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At New York Knicks media day, the sneaker ecosystem was thrown for a loop as longtime Nike women endorser and frequent Kobe Protro wearer Julius Randle was spotted in a Sketchers branded basketball shoe. While rumors swirled regarding the first-of-its-kind silhouette, the California-based brand has since been confirmed to be making its first-ever foray into the basketball space by signing reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, according to a recent report via The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Just in time for the second night of the 2023-24 NBA Season, Sketchers has since confirmed the signings of both Randle and Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann while announcing the brand’s first-ever performance basketball line. As initially reported to The Athletic via industry sources, Embiid is set to headline the brand’s inaugural class of athletes.
While an official deal has yet to be reached, Embiid was spotted at the 76ers practice in mid-October sporting the Resagrip silhouette with Sketchers performance personnel on site as wear testing ensues. According to Charania, Embiid will begin suiting up in the mid-top silhouette throughout the regular season once a deal has been reached.
Announced exactly a week later, two silhouettes will kick start the brand’s newly minted performance line – the SKX Resagrip and SKX FLOAT – fusing charred technologies with the LA brand’s signature cushioning systems. For players moving at top speeds, the Resagrip silhouette features Goodyear rubber along the outsole for enhanced movements and cuts. For athletes looking for a bit lite stability – like Embiid and Randle – the SKX FLOAT offers strategically placed TPU while the upper’s Swirl Tech design amplifies flexibility and court feel underfoot. Both silhouettes arrive with a Hyper Burst cushioned midsole and a Hyper Burst Pro sockliner for additional comfort.
The move to the hardwood comes after the brand made successful ventures into the golf, pickleball and soccer ecosystems over the past few years; broadening its use of tooling further than the brand’s original racing ethos. Randle, Mann and reportedly Embiid serve as the flag bearers for Sketcher’s latest venture alongside the likes of FC Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, pickleball pro Catherine Parenteau and Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw.
The initial wave of Sketchers Basketball shoes are set to release next week with additional colorways set to arrive this Fall while low-top iterations of both silhouettes will follow in the Spring of 2024. In the meantime, both pair’s can be seen below in detailed imagery while we can continue to expect first looks at new colorways through the brand’s roster of recently named on-court athletes.
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- Sketchers SKX Resagrip – Courtesy of Sketchers Basketball
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- Sketchers SKX FLOAT – Courtesy of Sketchers Basketball
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- Courtesy of Sketchers Basketball
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- Courtesy of Sketchers Basketball
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- Courtesy of Sketchers Basketball
As seen via imagery from the player’s respective media days, the brand seems to be exploring two separate low-top solutions. The silhouette that Randle dawned receives an under the hood-like aesthetic with the forefoot’s see-through mesh showcasing the bright red lace fasteners while a medial shank plate provides torsional stability underfoot. Capped off at the toe with a greyscale mudguard, silver metallic Sketchers branding ascertains the heel while the sole unit has been constructed using GOODYEAR rubber.
Back in September, Clippers guard Terance Mann took the court for a workout in a peach-tinted pair of unnamed Sketchers low tops. Boasting a lite uniform sole unit that connects from toe to heel, the Sketchers “S” sits boldly in a golden metallic treatment along the heel, while further translucent elements ascertain the mesh quarter.
