Gary Payton’s Nike Air Zoom Flight The Glove is Back in Blue for the Holiday Season

The zipper-front sneaker trend picked up heavy steam on the back half of last year, and it’s only getting stronger in the new year. From retro Air Max 95 Zips to the Converse Shai 001 and adidas Don Issue 7 bringing the zipped-up look back to the basketball court, hidden laces are here to stay. Zippered sneakers aren’t new, though, and with the YKK closure back in full force, Nike is returning to the OG, bringing back Gary Payton’s Air Zoom Flight The Glove. In addition to the original black and white colorway, Nike is re-releasing the royal blue version.

The Nike Air Zoom Flight The Glove takes on the same color as the bag of Payton’s famed weed strain, covering the entire silky smooth zipper-front upper in a royal blue shade with a huge white Swoosh curving across the toe from the lateral side. Another white Swoosh is added to the lateral heel of the midsole and the velcro zipper closure.

Nike has had plans to bring out the Air Zoom Flight The Glove for some time now, with word of the black and white pair’s fall return hitting our desk in November last year. Adding a bit more hype to the fire, Steph Curry popped out during this season’s sneaker free agency wearing an OG pair of his teammate Gary Jr.’s Hall of Fame pops’ shoes.

The Nike Air Zoom Flight The Glove Royal will be released Holiday 2026 through Nike and select retailers online and in-store. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is set at $170. To stay up on all the latest retro basketball drops from Nike, download the Sole Retriever App.