Nike Basketball News

The Collection: Lamar Odom Away Player Edition Hyperdunk 2010

tonyhellberg1 — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 23:13:19 GMT

The 5-spot: down low, cleaning class.

Wingman: triples launched, pockets picked.

Transition: 6’10” comic book length, point guard handle.

Stretch 220 lbs. over that frame for lightweight, explosive speed. Elevate your game to new levels: a prototype never seen before that somehow gets better with age.

Sacrifice minutes for rings - without losing an ounce of efficiency.

Those ingredients add up to Lamar Odom. It’s the same recipe we used to cook up his Away Player Edition Hyperdunk 2010 shoes.

Congrats USAB, On Top of the World!

tonyhellberg1 — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 04:11:40 GMT

On Top of the World

The adversity was implied - both whispered and shouted - in every word written, every tweet tweeted, every morsel of doubt the naysayers could find. One meandering column or exclamation point at a time.

Too young. Too inexperienced. Too many superstars taking a World Championship pass.

The adversity was real, a virtual sea of Turkish red. The Sinan Erdem Dome: 15,000 raucous Turks buoyed by the home team’s seminal semifinal theatrics, further charged to cheer down these upstart Americans.

Too difficult. Too loud. Too many things that could easily go wrong in the ocean between New York City and Istanbul, Turkey.

But writers write. Fans cheer. And players play.

Talent knows no fear in the face of togetherness. Confidence requires no age limit. International superstardom is not comprised of regular season scoring titles or NBA All-Star games. The champion’s dictionary deletes words like “impossible” and replaces them with pictures of gold medals. There is no maestro like Coach K.

Overshadowed by everything:

Summer’s end, college football, Labor Day.

Mindful of everything else:

16-year FIBA droughts, their own country’s indifference, 9/11.

With eyes laser-focused on the red, white and blue name stitched on the front of their jerseys, they embraced all that adversity. They embraced European basketball, one trapezoidal possession at a time. And shook down perceived shortcomings, one suffocating lesson in team at a time.

Podium please.

Gentlemen, you’re back on top of the world.

To see pictures of the road to victory visit www.facebook.com/nikebasketball

Los Angeles: All Together Now

TheLetterJ — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:45:11 GMT

Individually they are stars in their own right.

Kobe burns brightest, a collection of accolades that add up to having been part of the "best player alive" conversation for more than a decade. To arguments involving the "greatest of all time" tag line.

You know what's coming. You just can't stop it. On either end of the floor.

But Pau Gasol remade the Lakers into a complete, annual title contender. Consider that par for his career course: Rookie of the Year, All-Star, championship centerpiece.

A clinic in form and function. Footwork and technique of a man half his size.

And Lamar Odom morphs frontline size with backcourt skills, transforming between spots on the floor as easily as he transitions between the starting lineup and supersub.

The "Candyman" can. He makes the game taste good from every angle.

It's a point guard's duty to share; it's a leader's duty to come up big with the game on the line. Taking charges leads to bruised body parts. Dagger threes add up to Derek Fisher's championship rings.

Forgetting about the numbers. Caring only about the bottom line.

Shannon Brown's ability to mold his game to fit the unique adaptations of the Lakers' vaunted triangle - while turning all that athleticism into highlight reel defense - translates directly into his key rotational role.

Throwing it down. It more than rhymes with his game.

Together they are defending their crown.

Right-click and save the "All Together Now" wallpaper below.

The Moment: Spooky Kobe

TheLetterJ — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:57:52 GMT

Take their spooky 7-point halftime lead.

Even with 62 points at intermission, the Lakers left just enough malaise on the first two quarters for a palpable sense of worry to waft over the Staples Center air.

Kobe's baseline jumper to beat the first half buzzer should have been the first clue.

If it wasn't, he made sure the entire 3rd quarter reduced any level of Western Conference Finals wonder - to be replaced simply by amazement.

The Moment is about the process of turning a spooky halftime lead into a 12-minute stretch of masterpiece basketball theater.

It's about Kobe - who barely spent a minute on the practice floor all week - unveiling every part of his repertoire exactly when the Lakers needed it most. The ruthless efficiency of the vaunted triangle; the ultimate puppeteer calling - and taking - the shots.

In the interim: 21 points that felt like 100. A single win that feels like two.

As commanding as a one-game series lead can be.

The Moment as further supporting evidence of the league's most-talented supporting cast:

Lamar Odom's career-postseason-high 19 rebounds paired neatly with Pau Gasol's ho-hum 21 points.

The Moment as further testimony of the league’s most-lethal postseason leading man.

The Collection 3.0: Nike Zoom Kobe V iD KidHollywood

TheLetterJ — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:55:10 GMT

No purchase required. Enter. Win. With thousands of designs in between. Legal US residents 13 or older had from 12:01 AM on March 2 to 11:59 PM on March 9 to submit their customized Nike Zoom Kobe V iD. One lucky winner would take home an autographed pair of the winning shoes, receive a ticket to the Lakers vs. Trail Blazers game on April 11, round trip airfare and hotel accommodations. Kobe picked the winner. This is his story.

Jason Hamilton (twitter.com/kidhollywood) is 28 years old. Like most twenty-somethings born and raised in the Los Angeles area, he's just old enough to remember the "Showtime" Lakers.

"I want to say it was 1987 or 1988. I started following sports, really getting into them. And as a little kid growing up in LA, I just tried to watch the Lakers every time they were on TV."

For young Jason, the Lakers became appointment viewing.

"I absolutely fell in love with their tempo. It was run and gun - and they won."

Kobe

"I actually started following Kobe in high school. I was just starting high school myself, had friends that played basketball and just enjoyed following the other good players all around the country. Seeing Kobe's highlights on TV, I liked his game even then."

But Jason was hooked on more than highlight-reel dunks.

"His tenacity - even back then - he was really brining it. It seemed like all he wanted to do was win."

Kobe to LA

"There are some players that just come in (to the league) and sparkle. And Kobe seemed to have that aura about him from the first time I saw him in a Lakers uniform. With Kobe it was even more special - because back then, high school kids being drafted was still kind of new."

It's safe to say Jason believed Kobe would one day become a superstar.

"Even when he struggled early, it showed. But the first moment I remember thinking of him like that came in the playoffs against the Spurs in 1999. He wanted to take over and be the leader. He showed that he could take over in spurts."

Kobe's tenacity continued to make a mark on Jason.

"Just his will to win. Growing up in LA when I did, the Lakers were always really good throughout the 'Showtime' era. So you have to have that will to win - and Kobe obviously did."

The Contest

"Once I learned there was a NIKEiD contest to design a shoe that Kobe would actually wear in a game, I had to be a part of it. I'd designed iD shoes before - the Zoom Kobe IV. And of course, I had to put 'Showtime' on the back of those."

Nike

"I've been a Nike fan since I was a little kid. The first shoes I can even remember wearing were Nikes."

The reason?

"Style. Pure style. I like a little bit of flash - and Nike just never seemed to make anything that was bland."

His Design

"I wanted to get some information - when Kobe was going to be wearing them, who they were playing against, what jerseys they were going to be wearing. I thought a lot about the style side of it: it just had to match. It's easy to go off and create some crazy shoe with crazy colors."

Jason's ultimate design barometer?

"The fact that they were going to be playing on Sunday, at home - that means the white-on-whites."

The second design guideline was more subtle.

"It also needed to match Kobe's personality - how he shines on the court. That's why I picked the Metallic Silver: I wanted this shoe to be an extension of the way he plays."

The final detail?

"The 'ice' sole represents the ice in Kobe's veins that allows him to hit big shots when his team needs it the most."

An Autographed Pair

"That's just surreal. The people that I've told about it are even more excited than I am! But I'm super excited. A hero of mine is wearing shoes that I designed and on top of that, he's going to sign them!"

And that makes them a borderline family heirloom.

"There's no way I'm ever giving these up. It's something from my heart that I'll pass down to my children one day."

The Game

"This will be my sixth Lakers game this season. And so far, I've seen five victories."

It's special for another reason, too.

"It's my sister's birthday. So she's probably even more excited than I am."

What's next?

"I can't believe that I get to design another pair - I didn't know that I'd also have the opportunity to design my own. But I've already got another pair of shoes coming that I designed a few weeks ago - so I'll just get my own pair of the design I made for Kobe."

All that's left is getting a handle on all that excitement.

"It's really unbelievable. Out of all the people who entered the contest, I actually won. I'm ecstatic! It's actually very cool for my family - everyone's able to tell their friends, 'my brother or my son designed these shoes so you have to watch the game!' - so they've been having a really good time with it."

"It's really an honor. Kobe's one of the greatest players of all-time. It's all about the shoes, it's not about me."

In addition to the Black Mamba, look for many of the Lakers to wear the Nike Zoom Kobe V iD KidHollywood, including Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, Shannon Brown, Josh Powell and Luke Walton.

If you want to pick up a pair of Nike Zoom Kobe V iD KidHollywood for yourself, or customize a pair of your own, check out NIKEiD.com now.

The Collection 3.0: Zoom Kobe IV

TheLetterJ — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:47:33 GMT

On Sunday afternoon, the Denver Nuggets came into Staples Center with a 2-0 record against the Los Angeles Lakers this season. And it would be the first time both teams were at full strength.

The Lakers trailed 52-43 at halftime, and trailed by 11 in the third quarter. Led by Lamar Odom, the Lakers turned up the defensive pressure, and earned the victory, 95-89. Lamar finished with 20 points - 9 in the fourth quarter - and grabbed 12 rebounds to go with 4 steals. After dropping two games to the Nuggets this season, the Lakers were able to turn back the clock to last year's Western Conference, and reestablish Los Angeles as the cream of the Western Conference.

Lamar also turned back the clock on Sunday, as he wore the Zoom Kobe IV.

Check out the photos, and speak your mind in the comments.

All-Star Round-Up: Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks

TheLetterJ — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:00:56 GMT

The 2010 Eastern and Western Conference NBA All-Star starters will be announced on Thursday, January 21 - right before a game between the Lakers and the Cavaliers. One week later, on January 28, the remaining All-Stars will be named, after the the results of each conference's coaches vote are announced.

nikebasketball.com will be taking a look at players from all over the league, and stating the case on why specific players have earned a vote from the coaches.

Today: The Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks.

Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe Bryant

Season stats: 29.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.90 SPG

Before any numbers are allocated, spoken of and/or debated - one could, say, argue that Kobe is playing at an even higher level than his 2008 MVP season - it should be noted: dude’s doing it all with a broken finger. The former scoring champ currently sits third among league leaders; the perennial All-Defensive Team member is also sixth in steals. Add it all up and the Lakers' .763 winning percentage leads the pack. That's what happens when the Black Mamba enters The Zone.

Pau Gasol

Season stats: 16.8 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 1.73 BPG, 55.4%FG

Hamstrung by alternating bad wheels, Gasol has only played in 22 games. Had he appeared in enough contests to qualify, Gasol would currently preside at his annual level among the league's most-skilled and efficient bigs: Top-15 in blocked shots, Top-10 in field goal percentage and third overall in rebounding. His November return to the Lakers' lineup immediately coincided with a 10-game winning streak. Overall, the Lakers won 15 of the first 16 games Gasol played in. 14 double-doubles - including three 20-rebound efforts - in 22 outings ain’t bad.

Lamar Odom

Season stats: 9.5 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.9 APG

Super-sub at any of the five positions. Starter in a pinch - evidenced by 21 trips out for the opening tip due to ailing teammates. Odom is nearly averaging a double-double on the season for a reason: he's already recorded 10 of them. Whether he's flashing those point guard roots on the Lake Show break or annihilating the offensive glass for back-breaking putbacks, Odom's play is a big reason the Lakers have spent the season's first half challenging Cleveland for the league's best record.

New York Knicks

David Lee

Season stats: 18.9 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 3.1 APG, 56.9% FG

Death. Taxes. And David Lee double-doubles. Approaching the hallowed 20/10 benchmark of the NBA's truly elite, Lee is about to blow the roof off of his trademark "all-hustle" game and enter the realm of simply lethal frontcourt players. Displaying extended shooting range - without forgetting the "true banger" ethos that endeared him to the New York faithful - Lee is perhaps the biggest reason that the Knicks are one of 2010's most surprising squads. He currently holds Top-10 marks for total rebounds and field goal percentage and a Top-5 ranking on the defensive glass.

Who do you think deserves a trip to Dallas from these teams?

Play With Heart Moments: October 27, 2009

TheLetterJ — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:39:14 GMT

Check out Play With Heart moments from opening night in the NBA from LeBron, Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce, Lamar Odom, and Greg Oden.

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LeBron played like the MVP he is, scoring 38 points and dishing out 8 assists. But his Play With Heart moments came on the defensive end: two transition blocks to stop Boston from scoring easy points.

Cleveland didn't get the W, as Paul Pierce was clutch in the fourth quarter. In the final 1:03, Pierce hit two jumpers, and knocked in two free throws to ice the 95-89 victory.

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On ring night in Los Angeles, the Lakers beat the hometown rival Clippers, 99-92. Kobe Bryant played a complete game, with 33 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and 4 steals. Lamar Odom was ready to play, finishing with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists--including two highlight passes in the first half.

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In Portland, Greg Oden showed how to Play With Heart in other ways than scoring points. He had 12 rebounds and 5 blocks as he helped Portland beat Houston, 96-87.

What was your favorite Play With Heart moment from Tuesday?

Congratulations Lakers

GoodN81 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:14:10 GMT

It was during the 2nd quarter when a 16-0 run turned a 9 point deficit in to a 12 point lead for the Lakers that you could tell they had no intention of letting that lead go—and they didn’t. Each player wearing the purple and gold stepped their game up as they sought their franchises 15th NBA Championship Trophy.

Clutch 3-pointers by Trevor Ariza (15 pts) and Lamar Odom (17 pts), all over rebounding by Pau Gasol (14 pts, 15 rbd) in the paint, excellent defense by Derek Fisher (13 pts) and of course Kobe's (30 pts, 5 ast, 4 blks, 2 stl, 6 rbds) team leadership and unstoppable drive to win combined to secure the 2009 NBA Title for the Lakers Sunday night in Orlando as the beat the Magic, 99-86.

The road to the championship trophy was not easy for Los Angeles. Although they entered each round of the Playoffs as the favorites they were challenged each step of the way. But as winning teams do when faced with adversity they stepped their game up to overcome each obstacle. And as a result of their perseverance and dedication to one goal they are the 2009 NBA Champions.

The Finals: Games 1 & 2 Recap

GoodN81 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:36:13 GMT

Want to make a statement in the first game of the NBA Finals? Try dropping 40 pts, 8 ast and 8 reb. That’s exactly how Kobe led the Lakers to a game 1 victory against Orlando last week. That triple double flirtation complimented by strong play from Pau Gasol and great numbers off the bench from Lamar Odom, set the tone for the 100-75 victory.

Determined to head back to Orlando with the series tied up, the Magic returned to the Staples Center for Game 2 looking for revenge.

Unfortunately for them, LA brought their own brand of ferocity back to the court that night.

Energized by the clutch late-game shots of Pau, the Lakers were able to take control of the court in OT and survive a resurgent Magic squad that could've won in regulation but for a alley-oop lay-up that missed by inches. As overtime wore on, even the heroics of Rashard Lewis wasn’t enough to combat the team play of the purple and gold.

Tonight the party moves to Orlando, as the Magic try get their first Finals victory in franchise history. At the same time look for Kobe and company to try and draw one game closer to the title.

The Collection: Zoom Kobe IV iD Lakers Edition

GoodN81 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:40:46 GMT

It wasn’t just Kobe's kicks that were different last Thursday night.

During the 100-75 rout of the Orlando Magic, the supporting cast of The Lake Show could be seen dominating both sides of the court wearing NikeiD Zoom Kobe IVs, customized specifically for the NBA Finals.

On route to an important game 1 victory, the unstoppable teamwork of Trevor Ariza, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Josh Powell and Shannon Brown was intensified by the one-of-a-kind combination of purple and yellow on a gleaming white base.

Next Tuesday, when the squad laces up in Orlando they’ll be sporting their Kobe IVs in a colorway designed for the road, also customized through NikeiD. Both styles are available for purchase or you can create your own at NikeiD.

The Family: L.A. Silences the Jazz

Hotnix — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:53:11 GMT

No man can do it alone. That’s the lesson the Lakers have learned. And it’s a lesson they continued to put into practice as the entire squad stepped up to shut down the Jazz.

Last night was the night. Los Angeles was determined to end a series that perhaps they should’ve sweeped. And from the moment they hit the floor they smothered Utah on both offense and defense, pushing the lead to as much as 22 point.

The big story is Lamar Odom, who for most of the game led all scorers. His silky smooth 26 points were matched with 15 hard fought rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots.

And despite a reported ankle injury, Trevor Ariza looked 100% as he terrorized Utah with 2 monster blocked shots that translated to easy fast break points, seven rebounds, a steal and 12 solid points.

The L.A. big men dominated throughout the series, overpowering Utah’s undersized front court. Last night Pau Gasol continued his All-star worthy season with a 17 point, 11 rebound performance. And although Andrew Bynum is still finding his way back to health, his size and presence was felt early on.

But what’s the postseason without a little drama? After spending most of the game leading by as much as 22, the Lakers got a little too comfortable. And the Jazz made their move. Led By Deron Williams’ quick feet and the relentless offense and defense of Andrei Kirelinko, Ronnie Brewer and Matt Harpring, they were able to close the gap to 10.

Kobe wasn’t having it. He spent the night picking pockets, defying gravity and breaking tackles on his way to scoring by any means necessary. After a an impossible fadeaway jumper in the last seconds of the first half, and a third quarter fast break a collision with a ref, he racked up 31 points and five steals to close out the Jazz 107-96.

The Family: Playoffs Preview

Hotnix — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:45:45 GMT

With the regular season just about history, it’s time to turn our attention toward the Greatest Show On Earth, aka the postseason. Two months of intense desire, amazing finishes, and furious battles. The games are played with the sure knowledge that anything less than full effort means a premature end to championship dreams.

Let’s begin our look ahead with the team that came up just short last season, and is gearing up to erase that bitter ending from their collective memory—the Los Angeles Lakers. Showtime is back on the coast, as the #1 seed out west is favored to make it back to the ultimate round.

Leading the way…well, you already know about Kobe Bryant. Great talent, sure, but also an incredible competitive streak, a ferocious defender, and a player who can will his team to victory, either in a game or a series. Simply put, Kobe has to be accounted for at all times, even when he’s taking a breather on the sideline—just his glare from the bench gets his teammates motivated.

One of those sidekicks is critical to L.A. making that leap to winning it all. Andrew Bynum was just shoving his way into the elite big man category when he went down with a knee injury. Fortunately, it wasn’t as serious as the one he suffered last season, when he missed that showdown with Boston. Bynum has made his return, and should provide the missing piece to the puzzle in the paint. L.A. was brutalized inside by the Green Machine last year—that won’t happen with Bynum around.

The Bryant and Bynum combo isn’t all L.A. has to offer. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom were pushed around pretty good by Boston’s bigs last year, and they are eager for redemption. Gasol has been berserk this campaign, averaging just shy of 20 and 10. Thursday night, with Bynum back and occupying defenders, Pau pounded Denver to the tune of 27 points and 19 rebounds, his third double-double in four games. Odom is always a double-double threat every night, too, showing a rare ball-handling, shooting, post-up versatility. More importantly, the tandem has taken the opportunity to establish more of an inside presence in Bynum’s absence. That’s some serious size and length L.A. can throw at teams when all three are playing, and playing well.

Another player who will be more of a factor this time around is Trevor Ariza. The 6’8” forward has given his team a little of everything this year—a scoring option, solid defense, smart rebounding, and a step up in “want-to.” L.A. has depth to spare, and Ariza is the best of the subs.

Nothing is guaranteed in this league, but it will be a surprise if the purple and gold aren’t in the final two.