The famous designer’s latest performance basketball sneaker will be exclusively for hoopers in China. With the growing popularity of basketball in China, the availability of outdoor basketball courts has grown significantly in number, as well. As a result, many basketball models released in China tend to use special rubber compounds that wear down slower than compounds used for traction on a finished wooden basketball court. These models are known as “XDR,” Xtra Durable Rubber with outsoles featuring the unique rubber compound.
The Nike Air Raid was Tinker Hatfield and Mark Parker’s solution for outdoor hoopers in the US back in the early 1990s. Creating a sound foundation and added lockdown while maintaining a weight light enough for top-tier athletic performance on the outdoor courts, strapping into the Nike Air Raid meant you were ready for battle on the court. Now in 2022, we have the Nike Zoom Court Dragon, an ode to the Air Raid with upgraded styling to bring the design into modern times, with a little added flair. The flat, yet slightly decoupled outsole features oval pods of herringbone traction and Nike Swoosh branding on the heel in red. Stability is maintained with the jagged teeth of rubber along the lateral edge of the midsole, as the midfoot rubber of the outsole rises into the midfoot of the upper for additional stability.
The upper features a single, scaly overlay in synthetic leather which rises up through the eyelets, as the laces loop neatly underneath the scaled overlay. A wider, breathable mesh pattern is featured on the toe box, as the tighter mesh is used for the padded tongue. The anterior portion of the upper features the same tight mesh with a fuse Nike Swoosh detail hidden within the mesh. The “X” straps across the midfoot feature a stitched diamond pattern, as the simplified Nike Basketball logo remains prominently displayed at the top of the tongue.
The Nike Zoom Court Dragon Bred is set to release in 2022. It will drop overseas at Nike China, as well as select retailers in-store and online. A retail price is TBA. Keep it locked to our Twitter andMobile App to stay up to date on future releases.
Nike Zoom Court Dragon "Bred"
Color: Black/Dark Smoke Grey-Black-Dark Smoke Grey-University Red
Style Code: DV8166-001
Release Date: 2022 (China exclusive)
Price: TBD
Images via Nike
Jonathan Paek is a writer on sneaker releases and news for Sole Retriever. Catch Jonathan's latest articles here!
