We’re waxing poetic and being nostalgic today. We’re looking back on the past fondly. We’re talking about our favorite Nike Basketball shoe ever (yeah, that’s right!) today. We’re talking about the Nike Hyperdunk.
Introduced at the 2008 Olympics, and proudly sported by Kobe Bryant, the Hyperdunk was originally available in a white/red/blue (for the Olympics of course) and an all-black colorway…and it was a game-changer. One of the earliest shoes to use Flywire, the original Hyperdunk was incredibly light, surprisingly supportive, and excellently cushioned. It was ahead of its time from a performance standpoint…and still stacks up against many of today’s basketball shoes. But like any great shoe, it was more than just the performance that made it so legendary.
Kobe Bryant was heavily involved in the shoe’s promotion. Kobe also loved Aston Martins. This lead to arguably the best Hyperdunk ever (the McFly Hyperdunks are up there too), the Aston Martin edition pictured above. The shoe featured premium leather on the inside and Aston Martin detailing on the tongue, and became a special collector’s item that sneakerheads still thirst for to this very day. The shoes were released after a video of Kobe showing off a Lakers-colored Hyperdunk and then jumping over a speeding Aston Martin (you can check the video out here if you’ve never seen it) hit the internet and caused mass hysteria.
Since then, no Nike Basketball shoe has had such a profound effect on the market. The Hyperdunk is still the crown jewel of Nike’s basketball line…and with Leo Chang working his magic, that certainly won’t be changing any time soon.
Have you owned a pair of Hyperdunks? If so, what model is your favorite? Is it the original, or one of the later models? Let us know in the comments on on Twitter, check our Facebook page for daily updates, and, as always, be sure to follow us on Instagram for all the fire sneaker pictures you can handle.
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