👀 Sneaker of the Week: Levi’s x Nike Air Max 95

🔥 The Weekly Lace-Up: Caitlin Clark’s new Nike Kobe 5 PE, the Jordan 40’s reveal, and SGA’s Finals gift

📸 Kick Flick: KD’s ultra-rare Seattle SuperSonics-inspired Nike KD 18 at Fanatics Fest 2025

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…

Today, we’re spotlighting the upcoming Levi’s x Nike Air Max 95—a collaboration that unites the heritage of Levi’s denim with one of Nike’s most iconic retro runners.

Dropping July 11th, the pair will release in three colorways—black, blue, and white—each built with Levi’s signature denim on the 95’s wavy side panels. The denim comes raw and frayed, nodding to the lived-in character of well-worn jeans. Additional details include co-branded insoles and Levi’s classic red tab stitched onto the lateral heel, tying the entire look back to the brand’s roots.

Adding to the rollout, Nike athletes Paige Bueckers and Keon Coleman, along with Daniel Buezo of Kids of Immigrants, star in the collaborative lookbook for the sneaker and its matching apparel collection, further cementing the drop as a cultural moment.

With clear echoes of Levi’s legendary 2018 Air Jordan 4 collaboration, the Levi’s x Air Max 95 is already being talked about as a contender for Sneaker of the Summer, if not Sneaker of the Year. Every time Levi’s links up with Nike, it feels like an instant classic, and this one is no different.

The full collection drops July 10th via Levi.com, the Levi’s App, and select Levi’s retail locations, followed by a SNKRS release on July 11th. Retail is set at $225 per pair.

I don’t have a crystal ball, but something tells me the Levi’s x Nike Air Max 95 is going to land on a lot of Best Sneakers of the Summer lists by the time the season wraps. It’s that good.

The last time Levi’s teamed up with Nike/Jordan, we got an all-timer: the Levi’s x Air Jordan 4. If you ask me, that collab marked a turning point for the Jordan 4’s rise to dominance as one of the most beloved retro Jordans out there. Levi’s brought its legendary denim to the silhouette and gave it the same kind of “blank canvas” energy that helped fuel the SB Dunk’s creative golden era. Once Levi’s set the tone, other designers, artists, and brands followed.

Could the Air Max 95 be next?

I wouldn’t be surprised if this collab sparks a renewed wave of love for the 95. It’s already a cult favorite among retro runner heads, but with Levi’s stamp of approval, it could be on the verge of a broader cultural comeback.

Levi’s doesn’t step into the sneaker game often. But when it does, it means something.

Without a doubt, one of the most anticipated drops of the summer is Caitlin Clark’s Nike Kobe 5 Protro PE “Indiana Fever.” Releasing June 30th, the bold colorway reimagines Kobe Bryant’s fifth signature sneaker through the lens of Clark’s Indiana Fever team colors. It keeps the Kobe 5’s original tech specs intact—lightweight Flywire construction up top and responsive Zoom Air cushioning underfoot.

This marks the latest Nike Kobe PE tied to Clark, following her debut Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Black/Green,” the WNBA x Nike Kobe 6 Protro, and a previous Fever-themed Kobe 5 Protro. Buy them now →

The original New Balance 2002R “Protection Pack” is back. First released in 2021, the now-iconic drop played a key role in ushering in New Balance’s current wave of popularity, following the brand’s breakout success with Aimé Leon Dore’s 550 revival in 2020.

Known for its jagged overlays and raw, hand-cut aesthetic, the “Protection Pack,” featuring “Phantom,” “Rain Cloud,” and “Sea Salt” colorways, pushed New Balance beyond its clean-cut roots, reimagining performance runners as deconstructed, fashion-forward staples.

Now, the collection is back in its original form less than 5 years after its debut. Are you grabbing a pair? Buy them now →

The legacy continues. Jordan Brand is officially entering its next era with the reveal of the Air Jordan 40, the latest chapter in its iconic franchise, and perhaps the most technically advanced Jordan to date.

Set to launch on July 12, 2025, the Jordan 40 debuts in “The Classic” colorway, with “Blue Suede” and “Dusty Rose” editions confirmed for August 20 and September 20, respectively. More colorways, special editions, and athlete PEs are expected throughout the Holiday 2025 season.

The Air Jordan 40 introduces a sleek, mid-top silhouette with a minimalist upper constructed from premium leather and nearly no visible branding—save for a Jumpman on the tongue and Nike Air on the heel. It’s a sharp pivot from today’s faux tech-heavy basketball shoe aesthetic, offering instead a refined, understated elegance that sets it apart from the pack.

But the real story is underfoot.

In a first for Nike, Inc., the Air Jordan 40 combines ZoomX foam with a full-length Zoom strobel, delivering an unprecedented package of responsive cushioning and energy return. ZoomX has already proven its elite performance pedigree, most famously powering Eliud Kipchoge’s historic Breaking2 marathon run, and now makes its way to the hardwood.

Fans may have gotten an unofficial teaser weeks before the reveal. Brand athlete Trae Young sparked speculation when he posted off-season workout shots with his sneakers heavily pixelated. Sneaker sleuths quickly guessed it was the unreleased Jordan 40, an educated guess that now checks out.

With bold innovation under the hood and a clean, heritage-informed design up top, the Air Jordan 40 looks like a true reset for the franchise, futuristic performance wrapped in timeless restraint.

In honor of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s historic NBA Finals MVP and Championship win, Converse is paying tribute to its Basketball Creative Director in style. As part of a post-Finals celebration, the brand gifted Shai a one-of-one edition of his signature shoe—the Converse SHAI 001—in a striking “Trophy Gold” colorway.

Swathed in an all-gold-everything design, the special pair won’t be released to the public. But don’t be fret: this moment marks the beginning of more big moves to come from both Shai and Converse.

This fall, Converse will officially release the Shai 001. The shoe’s arrival is a turning point in both the NBA star’s career and in Converse’s renewed presence in performance basketball footwear.

It’s already been a busy offseason for Kevin Durant. The future Hall of Famer headlined a blockbuster trade to the Houston Rockets just hours before tip-off of Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, marking yet another dramatic chapter in his legendary career. In a surreal twist, Durant learned of the trade while on stage at Fanatics Fest 2025 in New York City, discovering the news at the exact same moment as the public.

Lost in the chaos was a super limited-edition version of the Nike KD 18, gifted to him by Nike and dressed in the iconic green and yellow of his first NBA team: the Seattle SuperSonics.

While showing off the pair on stage, photographer @uninstructedvision captured detailed shots highlighting some of the shoe’s unique features—including the date of the 2007 NBA Draft, a custom insole combining the Rookie of the Year logo with the Seattle SuperSonics emblem, and a hangtag with holographic striping inspired by a specific Durant rookie card from the 2007–08 NBA season.

As of now, there are no plans for this ultra-rare SuperSonics-inspired Nike KD 18 to be released to the public. A nostalgic nod to where it all began, the pair stands as one of the most personal and exclusive KD sneakers to date.

Nike KD 18 “Seattle SuperSonics”