[drice4life1753Participant]

 I am curious what players were really big in the media and popularity when you were a kid and starting play or get into basketball.  

At 23 years old, for me it is pretty easy the most iconic players were hands down Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady.  

I know for me it is defintely b/c they had very successful and unique signature shoe lines.  Do you think that affects kids today?  None of the signature lines today (Lillard, Irving, KD) seem as iconic The Answer 4 (iverson zipper shoe) or any of TMacs w/ the classic swoop over the toe. 

The obvious answer is "yes" it still affects kids and people who play the game, but the affect does not seem as great as it used to be.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 I had Kevin Johnsons when I was in first grade, My brother had them and I wanted the exact same ones, And yes long time Suns fan from Phoenix, 

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 I had Kevin Johnsons when I was in first grade, My brother had them and I wanted the exact same ones, And yes long time Suns fan from Phoenix, 

[ropeParticipant]

 I was always a Chuck Taylor guy – hightops on the court and lows off.  Wilt wore them and, really, there weren’t that many options.

That changed later in HS and I ended up with a pair of leather Converse All Stars (like Dr J) that I wore on the court and some low Adidas Superstars (like Kareem) off the court.  

Here is a good old man story about leather sneakers.

Those first ones were way stiffer than current shoes.  One time we had a bus ride to Cheboygan, Michigan in the middle of the winter.  The heat went out on the bus on the way there.

When we got there, not only were we frozen, our shoes were stiff as boards.  One guy had a hair dryer (which we had always made fun of.)  We all used it to warm up our shoes and get them flexible again.  It was a primitive time.  lol

 

 

 

 

 

[ropeParticipant]

 I was always a Chuck Taylor guy – hightops on the court and lows off.  Wilt wore them and, really, there weren’t that many options.

That changed later in HS and I ended up with a pair of leather Converse All Stars (like Dr J) that I wore on the court and some low Adidas Superstars (like Kareem) off the court.  

Here is a good old man story about leather sneakers.

Those first ones were way stiffer than current shoes.  One time we had a bus ride to Cheboygan, Michigan in the middle of the winter.  The heat went out on the bus on the way there.

When we got there, not only were we frozen, our shoes were stiff as boards.  One guy had a hair dryer (which we had always made fun of.)  We all used it to warm up our shoes and get them flexible again.  It was a primitive time.  lol

 

 

 

 

 

[ChewyParticipant]

 I learned never to get a shoe based on a big man (Looking at the Adidas KG and TD shoes). Those KG shoes were the worst i’ve ever worn.

The best were the original Vince Carter Shox. The heal would rip after about a year of use, but they were by far the most comfortable.

Runner up for me was the patent leather black nike hyperflights. Even after wearing them for a season, I continued to weat them to school dances and no one noticed. Not only were my dance moves sick, but my feet felt good doing um!

 

 

[ChewyParticipant]

 I learned never to get a shoe based on a big man (Looking at the Adidas KG and TD shoes). Those KG shoes were the worst i’ve ever worn.

The best were the original Vince Carter Shox. The heal would rip after about a year of use, but they were by far the most comfortable.

Runner up for me was the patent leather black nike hyperflights. Even after wearing them for a season, I continued to weat them to school dances and no one noticed. Not only were my dance moves sick, but my feet felt good doing um!

 

 

[drice4life1753Participant]

 Haha. Love the responses.  I didn’t even know Kevin Johnson had a shoe…damn.  

 

I never had these, but Sprewells "spinners" shoe w/ the rim on them were hilarious.

 

 

[drice4life1753Participant]

 Haha. Love the responses.  I didn’t even know Kevin Johnson had a shoe…damn.  

 

I never had these, but Sprewells "spinners" shoe w/ the rim on them were hilarious.

 

 

[Rip255]

 Reebok pumps. 

Dee brown got ‘pumped up’ and won the dunk contest.

Shaq had the Instapumps and some awesome ads on tv.

 

 

[Rip255]

 Reebok pumps. 

Dee brown got ‘pumped up’ and won the dunk contest.

Shaq had the Instapumps and some awesome ads on tv.

 

 

[sweaterflexParticipant]

I had no clue Kevin Johnson had his own shoes, were they available nationally? I rocked Penny’s and Iverson’s, and I also had a random pair of Michael Vick basketball shoes (they existed!) in 2004. 

[sweaterflexParticipant]

I had no clue Kevin Johnson had his own shoes, were they available nationally? I rocked Penny’s and Iverson’s, and I also had a random pair of Michael Vick basketball shoes (they existed!) in 2004. 

[festar35Participant]

The amount of money I invested in the Vince Carter shox is a ridiculous. They cost about $400 over here and I always had numerous pairs, but man I loved those shoes and Vince Carter as well, what a ball player.

The guy I worshiped growing up was Reggie Miller, continually running his mouth, looking and acting like the underdog and getting under every opponents skin, man I loved it.

At high school the Pacers were quite terrible and I spent a lot of time watching Nowitzki and would practice his fade away every day and got not bad at it (for a 6ft SG/SF) was pretty good shot up until I got to guys about 6’6 or taller.

[festar35Participant]

The amount of money I invested in the Vince Carter shox is a ridiculous. They cost about $400 over here and I always had numerous pairs, but man I loved those shoes and Vince Carter as well, what a ball player.

The guy I worshiped growing up was Reggie Miller, continually running his mouth, looking and acting like the underdog and getting under every opponents skin, man I loved it.

At high school the Pacers were quite terrible and I spent a lot of time watching Nowitzki and would practice his fade away every day and got not bad at it (for a 6ft SG/SF) was pretty good shot up until I got to guys about 6’6 or taller.

[Make’Em Say UGHParticipant]

drice4life1753 took me back with this thread! I’m 25 so I can relate, everything was exploding around middle school for me. I had a pair of the T-MAC 2 Adidas but moms never bought any Reebok Answers like I loathed lol.

I couldn’t agree more about the ‘player effect’ not being the same. I had the cornrolls just like AI and my friends and I would cut our mom’s church socks to wear as the Iverson sleeve! haha (way before you could just buy any)

There were fewer signature deals then so I think the branding and delivery was way better and hyper focused: The T-MAC 5 commercial where he goes 1 – on – the entire crowd and sprouts black wings for example!

[Make’Em Say UGHParticipant]

drice4life1753 took me back with this thread! I’m 25 so I can relate, everything was exploding around middle school for me. I had a pair of the T-MAC 2 Adidas but moms never bought any Reebok Answers like I loathed lol.

I couldn’t agree more about the ‘player effect’ not being the same. I had the cornrolls just like AI and my friends and I would cut our mom’s church socks to wear as the Iverson sleeve! haha (way before you could just buy any)

There were fewer signature deals then so I think the branding and delivery was way better and hyper focused: The T-MAC 5 commercial where he goes 1 – on – the entire crowd and sprouts black wings for example!

[Champzilla21Participant]

 Tmacs shoes man, Every baller i knew had these at one point in their lives. Just an awesome shoe. But my favourite were the And1 Tai Chi’s that Carter wore during the dunk comp. If i could find some in my size i would get them right now in a heartbeat.

[Champzilla21Participant]

 Tmacs shoes man, Every baller i knew had these at one point in their lives. Just an awesome shoe. But my favourite were the And1 Tai Chi’s that Carter wore during the dunk comp. If i could find some in my size i would get them right now in a heartbeat.

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

I think I’m pretty old compared to most of the guys on here, when I was a teen the big names were MJ (of course), Larry Johnson, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, ‘Nique. Magic was still really popular despite retiring in 91 and strangely enough Ewing seemed more popular than Olajuwon till the Rockets started to win titles. Karl Malone, Stockton, Tim Hardaway, Kevin Johnson, Reggie Miller, Drexler, Pippen, Isiah Thomas were all big names too. In my late teens, O’Neil, Kemp, Mourning, Payton, Grant Hill, Chris Webber started to take over as the new kids on the block.

And yes, the shoes were iconic. The Converse Aero James for LJ were sick and everybody in my neighbourhood wanted the Patrick Ewing 33’s.

 

 

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

I think I’m pretty old compared to most of the guys on here, when I was a teen the big names were MJ (of course), Larry Johnson, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, ‘Nique. Magic was still really popular despite retiring in 91 and strangely enough Ewing seemed more popular than Olajuwon till the Rockets started to win titles. Karl Malone, Stockton, Tim Hardaway, Kevin Johnson, Reggie Miller, Drexler, Pippen, Isiah Thomas were all big names too. In my late teens, O’Neil, Kemp, Mourning, Payton, Grant Hill, Chris Webber started to take over as the new kids on the block.

And yes, the shoes were iconic. The Converse Aero James for LJ were sick and everybody in my neighbourhood wanted the Patrick Ewing 33’s.

 

 

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