ADIDAS UNVEILS THE 2013 NBA ALL-STAR GAME UNIFORMS

I've been on a basketball uniform craze as of late. I've been obsessing on materials, construction and quality (you'll find out why soon enough). I've been studying the intangible factors as well - like how the team's attitude would reflect on the uniform, or how their style of play would be enhanced by the tailoring and material of the jersey.

I wouldn't say I'm an expert at it already, but I know a good make when I see one.

Let me just say this: Adidas came up a solid uniform for this year's All-Star game. Check it out below.

AIR JORDAN 5 "FIRE RED" | TITAN RELEASE

I was working on this poster on a plane, over Visayan airspace, headed for Bacolod. "ATTACK FROM ABOVE" literally! But hold on, it's not about me... It's the shoes! Word to Spike.

This Saturday, January 26, the much awaited classic will finally return. Prepare for combat folks because this is a free-for-all, first come/first served release... So look alive!

But if you are a TITAN PLAYERS' CLUB member, you don't have to sweat that much; Just for today, January 24, Titan is opening up reservation slots up until 12:00MN. You have about an hour to safeguard your pair.

The Air Jordan 5 "Fire Red" will be available at select Titan doors - TwoParkade, Burgos Circle, Taft, Katipunan and also on the Webstore.



ATTACK FROM ABOVE.

#FLOTG

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REEBOK ANSWER IV 'BLACK/GREY' | DETAILED PHOTOS

Growing up, it was very hard not to respect Allen Iverson's abilities on the court. Whether you loved him or hated him, it's undeniable that his exciting, and somewhat controversial, career has changed the game for the better.

For the young cats out there, Allen Iverson's relevance is very difficult to describe in a few short paragraphs - I suggest you get familiar and hit google and YouTube, witness the documented magic yourself. But for the not-so-youngbloods such as myself, there are no write-ups necessary.

To put it simply: The Answer can ball.

This Saturday, January 19, our favorite hoops joint TITAN will pay homage to one of the most important shoes in the history of basketball.

The Answer IV, which AI rocked during his incredible MVP and championship run, will release exclusively and in limited quantities in Titan TwoParkade, Taft, RONAC, and Katipunan. Few pairs are also allocated for their online store.

The Reebok Answer IV will retail for Php 7, 595.00.

Own a piece of history. If you grew up rocking broad shouldered jerseys, improvised shooting sleeves, and shin-length baggy ball shorts, trust me... You need these.

Peep the detailed photos below.

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SBTG X TITAN X UNSCHLD "RETURN TO DEER VALLEY"

The day is almost upon us. This Thursday, November 22, Basketball retail giant TITAN, local street wear powerhouse UNSCHLD, and the legendary artist SBTG join forces once again for another monumental collaboration.

"RETURN TO DEER VALLEY" is the sequel to the highly successful DEER VALLEY TITANS project of 2011. The Deer Valley Titans - consisting of Andro Torres, Brandon Cablay, Tony Dela Cruz, Marc Pingris, PJ Simon, Vaughn Canta, and Sudan Daniel - are set to return stronger than ever to defend the throne they conquered.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW /// CONVERSE MVP MID

Whoa... It's been a while since I did a review. Great to be doing this again! Anyway...

For a month, I used the Converse MVP Mid to our local open runs. In previous reviews, I based my performance assessment solely on a single-day skirmish. This time, though, I ran with the shoe through four consecutive runs to get a more intimate understanding of the shoe.

But before we go further into the review, let's talk about the aesthetics first.

The Converse MVP Mid shares the same design DNA as the Converse Defcon Mid (as reviewed here). A synthetic one-piece vamp forming a seamless cage encasing the foot. Buy one major difference, or should I say upgrade, from The Star's previous top-tier basketball footwear is the incorporation of Nike's marquee innovation - The FLYWIRE. We'll discuss its performance benefits later.

The integration of Flywire aesthetically gives the shoe a sense of effectivity on the court. In my pair, the bright streaks of thread come alive against the black upper.

The finish of the shoe fades from the very dark toe and forefoot, to the very bright collar and heel counter. As I was lacing it up, the Converse MVP immediately broke necks - even the ones that were on the court!

The color pops... And to say that it's bright is an understatement. The fading color blocking truly sets it off. I would definitely buy these on looks alone.

Let's now proceed to the performance assessment of the shoe.

INTRODUCING: THE NIKE KD V

From the mind of Leo Chang comes Kevin Durant's fifth signature shoe - The KD V. It is Kevin Durant's heart and soul manifested in a shoe; it's design is the most honest and pure yet.

The Nike KD line, in my opinion, has become the most genuine and conceptually rich among the footwear franchises today. The V just proves my point.

The depth of the concept is remarkable. Still present are the minute details that tell KD's history, a tapestry of symbols that represent his deep and unwavering love for his family and hometown. But completely unique to this model is the incorporation of the numeric symbol "V" and the pentagon. Symbolizing his fifth shoe, the "V" is also a representation of the "team" - five men on the court aiming for victory. On the other hand, the Pentagon is a literal symbolism of The Pentagon, the military landmark in his hometown Washington, D.C.

The KD V is a truly inspired piece of art. Yes, I said ART. It looks like art, and I'm sure it performs like one, too. This partnership of Leo Chang and KD will go down in Nike Basketball's 20 year history as one of the most exciting and inspiring footwear lineages to ever grace the hardwood.

I just had to do this - The KD V on my feet. Are you inspired yet? The detail on the tongue is crazy...

Thank you FIVE TIMES FIVE TIMES, Nike Philippines.

INTRODUCING: THE NIKE LEBRON X

Just a year ago, I hated LeBron James with a passion. But now, I'll be the first to admit that he has gained my respect. Although I am still one of his biggest critics, he has showed me and the rest of the world enough of himself and his abilities to make believers out of haters.

LeBron James through the years has developed the type of maturity that can only be molded from the pain of defeat, year after agonizing year. Resiliency forged alone in the fire of hate; both internally and from the masses. And the skill - not the raw, untamed kind - but the one acquired from constant pressure and battering. LeBron has been through the very bottom of the fiery pit, all the way to the top of the world.

Nike acknowledges this journey, and so for their tenth outing they created a shoe that would reflect everything LeBron has been through and his transformation.

PHIL KNIGHT BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME SPEECH

Phil Knight, co-founder and current Chairman of Nike, Inc, summed it all up in this phrase:

"As Bernard Malamud pointed out 'Without heroes we don't know how far we can go", and we saw that as part of our job.

And what a fun job it was - to expand heroes in the public consciousness. A task done right not only sell shoes, but expands the game."

NIKE+ BASKETBALL PRESENTS: JUS FLY DUNK AT LA LIVE

Last Friday in downtown Los Angeles at LA Live, NIKE+ Basketball made its public debut. In round one of the NIKE+ Basketball Dunk Contest, Jus Fly produced one for the all-time lists...

A Front-Flip into a Between-The-Legs Jam!
#SICK

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I can hardly wait for the new Hyperdunk to drop.

#MakeItCount

#GameOnWorld

SIXTEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING

Okay. I just need to get this off my chest real quick.

I was doing work for a couple of industry friends when my internet went down. I was on playoff silence up until lunchtime. I immediately went online to check what I missed, then I saw this tweet:

Has the world corrected itself? Has justice finally been served, and past transgressions rectified?

The Oklahoma City Thunder is en route to basketball's biggest and grandest stage, fully capable of taking it all. Am I excited? Not really. As far as I'm concerned, basketball season ended when The Lakers went home. #Salty

But you know, there is something innately romantic about this storyline.

Without thinking or analyzing too much, there is no situation wherein the Thunder couldn't take it all. They got Westbrook's speed and athleticism (you can make the arguement that he's too much of a ballhog. I will not fight you on that), they got inside presence thanks to Ibaka, they got instant firepower courtesy of Harden, Collison is solid, Thabo can defend, Perk can at least be a distraction inside. They have Fish's experience... And they have KD - the MVP (Durant got robbed. There is no way he wasn't the best player this season. Sue me.) They have a good coach. They can score anywhere. They can run. They are fast. They are young... And they are deep. Deeper than Miami, and certainly deeper than Boston.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are not just capable of becoming champions; Above all things, they deserve to be one.

Fish deserves it. Durant sure as hell deserves it.

That's because less than a year ago, these gentlemen worked hard to keep the game alive. Fish negotiated tirelessly to salvage whatever's left of the 2012 season, while KD "NEVER STOPPED" doing work to keep basketball relevant. His adventures are well documentated on YouTube.

I really do believe that these people deserve to win the 'chip. Because, as corny as it sounds, without them we wouldn't even be having this discussion. We wouldn't be able to see regular season games, let alone the playoffs. There would be no heckling and laughing; no hearts broken, nor wagers won.

They deserve the league's highest recognition because it was Fisher and Durant that kept the league - and the game we love the most, exciting during one of basketball's darkest moments.

I'm not saying we should all cheer for The Thunder because of them. That's bandwagoning! Plus that would just be plain stupid. But you have to respect the team: where they came from and where they are now, their hunger, and their resiliency.

Just like from seasons of old, we find the basketball dieties smiling on one team... And this year, they seem to believe OKC got it.

I couldn't agree more.

Truth be told, I'm still not over The Laker's exit in the hands of Durant and his farm boys. It may be hard to swallow but in situations like this, I always root for the team that eliminated LAL; at least I can say we lost to the champs.

I call OKC to win it. Not just because they can. But because they should. They've earned it.

SLAM #156

Im a big fan of PGs. I appreciate the fact that they control essentially every aspect of the game. How about you? Well, if you are like me, then you are in for a treat my friend!

SLAM #156 features a plethora of great court generals, all of which I idolize! Inside there's a quick feature on my High School hero - "Cool Cat" Mike, a well written piece on The Cobra Commander/The Lee-thal Weapon, a no holds barred article with The Sol Train, Lob City's very own CP3, a heartwarming tell-all for the Magic Man (#GOAT #FightMe)... And of course, the SLAM-UP - One side features a Spanish rookie phenom, on the other a local 1-Guard Big Man who looks like Obama and J.Cole!

Cop 'em now (I always double up. I tear off and post the Slam-Up/Poster from one copy, and keep the other copy mint)! Available at all quality bookstores and retailers!

Shouts to SLAM Philippines for my monthly fix.
Sick photo credits go to @Archietekt

SKILL LVL: ASIAN /// THE JEREMY LIN SHOW

#NoRACIST.

I am telling you, this is blog worthy. Watch the video and see how New York Knickerbocker Jeremy Lin single-handedly dismantled New Jersey!

6:03 was just too much.

BASKETBALL. #morefuninthePHILIPPINES

Kobe knows it!

100 : 1

100 : 1.

DEFENSE TAKES NO DAYS OFF.

Word.