The Kicks You Wear, Vol. 404 — Patience is a virtue
Sounds like we've got quite the wait ahead for the Adidas AE 2
Good morning, friends! Welcome back to the Kicks You Wear. Thanks so much for rocking with me today. Appreciate you giving me a bit of your time this morning.
I have a really exciting interview coming up in the next couple of weeks with Jeff Staple. We discuss his upcoming Brooks collab, the Pigeon Dunk release anniversary and more. I can’t wait to share this one with y’all. It was a really good conversation!
Anyway, let’s get into what we got today.
Pressing pause on the AE 2
Folks. You’d better get used to the AE 1. It doesn’t sound like we’ll be getting the AE 2 anytime soon.
The skinny: Edwards was the star of Complex Magazine’s (!!!!!) cover story in February. He talked about life in the NBA, what being a superstar means how nice he is at spades. It’s a fun piece.
Neatly tucked away in that conversation was news that the AE 2 isn’t quite ready to be released yet.
As for the AE 2, Edwards can’t say much yet. He just asks for some patience.
“I feel like I know what the outside world wants when it comes to shoes and stuff, lifestyle. So it's hard for me not to make something that's going to pop,” says Edwards. “Be patient. It's on the way. Can't rush it.”
Between the lines: Adidas and Edwards are serious about keeping the press on with the current model. The AE 1 was released in December 2023 and we’re still getting new colorways.
The AE 1 silver metallic and champagne lows just released last month.
There’s also a Kansas Jayhawks colorway coming out for March Madness (which would be incredibly funny if Kansas misses the tournament).
Why it matters: This is a bit unorthodox. Brands usually try to keep signature sneakers on a yearly schedule with their athletes. The newest LeBron models, for example, usually debut by the start of the new NBA season in October.
The AE 1’s prolonged lifecycle here is unusual but intentional. As Edwards said, they’re not rushing it.
Between the lines: If Adidas was going to preview a new Edwards model, All-Star weekend sure did seem like the place to do it. We saw new models for Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell. James Harden pushed the Harden Vol. 9 hard in San Francisco. Relatively speaking, it was a quiet weekend for Edwards in San Francisco. This decision is why.
Yes, but: It’s the smart move. Adidas has a good thing going with the AE 1. Think of it like a classic debut album.
On one hand, an artist doesn’t need to return every year with a new album just because. Would the streets love it? Absolutely. But the best music gets a chance to simmer a bit.
On the other, striking while the iron is hot is essential. There’s so much out there taking people’s attention these days. Wait too long and you’ll lose the fans.
That’s the spot the AE 1 is in now. And it’s clear the fans aren’t going anywhere — at least not yet. New colorways are still selling out. People are still clamoring for what’s next.
Speaking of what’s next, it’s pretty clear that things aren’t quite settled yet with it. Last year, we got a couple of leaks of models that could be the AE 2. I suspect these are both samples that were leaked to get a temperature check. Neither seemed to resonate all that well. All the more reason to hold off on things.
I think waiting on releasing the model is the smartest play that Edwards and Adidas could make here. Getting this right is vital.
On a surface level, you want to keep the heat going with the AE line. On a deeper level, this signature line is a significant key in Adidas’ journey to gain ground in North America — especially as Nike is still down.
A little bit of patience can go a long way.
Sabrina is the leader
Here’s why every Nike basketball shoe looks like a Kobe. The hoopers love it.
What’s happening: Sabrina Ionescu’s Sabrina 2 is, by far, the most worn current signature model in the NBA, according to data from Kix Stats.
It’s really not even close.
The numbers:
NBA players played 4,932 total minutes in the Sabrina 2 in February.
The next close active signature shoe is the Nike Book 1 at 3,007 minutes
No other active signature sneaker makes the top 8 of the list. Four of the models in the top 8 are Kobe sneakers.
Some caveats: There are some things we should acknowledge here. This is just one month of the NBA season — it’s not necessarily a snapshot of the entire season. Plus, the All-Star break was in February. There’s a big chunk of games missing because of that. Lots of players who may have worn other sneakers didn’t play.
The takeaways: These numbers support Nike's bigger picture for the Sabrina models. It also shows women’s basketball’s bright future at the Swoosh.
Nike said the Sabrina line had grown roughly “five times” what it was the year prior back in October. It’s also one of the best-selling Nike By You models.
With the Sabrina model working this well, it’s exciting to think of what could potentially be coming. A’ja Wilson’s signature shoe releases in a couple of months. Caitlin Clark’s shoe will come soon. Nike’s officially planted its flag in the space.
The Kobe-lite shoe trend probably isn’t going anywhere. Not only are the Sabrinas selling well and playing well, but so are the Kobes. If anything, Nike is doubling down.
The future of Nike basketball is female.
2025’s best collab no one is talking about
The upcoming Air Max 180 collaboration between Nike and UK-based Apron Records has to be one of the best sneakers I’ve seen all year.
But I don’t feel like anyone is talking about them?
The timeline: The 180 releases this weekend on March 8, coinciding with an Apron Records pop-up being held in the label’s home base of London. Founder Steven Julien announced the release date on his IG.
Guys, I can’t stress enough how good these sneakers are. LOOK.
3 reasons why I think people are overlooking these:
It’s a UK-based record label. Let me be clear: My uncultured ass was NOT hip to this label before February. I think a lot of people over here are in that boat.
It’s an Air Max 180, which hasn’t necessarily been one of the “it” collab models over these last few years.
These shoes just popped up on the internet a month ago. I didn’t see any leakers sharing these before the top of February.
I’ve asked my UK homies about these joints and Apron. The label has been around since 2014. It’s pretty popular. Nike collab popular? That’s questionable. But popular nonetheless. But its founder, Steven Julien, is into fashion and streetwear. It’s not necessarily out of nowhere.
I’m excited about these. This is a feeling that I haven’t gotten from a collaboration in a while. It’s a good product about something that I don’t know very much about.
I’m eager to dive in.
Retro, but innovative
Nike has officially dipped its toe into retro footy culture with the T90. It brought back its old football boot as a turf shoe to tap into a bit of Y2K football nostalgia.
Here’s an excellent explainer via Substance Football on TikTok.
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This is a classic case of innovation not necessarily meaning new — just different. Soccer has never been Nike’s bag. Will it work? I have my doubts — especially with Adidas dominating the space today.
Either way, I like that Nike is at least trying something different here. We’ll see how it goes.
What’s droppin’, bruh?
Nike Pegasus Premium “Bright Crimson” — Thursday, March 6
Nike Air Max DN8 “Bright Crimson” — Thursday, March 6
Thisisneverthat x New Balance 1000 — Friday, March 7
Apron Records x Nike Air Max 180 “Vortex” — Saturday, March 8
Sneaker Politics x Asics Gel-Kayano 14 “Just Say No” — Saturday, March 8
That’s a wrap! Thanks so much for reading, folks. Appreciate y’all coming through. Have a fantastic week.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns feel free to hit me up via email at mikedsykes@gmail.com or shoot me a message via Substack here.
Peace and love. Be safe, be easy, be kind. We out.
-Sykes 💯
I think brands often shoot themselves in the foot (no pun intended lol) by releasing new shoes or iterations of the same product every year. Sometimes when a shoe is hot, like the AE1, a year feels way too short. Releasing a new model too soon can make the original feel obsolete. I know it’s important to keep product in the market fresh, but I think Adidas feel like they still have runway to grow awareness of the AE1 and experiment a little bit with it before developing the line further.
Loved reading this as always bro. And I have something on T90 coming tomorrow!