristaps Porzingis—that the Crazy Explosive would eventually get a low-cut treatment.
Behold the beauty that is the Crazy Explosive Low "All-Star Weekend," worn by Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon during the Three-Point Contest.
Gordon took home long-range honors in these kicks and showed the world how dope they can be. Not a bad weekend for the veteran.
Russell Westbrook: Air Jordan XXX 'Gotta Shine'
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Who: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook
Sneaker Worn: Air Jordan XXX "Gotta Shine"
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has been making his regular-season rounds in the Air Jordan 31.5—a crossover sneaker that fuses the Air Jordan XXX and XXXI together. The shoe has become his calling card.
However, during the NBA All-Star Game, Westbrook broke out the Jordan XXX "Gotta Shine." The sneaker took a liquidized, metallic green effect and settled it across the entire silhouette in order to give it a pop.
The paint job worked wonders. These kicks looked like they were derived from outer space. Add in an iridescent purple Swoosh emblem, and what you have is a legacy sneaker fit to join the ranks of Jordan Brand's All-Star Weekend collection.
James Harden: Adidas Harden Vol. 1 'Custom Player Exclusive'
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Who: Houston Rockets guard James Harden
Sneaker Worn: Adidas Harden Vol. 1 "Custom Player Exclusive"
The worst thing about James Harden's All-Star Game sneakers is that none of us are going to be able to pick up a pair.
If you peel back all the layers of orange, black and fluorescent purple, you'll see these kicks are actually the "No Brakes" Harden Vol. 1—sneakers you can still cop through Adidas and various retail spaces. Elemental touches of paint were splashed all over the shoe, including Harden's No. 13 moniker on the heel to create a customized pattern.
The sneaker stood out for its sense of originality and bravado.
Kevin Durant: Nike KD 9 BHM
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Who: Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant
Sneaker Worn: Nike KD 9 BHM
If LeBron James' BHM kicks are on this list, you know Kevin Durant belongs here as well. Between James and Durant, Nike's BHM signature assets have become worthy additions.
Durant's version uses the same black and white colorway as the rest of the Nike gang, giving his sneaker a cleaner look than previous drops. Even with all of the All-Star Weekend confusion from Nike's camp—the lack of sneakers—the KD 9 BHM remains a worthy on-foot adversary.
The shoe is a bold, important chapter in Durant's sneaker legacy.
All production information and release dates via Nike News and Adidas News, unless noted otherwise.
