Nike Basketball 2014 Christmas Collection

With the holiday season in full swing, Nike Basketball unveils another festive collection of Christmas-themed footwear for three of the brand's signature athletes. Read on for what Nike has to say regarding the design inspirations for the latest round of holiday shoes Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant will be wearing on their Christmas day games.


via Nike

Kobe 9 Elite "Knit Stocking"

Designed to the specifications of Bryant’s fluid style of play, the KOBE 9 is the first basketball shoe to feature Nike Flyknit technology.  The KOBE 9 gets a festive makeover highlighting its knitted aesthetic with a red and white Flyknit upper, taking inspiration from a knit stocking.  Supple leather textures on the tongue and overlays give the shoe a premium feel, accented by a marbled outsole resembling candy canes.  Inside, the shoe reads “Mamba’s Greetings,” a hidden detail from Bryant on the inner tongue.

KD 7 "Egg Nog" 

Driven by a design philosophy to stay light and locked down during sharp cuts, the KD 7 features dynamic Flywire technology, Hyperposite construction and Zoom Air cushioning.  The shoe continues to bring Durant’s personal stories to life – this time paying tribute to his favorite holiday beverage, egg nog.  A red Hyperposite heel integrates glossy flecks emulating the condensation on a glass of egg nog.  “Fresh Since ’88,” Durant’s birth year, emblazons the shoe’s sock liner as a tribute to the holiday beverage Durant has enjoyed since childhood.

LeBron 12 "Akron Birch"
The LEBRON 12 was developed to meet James’s performance needs based on research from the Nike Sport Research Lab. Nike Zoom Air technology is brought to a new level on this shoe.  The emerald green base combines with the shoe’s photorealistic camouflage upper on the Hyperposite shell. The camo pattern is inspired by Akron, Ohio’s winter weather and includes a birch tree pattern. Black and Hyperpunch micro dots integrate into the camo pattern for a seasonal touch. A notable subtlety of this shoe is the snowflake formed by small hexagons on the tongue loop. 

Out of all the shoes in this year's Nike Basketball Christmas Collection, only the Kobe 9 Elite will be available in local retail stores on December 26. If you're looking to complete the collection, the entire collection will be available at Nike.com on the same date.