Nike has officially begun to push the boundaries again, relying on artificial intelligence for assistance in the lab as they continue to break ground with some of the most hot and interesting kicks in basketball.
Sneaker icon and enthusiast Nick DePaula took to X/Twitter last week to announce prototypes for athletes, including A’ja Wilson and Victor Wembanyama. He also shared a few pictures of what these futuristic kicks look like in their early design stages.
Despite being an early mock, the shoe has garnered mixed reviews from fans and sneakerheads alike, questioning the design itself and how durable or safe they would be on the hardwood. The “A.I.R” lineup revolves around AI-informed designs representing “a new co-creation process between teams of Nike designers and innovators and the brand’s elite athletes,” showing how the future of shoe design and development is entering a new era.
Nike’s A.I.R. lineup of future footwear concepts — featuring AI-informed designs representing “a new co-creation process between teams of Nike designers & innovators and the brand’s elite athletes.” pic.twitter.com/uzs4h4enO6
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) April 12, 2024
Wilson, who’s been a topic of discussion amongst fans after WNBA newcomer Caitlin Clark received a massive shoe deal before even making her professional debut, is inevitably getting her signature shoe; it’s just a matter of when.
The design team at Nike has something in store for Wilson and some of her other pro-athlete peers. The company has big plans for when it comes to the next generation of kicks, yet only time will tell what her final product will look like.