👀 Sneaker of the Week: Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 “Arctic Pink”

🔥 The Weekly Lace-Up: the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Shattered Backboard" returns, the Air Jordan 5 Tokyo23’s big comeback, and the Kith x adidas Superstar “Black Tie 2.0”

📸 Kick Flick: Deion Sanders previews unreleased Nike Diamond Turf Protro 92 colorways

Each week, we’ll select one standout pair, be it a classic, sleeper, new drop, or something with a story worth telling. Plus, Chase will give his verdict.

This week, we’ve tapped…

In this issue, we’ll be exploring the Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 “Arctic Pink”

It’s getting harder than ever to stand out in sneakers. But don’t tell that to Angelo Baque’s Awake NY. The iconic New York City streetwear and lifestyle brand’s latest collaboration with Jordan Brand on the Air Jordan 5, released on August 16th, puts a fresh spin on the classic silhouette by seamlessly weaving Awake NY’s signature “A” logo into the shoe’s side netting—a first for the Jordan 5.

Inspired by the legendary 1990 Jordan 5 “Fire Red - Silver Tongue,” Awake’s “Arctic Pink” edition brings a 2025 twist in all the right ways. The white leather upper of the original is swapped out for a bold, eye-catching Bubblegum Pink, a shade both brands celebrate. It retains key OG details like the “23” on the lateral heel of the right shoe, the fiery red Jumpman atop the silver reflective tongue, and the “Nike Air” embroidery on the heel. New touches include a red “NY” emblem on the lateral heel of the right shoe and a co-branded Awake NY x Nike Air hangtag.

The “Arctic Pink” is joined by a “Racer Blue” colorway that draws heavily from New York’s love of all-black shoes for every occasion. But the “Arctic Pink” is the more exclusive of the two. According to Baque, only 7,000 pairs of the “Arctic Pink” were produced, with each pair featuring a “0001/7000” embroidery on the underside of the tongue. The “Racer Blue” colorway is limited to 13,000 pairs and does not feature any numerical embroidery. Both pairs launched via an EQL online raffle on August 17th, and the “Racer Blue” will release again on August 30th via Nike SNKRS and select retailers.

The Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 “Arctic Pink” raises the bar for sneaker collaborations, showing just how much a brand can shape a legendary silhouette like the Jordan 5. And it’s clear Michael Jordan agrees—after all, the “GOAT” approves every Jordan Brand collab, and even he’s a fan of the iconic “A.”

It’s finally here — the Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 “Arctic Pink.” After months of teasers from Awake founder Angelo Baque and the crew, the all-pink Jordan 5, complete with Awake’s signature “A” on the side panel, has officially dropped. Point blank: I love this shoe. It’s fun, fresh, and stays true to the Jordan 5’s original DNA, but with smart, thoughtful tweaks. 

The “A” integrated into the side netting is an ingenuous touch, as is the “Awake” logo worked into Jumpman on the tongue. I even love the subtle “NY” embroidery on the right shoe’s heel—it feels perfectly placed. The “Racer Blue” colorway is equally dope, but the “Arctic Pink” is the one. An all-pink Jordan 5 that still channels the OG “Fire Red” vibe? Even Michael Jordan couldn’t say no to that.

When it comes to non-OG Air Jordans, the Jordan 1 High OG “Shattered Backboard” stands as one of the most coveted models of all time. Inspired by a legendary overseas exhibition where a young Michael Jordan shattered a glass backboard with a thunderous dunk, the iconic black, white, and orange design first dropped in 2015 to huge fanfare. Now, ten years later, the “Shattered Backboard” returns with its first-ever retro release, set to drop on August 23rd. If the 2025 edition is anything like the OG release—which featured some of the best materials ever seen on a Jordan 1 retro (and early indications show the 2025 version is identical to the original)—then Jordan fans are in for a treat. Buy them now →

On August 23rd, the iconic Nike Kobe footwear collection will welcome a new addition: the Nike Kobe 3 Protro “Halo.” This crisp, all-white colorway drops on what would have been the late Kobe Bryant’s 47th birthday.

Following angelic all-white makeovers of the Kobe 8 and Kobe 9 in 2023 and 2024, respectively, Nike Basketball is now giving Bryant’s popular Kobe 3 the same monochromatic treatment. True to its Protro name, the modern Kobe 3 features several updates to the original 2007 model, including a new mesh upper designed for improved breathability. Its midsole houses a full-length Zoom Strobel unit encased in Nike’s Cushlon 3.0 foam, delivering enhanced cushioning and energy return on the court.

The “Halo” is the first Nike Kobe 3 Protro of 2025, but given the buzz surrounding its return, it’s likely not the last. Buy them now →

2025 will go down as the year Jordan Brand opened its vault to bring back some of the greatest and most coveted models in its history, including icons like the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 and the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Shattered Backboard.” Not to be outdone, the brand Michael Jordan built is gearing up for the return of the ultra-rare Air Jordan 5 Tokyo23. First released in 2011 to honor the TOKYO23 basketball tournament, this exclusive colorway will drop on August 23rd. The kicker? It’s available only in Japan.

Just like the original release, the 2025 version will be sold exclusively in Japanese markets, including through an online raffle at famed sneaker and streetwear boutique atmos, as well as on SNKRS Japan. The 2025 Jordan 5 Tokyo23 stays true to the bold yellow design, featuring kanji-inspired “23” branding on the heel—a nod to Jordan’s legacy and his massive following across Asia. The rest of the shoe remains nearly identical to the original, with the only notable change being the rubber toe shifting from black to a matching yellow hue, setting it apart from its predecessor.

The return of the Jordan 5 Tokyo23 continues Jordan Brand’s commitment to reviving rare pairs from its archive. Sneakers many thought would never see the light of day again are making a comeback, giving a new generation of collectors and those who missed out on the OG releases a chance to own a piece of sneaker history.

Between fresh new collabs, Kith has been dipping into its vault to revive some of its most coveted sneakers. The latest: the Kith x adidas Superstar “Black Tie 2.0,” a modern update of Ronnie Fieg’s first-ever adidas project from his David Z days, specifically in 2008.

With adidas celebrating the Superstar’s legacy in 2025, the timing couldn’t be better. The “Black Tie 2.0” keeps the spirit of the OG but upgrades it with dress shoe leather, waxed laces, a patent leather toe, and debossed branding, plus a redesigned heel cup, refreshed branding, and a white-on-black colorway in place of the original’s all-black look.

The sneaker is also tied—pun intended—to Kith’s first runway show since 2019, debuting alongside its Fall/Winter 2025 “Institution” collection and upcoming collaborations. Seeded to show guests, the pair has no official release date yet.

With the 2025–2026 college football season just weeks away, it’s no surprise that Deion Sanders is back in the headlines. What is surprising is that this time, it has nothing to do with Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes. Instead, Deion marked his birthday by unveiling a lineup of unreleased Nike Diamond Turf Protro 92 samples.

The colorways span both personal and playful nods to his career. There’s a black/white/gold pair clearly inspired by the Buffs, and a mostly yellow suede edition that could be seen as an “alternate” CU vibe. A white/red makeup pays homage to the San Francisco 49ers, the team Deion joined in 1994. And then there’s the wild card—a bold purple/pink pair that, according to Deion, would be right at home with Cam’ron’s signature style.

As with past unreleased Nike x Deion Sanders sneakers teased by him and his inner circle, it’s still unclear whether any of these four sample pairs will ever see an official release date. Keep it locked to the Culture Check newsletter for the latest updates.