The reason I came to Adidas: James Harden all in on Crazylight 2016

James Harden is looking forward to wearing the Crazylight 2016, Adidas' first shoe with full-length cushioning.

James Harden has been waiting a while now for the Crazylight 2016, the new low-top basketball sneaker that Adidas will debut in full-length Boost cushioning.

“Designs like this and shoes built for my game are the reason why I came to Adidas basketball,” Harden says. “I’ve been waiting to wear these shoes since I tested the first prototype and I can’t wait to wear them on the court this summer.”

• MORE NBA: Harden out of Olympics | Durant won't consider Rockets

courtesy Adidas

As the Crazylight line continues to grow in popularity for Adidas, using Boost cushioning has given the low-top shoe a premium technology to hang its design on. Now the line will add to that with full-length Boost, something the company hasn’t yet done in a basketball sneaker. 

Brian Foresta, vice president of basketball design for Adidas, says that when they first started designing the Crazylight 2016, full-length Boost was the main goal. Adidas designers had to reengineer their entire approach to make room for the cushioning style full-length.

courtesy Adidas

courtesy Adidas

• MORE NBA: Curry's new shoes are a meme | MJ's iconic moments

Along with Boost, a herringbone-styled traction falls underfoot and Adidas designed a “loaded sprint plate” to help with control during hard cuts. The three stripes on the heel cup were designed not just as an aesthetic feature, but also for additional stability. A TPU forefoot roll cage creates added support for movement, while a woven upper, articulated tongue and neoprene fit cuff offer lightweight options on the upper.

Harden says the overall design lives up to the hype. “It’s really comfortable, performs well and has tremendous style,” he says.

The all-white version releases July 2 for $120. Kyle Lowry and Jeremy Lin will join Harden in wearing the Crazylight 2016 this summer and expect additional designs and colors—Adidas has already shown visuals of the solar red—throughout the year.

courtesy Adidas

Tim Newcomb covers sports aesthetics—stadiums to sneakers—and training for Sports Illustrated. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.