The 8 Most Important Sneaker Stories of the Week

Adidas, Nike, Puma, and Under Armour all made headlines this week.

Pat Benson | May 14, 2023

The 8 Most Important Sneaker Stories of the Week /

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The sneaker industry never takes a day off. Consumers are constantly inundated with news about surprise drops, new advertisement campaigns, and changing markets. However, the past week has been especially eventful.

We at FanNation Kicks realize it's impossible for even the most knowledgeable sneakerheads to keep up with all of the storylines. Let alone the average fan. So, below are the eight biggest sneaker news stories from May 7-13, 2023.

LeBron James

On Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors to clinch the series in six games. LeBron James uncorked another vintage performance in a pair of retro shoes.

James used the opportunity to bring back the Nike LeBron 2. While some sneakerheads might associate the shoes with the dreadful 2004 Olympics, James is giving them new life. Fans can read our full story on why that is a good thing.

Stephen Curry

While it was amazing for hoops fans to watch LeBron James and Stephen Curry battle, it was disappointing that one of them had to go home early. The silver lining is that it was an amazing year in sneakers for Curry.

The league's greatest three-point shooter of all time debuted new and retro models, plus he signed a lifetime contract with Under Armour. Yesterday, we ranked Curry's top ten sneakers of the season.

Kevin Durant

Stephen Curry was far from the only superstar to suffer an early playoff exit. On Thursday night, the Denver Nuggets eliminated the Phoenix Suns, which sent Kevin Durant home after a tumultuous season.

Similar to Curry, Durant had an amazing sneaker season which also culminated in a lifetime contract (only this time with Nike). Following Phoenix's loss, we ranked Durant's top ten sneakers of the season.

A'Ja Wilson

A'Ja Wilson has done a lot of winning as of late. Despite winning the WNBA Championship and the World Cup, Wilson isn't done making headlines.

Earlier this week, Nike released the Cosmic Unity 3 in another player-exclusive colorway for the Las Vegas Aces forward. Fans can read the full story to learn more about the performance hoop shoes.

Notre Dame

News broke on Thursday morning that Notre Dame's exclusive negotiating window with Under Armour has expired. The school's 10-year contract with Under Armour, believed to be worth $90 million, is set to end after the following athletic year.

We went into further detail and speculated about possible next steps. Fans can read the full story and learn why Nike makes the most sense for the Fighting Irish moving forward.

Aliyah Boston

Things got really awkward in the sneaker world earlier this week when Aliyah Boston signed with adidas. The top selection of the 2023 WNBA Draft had been the face of Under Armour marketing campaigns, including the "Protect This House" commercials.

What seemed like a sure-win slipped through Under Armour's hands and speaks to the resilience of adidas. Fans can learn more details and check out our speculated contingency plans for Under Armour by reading our full story.

Breanna Stewart

It was a very busy news week in the WNBA. PUMA and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart announced the Stewie 2. Stewart's first signature sneaker was a hit among hoopers, and the second installment appears promising as well.

Fans can learn everything from the sneaker release date, pricing, tech specs, and apparel collection by reading our full story. With the WNBA season gearing up, it is sure to be another exciting summer.

James Harden

Last Sunday, Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden hit a game-winning three-pointer, and that wasn't even the coolest thing he did that day. Harden invited John Hao, a recovering Michigan State shooting victim, to the game.

The two have kept in contact since Harden learned Hao was a fan back in February. After the game, Harden called Hao his good luck charm and gifted his game-worn kicks to the student. Fans can read the full story to learn more about their connection.

Published May 14, 2023

PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.