Word to Leo Chang.
Yesterday, Nike, Inc. unveiled a series
of cutting-edge, lightweight performance innovations designed for the track,
the basketball court and beyond for this summer.
Multiple products were unveiled, ranging
from the Nike Flyknit footwear, to the USA Basketball uniform, to the next
evolution of NIKE Lunarlon footwear.
Let's talk about basketball then! Let's start with the unis...
Nike Hyper Elite Basketball Uniform
Combining NIKE’S lightest, most
technologically advanced textiles with iconic graphics, the Nike Hyper Elite
Basketball Uniform helps boost players’ performance and communicates the pride
of USA Basketball.
The innovation begins with Nike
Aerographics, an engineered fabric that is a passive cooling solution allowing
greater design and graphic flexibility while creating mesh areas in a garment
without adding seams. It adds graphic interest to a garment that actually
contributes to the performance by increasing air circulation. The Nike Hyper
Elite Shorts to be worn by the USA Basketball team alone weigh in at 14 ounces
lighter than the average shorts currently worn by professional players.
Further, since unveiling Nike Aerographics in 2008, the NIKE design team has
harnessed the technology’s bold design applications and endless graphic
possibilities.
Taking these advancements into
account, the NIKE Hyper Elite Jersey, our lightest jersey ever, features a breathable
and durable design with striking Nike Aerographics. Its 3D-structured Dri-FIT
fabric helps pull sweat away from the skin and reduce cling while a functional
flock screenprint on the inside of the collar provides further sweat
management. The sleeveless v-neck silhouette, including hem vents and modified
armholes, offers mobility while the slim fit reduces bulkiness and distraction.
The jerseys are advanced to iconic
when combined with bold graphics, including contrast color blocking, a
signature pride Nike Aerographics on the back and a country-specific battle cry
on the inside of the neck, helping to inspire players and fans alike. A
federation mark, in addition to the athlete’s name and number, add to the
seminal look. Meanwhile, the fabric of the men’s jersey is made with
approximately 96% recycled polyester. The Nike Hyper Elite Basketball Uniform
saves an average of 22 recycled plastic bottles per jersey---reflecting the
NIKE commitment to considered design.
Conversely, Nike Hyper Elite
Basketball Shorts feature 100% recycled polyester material, highlighting the
same wicking Dri-FIT capabilities of the jersey, as well as four-way stretch
fabric for mobility and comfort. Side-panels feature laser-cut perforations,
supplying ventilation for supplementary sweat management. A waistband with
engineered ventilation perforation and internal drawcord allows for a more
secure, comfortable fit around the waist.
Also, the ever so famous Nike Hyperdunk gets a mind-blowing upgrade! Here's the specs sheet from Nike:
Elevating basketball
performance to the next level, NIKE debuts the Nike Hyperdunk, part of the
landmark Nike Lunarlon Collection. An innovative combination of advanced NIKE
Flywire technology and a basketball-specific NIKE Lunarlon cushioning system,
this light, more supportive, durable and breathable shoe is expressly designed
to meet the demands of elite basketball players worldwide.
The upper of the Nike
Hyperdunk features the most advanced version of NIKE Flywire, which uses
high-strength cables for support and stability. These responsive cables are
loose when at rest and dynamic in motion, tensing to help stabilize the foot. A
synthetic heel clip enhances lockdown, as the engineered foam and mesh of the
upper reduces weight while further increasing breathability, strength and
durability. Simultaneously, the collar of the shoe wraps lower in the back and
higher over the front, increasing flexibility and lateral stability in the heel
and ankle. The open mesh tongue and full inner sleeve provide lightweight
ventilation and a more secure, comfortable fit.
Midsole,
basketball-specific Lunarlon foam cushioning supplies a soft, yet responsive
foundation. Improving upon past models, there is additional foam in key areas,
enhancing lateral stability and durability. A 3-D shaped, glass-reinforced,
composite mid-foot shank offers torsional rigidity and responsiveness. Moving
to the outsole, solid rubber provides durability and traction on a variety of
surfaces while a modified traction pattern and forefoot pivot circle enhance
multi-direction grip. Moreover, a high-wrapping lateral outrigger provides
reinforcement for hard cuts, providing players with the support they need for
high performance.
The new Hyperdunk is so chock-full of technology that it would turn any jock into a nerd! I like it!
But aside from Nike introducing new tech into the game, it's bringing back old favorites to the court... A throwback to all the legendary moments of Team USA on the olympic parquet! From the original Dream Team of Barcelona, to VC's Dunk of Death. I want those uptowns and 2 pairs of 180s!
Nike Sportswear for Basketball
In the summer 1992
fifteen men left the United States and headed east in search of gold. Their
destination was Barcelona. Their calling was Basketball. Their's was a unique
journey. The squad was the first USAB team to feature active professional
basketball players and naturally were considered huge favorites to finish that
summer with gold around their necks. They were referred to, and forever will
be, as The Dream Team. Widely considered one of the strongest teams assembled
in any sport they won every game they played by an average of 44 points.
The team's first game
together came ahead of their flight to Barcelona in Portland, Oregon (a fitting
birthplace for what is to come this summer) and resulted in a victory by a
margin of almost 80 points. The defeated coach summed up the gap between the
Dream Team and his team when he said “You can't cover the sun with your
finger.”
A great summer of
sport happened in Catalan region that summer, but The Dream Team became the
icon of that moment and the influence they created on young sports enthusiasts
around the world can be felt today as you look up and down the rosters the
finest basketball organizations across the United States. The Dream Team's
summer became the moment when Basketball entered households around the world.
To commemorate 20
years since their victory Nike Sportswear has created a line of apparel paying
homage to the team. The standout piece is without doubt The Dream Team
Destroyer Jacket. A premium execution of a silhouette that has become one of
Nike Sportswear's best pieces tells some of the great stories of The Dream
Team's summer. The traditional Destroyer's wool body and leather sleeves is
present, but the detailing is where this piece comes into its own.
Led by Nike
Sportswear Graphic Design Director, Russell Stott and his team the left-side
sleeve features three chenille patches. Each with a different story. "The
uppermost patch shows detail outlining the average point differentiation by
which the team won their games (43.8) as well as a XXV reference to Barcelona
as the 25th 'games' in sporting history. The middle patch talks to some of the
locations that this years team will visit before the summer and the lower patch
utilizes the USAB logo.
On the left-breast of
the jacket there is a USA flag embroidered with inspiration from military and
space travel as well as each game score stitched in. U S A is embroidered in a toweling-effect on the
right-hand side of the body with a USAB pin-badge included. The numbers of the
team's 'starting five' - 15, 9, 7, 14 and 6 - are also embroidered on the
right-sleeve. We've also included a large embroidered XX to represent the 20th
year since the games and "Land of the Free, Home of The Brave' in italicized
fonts above the front pockets on either side.
"When we were
looking through our archives, we also found a replica of the Dream Team jersey
that Nike had created with a message to the team created on the jack tag. We've
re-imagined that graphic on the inside of the jacket, calling out the 20th
anniversary. In addition to The Destroyer Jacket, which is really the pinnacle
piece of the collection we've also created elements of this storytelling on an
AW77 Hoody, Crew sweat, Tees and Caps. In addition to the apparel collection
we're also going to be re-issuing some of the footwear styles that the team
wore for the tournament," added Stott. Nike Sportswear footwear styles
include Nike Air More Uptempo, Nike Shox BB4, Nike Air Force 180, Nike Air Zoom
Huarache 2K4 and Nike Air Force 1 Hi.
I can hardly wait! Word is the basketball line will be available on the 1st of August. Hopefully these will hit our shores.
Here's another thing I want to talk about, The Nike FlyKnit Collection. This genius, out-of-the-box design marvel was unveiled alongside the other tech upgrades... And for me, the FlyKnit stole the show.
NIKE has engineered
knit for performance to create running footwear that features only the
essentials. Employing a new technology called Nike Flyknit, yarns and fabric
variations are precisely engineered only where they are needed for a
featherweight, formfitting and virtually seamless upper.
With all the
structure and support knitted in, the Nike Flyknit Racer’s upper and tongue
weigh just 34 grams (1.2 ounces). The whole shoe weighs a mere 160g (5.6
ounces) for a size 9, which is 19% lighter than the Nike Zoom Streak 3, a shoe
worn by first, second and third place athletes in the men’s marathon at the
2011 World Championships.
While reducing shoe
weight is one aspect of helping runners, the Nike Flyknit upper is also
engineered for a precision fit, creating a feeling of a second skin.
An additional
environmentally sustainable benefit to Nike Flyknit is that it reduces waste
because the one-piece upper does not use the multiple materials and material
cuts used in traditional sports footwear manufacture. Nike Flyknit is truly a
minimalist design with maximum return.
The inspiration for
Nike Flyknit was born from the common runner feedback, craving a shoe with the
qualities of a sock: a snug fit that goes virtually unnoticed to the wearer.
But all the features
that make a sock desirable have proven to make them a bad choice for a running
upper. An inherently dynamic material like yarn generally has no structure or
durability.
NIKE embarked on a
four-year mission of micro-engineering static properties into pliable
materials. It required teams of programmers, engineers and designers to create
the proprietary technology needed to create the knit upper.
The next steps were
to map out where the specific yarn and knit structures were needed. Applying 40
years of knowledge from working with runners, NIKE refined the precise
placement of support, flexibility and breathability – all in one layer.
The result is
precision engineering in its purest form, performance on display. Every element
has a purpose: resulting in one of the lightest, best fitting running shoes
NIKE has ever made.
The Nike Flyknit
Racer is the marathon shoe that the world’s best runners from all over the
world, including those from Kenya, Great Britain, Russia and the US will wear
in this spring’s marathons and in London this summer.
With the knowledge
gained from working with the worlds best marathon runners, NIKE has also
created an everyday running shoe, the Nike Flyknit Trainer+, which at 220 grams
or 7.7 ounces, will bring the weight and fit benefits of Nike Flyknit to
runners of all levels.
Both models will be
available for all runners this coming July.
Nike Flyknit will
debut in a collection that celebrates the performance attributes of the
technology, while at the same time hints at its future capabilities – HTM
Flyknit.
Nike HTM Flyknit Collection
Nike Flyknit will
debut in a collection that celebrates the performance attributes of the
technology, while at the same time hints at its future capabilities - HTM
Flyknit.
HTM signifies the
ongoing collaboration between style leader Hiroshi Fujiwara, Nike design legend
Tinker Hatfield and Nike Inc. CEO and designer Mark Parker.
Since 2002, the three
have worked together to amplify new innovations, reinterpret existing designs
and explore concepts that take the brand to new places.
There are three shoes
in the HTM Flyknit collection:
HTM Racer
Identical to the Nike
Flyknit Racer in function, it features the colors of the US Track and Field
team. This version made its competition debut at the US Track & Field trials
in January 2012.
HTM Trainer+
The HTM Trainer+
pushes the boundaries of what Nike Flyknit could do and showcases the aesthetic
possibilities of fabrics and colors and patterns.
Pushing the
technology in new ways, the HTM Trainer+ also integrates the tongue for an
enhanced fit and shows off the personalization potential of knit, with knit-in
the numbers of each of the collectibles, 1 to 100.
HTM Trainer+
The HTM Trainer+
features a more subtle complexity with a heathered, grey speckle in the fabric.
It also features the Lunarlon midsole for all-day comfort.
There are a bunch of other things that Nike unveiled yesterday, like the new Lunarlon collection, the Pro TurboSpeed Suit, the new Zoom Spikes, and other awesome innovations. I shall spare you all the detailed technical docs, and go straight to the photos!
This just made the summer olympics so much better! I know you want to get better as athletes so we'll keep you updated with all the innovations Nike is cooking up!
Swoosh love!
