Release Roundup: Sneakers You Need to Check Out This Weekend

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One of the biggest sneaker weekends of the year comes every February in celebration of NBA All-Star Weekend, and the 2020 offering for Chicago certainly does not disappoint. 

Virgil Abloh's Air Jordan 5 collaboration will be the highlight for many. Other drops include the "All Star" Nike LeBron VII retro, "Unite" Air Jordan 3, the highly-anticipated arrival of the Adidas Yeezy Quantum, Nike Basketball's annual offering for its lineup of signature athletes like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, an eight-sneaker project from Jordan Brand highlighting local creatives in Chicago, the return of the Nike Air Ship for the first time as part of the "New Beginnings" pack, a New Balance collection from Joe Freshgoods, and more. 

Check out a detailed look at all of this weekend's best sneaker releases below. 

Nike LeBron 7 'All Star'

Price: $200
When: Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: The latest LeBron 7 getting the retro treatment is the vibrant colorway worn by LeBron James during the 2009 NBA All-Star Game. The bright blue upper's major detail is a reflective woodgrain pattern wrapping the mudguard.

Nike Basketball 2020 All Star Collection

Price: $120-$225
When: Thursday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: Contrary to past years, Nike Basketball will not be using a central theme across its signature range for the 2020 NBA All-Star pack. Instead, the pack will include a LeBron 17 inspired by the Monstars to promote Space Jam 2, KD 12 designed by Don C mimicking the Chicago flag, tie-dyed PG 4 made to look like it has been doused in various flavors of Gatorade, the red and gold "Trophies" Kyrie 6 inspired by his first NBA title and love for his father, and the "Employee of the Month" Zoom Freak 1 inspired by the uniform worn by Prince Akeem when he works shifts at the fictional fast food restuarant in Coming to America. 

Air Jordan 'New Beginnings' Pack

Price: $350
When: Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: After years of clarification from sneaker blogs that the shoe banned by the NBA in 1985 was the Air Ship and not the Air Jordan 1, Jordan Brand has decided to offer up both models together in the special "New Beginnings" pack. The brand new retro version of the Air Jordan 1 more closely resembles its 1985 predecessor and is offered in a white and red makeup alongside a matching Air Ship. 

Air Jordan 10 'Wings'

Price: $190
When: Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: The latest colorway of the Air Jordan 10 comes courtesy of the Wings Design Program. Four students from Embarc, Enlace, Link Limited, and Little Black Pearl helped design the special pair for Chicago. The white upper is accented by multi-colored piping with each color used to represent a different line of the Chicago transit system. This is further represented by a various dots added to the pull tab on the heel. Metallic silver hits are a nod to the iconic Bean statue in the center of the city. An icey outsole and WINGS logo tab complete the design. 

Air Jordan 1 'NC to Chi'

Price: $170
When: Thursday, Feb. 17 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: Jordan Brand is once again taking inspiration from Michael Jordan's basketball journey from UNC to the Chicago Bulls for this women's colorways of the Air Jordan 1. The toe and outsole bear red accents to represent MJ's pro career, while the Swoosh and heel sport blue for his time as a UNC Tar Heel in the early '80s. 

'Tom and Jerry' x Reebok Collection

Price: $100-$200
When: Saturday, Feb. 15 
Where: reebok.com and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: Reebok has collaborated with iconic cartoon series Tom and Jerry for a series of footwear. A Club C Revenge has been designed to resemble Jerry the mouse, while an Instapump Fury has been made to look like the antagonistic feline Tom. Completing the trio is a cream-colored Club C covered in illustrations from the show. 

 

Jordan '8x8 Chicago Collaborators' Collection

Price: $140-$225
When: Saturday, Feb. 15 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: Jordan Brand decided to take a unique approach to All-Star weekend this year by allowing eight local creators from Chicago to design their own sneakers and apparel. The "Chicago Collaborators" collection will include Virgil Abloh's Air Jordan 5, the "Wings" Air Jordan 10, and Air Jordan 1 KO from Chance the Rapper's SocialWorks, Aerospace 720 from Cole Bennett's Lyrical Lemonade, and Sheila Rashid's two-toned take on an Air Jordan 1 Mid. Apparel offerings from local boutique SucceZZ, Drew the Barber, and Cody Hudson complete the collection.

Off-White x Air Jordan V

Price: $225
When: Saturday, Feb. 15 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: One of the more anticipated drops coming this weekend is Virgil Abloh's Air Jordan 5 collaboration. The designer takes clear inspiration from the OG silhouette in regards to overall shape, as well as more subtle hits like the red Jumpman stamped on the reflective tongue, cement print shark teeth on the midsole, and "Nike Air" branding. Abloh has also added his own spin to the popular retro model in the form of a black zip tie, pre-yellow outsole for a more vintage look, medial branding stamp, and circles sporadically placed across the upper that can be punched out at the wearer's discretion. 

Air Jordan 3 'Unite'

Price: $200
When: Saturday, Feb. 15 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: Another highlight from Jordan Brand's extensive collection for NBA All-Star Weekend is the "Unite" Air Jordan 3. The pair is dressed in red tumbled leather with OG hits like elephant print panels and "Nike Air" branding on the heel tab. As a nod to the host city of this year's festivities, a limited number of pairs will replace the "AIR" on the "Nike Air" logo with "CHI."

Don C x Nike Air Force 1 High

Price: $200
When: Saturday, Feb. 15 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: Along with the KD 12 he designed, Don C also did a special colorway of his Air Force 1 hybrid sneaker to resemble the Chicago flag. The pair is dressed in bright blue leather with red accents, and combines elements of the Air Force 1, 2, and 3. Speical hits include "Just Don" Nike logos on the heel, a red velvet liner, special dubraes, and the Chicago flag stitched on the back of each tongue. 

BBCICECREAM x Reebok Answer 5

Price: $150
When: Sunday, Feb. 16 
Where: BBC NYC and reebok.com
What You Need to Know: After debuting the first color at ComplexCon 2019 in Long Beach, Reebok is dropping off another Answer 5 collab with BBCICECREAM this week. Allen Iverson's fifth signature sneaker has once again been covered in bright colors to resemble an old colorway of the Ice Cream Board Flip from the mid 2000s. Given the release's close proximity to Valentine's Day, this pair has appropriately been covered in pink, red, and burgundy accents. ICECREAM's signature logo is present on the lateral heel area.

Nike Adapt BB 2.0

Price: $400
When: Sunday, Feb. 16 at 10 a.m.
Where: Nike SNKRS and other select retailers
What You Need to Know: The sequel to the futuristic Adapt BB, aptly titled the Adapt BB 2.0, debuts this Sunday. The colorway takes inspiration from the OG "Metallic" Air Jordan 5 with a black upper, silver tongue, and red accents. The second iteration tweaks the self-lacing area with a branded shroud and molded heel counter. The buttons on the lateral portion of the midsole to adjust the fit remain intact. 

DON'T BE MAD x New Balance 992

Price: TBD
When: TBD
Where: DON'T BE MAD x New Balance Pop-Up (Chicago)
What You Need to Know: Joe Freshgoods is launching a collaboration with New Balance this weekend. The DONT BE MAD x New Balance "No Emotions Are Emotions" capsule will feature a New Balance 992 colored to resemble the anatomy of a human heart, Kawhi Leonard's OMN1S covered in an emoitonless emoji face pattern, and matching apparel. 

Adidas Yeezy Quantum

Price: $250
When: TBD
Where: TBD
What You Need to Know: After literal years of anticipation, the Yeezy Quantum basketball sneaker is finally arriving during NBA All Star Weekend in Chicago. It is reported that the new high-top design from Kanye West will be offered in performance and lifestyle options with minor design differences. 

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