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Basketball enthusiasts go gaga over Lakers-themed sneaker options for all the right reasons! The Los Angeles Lakers are the team that most individuals think of when they see purple and gold together.
The Los Angeles Lakers have slowly developed into a world-renowned brand. With 17 NBA titles and the numbers of Hall of Famers like Roger Brown and the late Kobe Bryant suspended from their rafters, it is no wonder their colors are worn worldwide.
With the team's loss to the Denver Nuggets (113-111) in Game 4 of the Conference Finals on May 22, 2023, we thought it would be appropriate to pay tribute to the illustrious franchise by compiling a list of the most iconic colorways of Los Angeles Lakers-themed sneaker models that have been released over the course of their history.
The Adidas Kobe 1/Crazy 1 ‘Lakers’ and four other Lakers-themed sneaker for all the Los Angeles and Lakers fan
1) Converse Weapon
The Converse Weapon was released at the 1986 NBA All-Star Weekend, which was the opportune moment for its release. Converse's most successful sneaker design of the 1980s was a Lakers-themed sneaker that was made entirely of leather and had a white base with purple and gold overlays. This Lakers-themed sneaker went on to become one of the most popular basketball shoes of all time.
Converse leaped at the chance to work with the Lakers and the Celtics because the animosity between the two teams was at an all-time high in the 1980s, and Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were both Converse athletes at the time.
The advertisement titled "Choose Your Weapon" placed the long-standing rivals against one another, each carrying their colorways of the Weapon in a manner that suggested it was being used as an actual weapon. Since then, the Converse Weapon has become inextricably linked with Magic and Bird and the storied competition between the Lakers and the Celtics.
The Converse Lakers-themed sneaker is available at varying prices for sneakerheads.
2) Reebok Question ‘Yellow Toe’
During Kobe's "free agency" with sneakers, he was spotted rocking a wide array of labels on the court. Brands like Reebok, who made Allen Iverson's first signature shoe, the Question, decked out their sneakers in purple and gold.
The upper of this Lakers-themed sneaker is mainly white leather, with gold accents at the toe and heel and purple details throughout. It was a surprising pick, given that Kobe and Iverson were bitter rivals. That said, two have always held a healthy amount of respect for one another. After Kobe's untimely death, Reebok postponed the debut of this Lakers-themed sneaker until 2023.
Eventually, this sneaker was released in February of 2023 as the Reebok Question Mid "Yellow Toe." In reference to the Lakers' rarely-worn alternate all-white uniforms from the 2000s, the bulk of the shoes' leather, mesh, and rubber components sport a glowing wash of pristine white hues throughout their construction.
The Lakers-themed sneakers' nubuck upper and heel tab shine bright yellow, while a royal purple and yellow scheme adorns the lacing loops and the embroidered Reebok logos on the midfoot and tongue. Indulging in the recognizable LA color palette, the pair's signature honeycomb outsole is back for the first time in two years.
This Reebok Lakers-themed sneaker is available for $160 at select retail sites and on the official Reebok retail site.
3) Nike Air Jordan 3/8 Retro ‘Kobe Pack.’
During his 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers, shooting guard Kobe Bryant established himself as one of the NBA's greatest players. He helped the Lakers enter a new era for the franchise. Bringing a fresh perspective to basketball with his enthusiasm and hard work, he won five NBA titles, four NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player honors, two NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards, and two Olympic gold medals. Kobe Bryant has left an unfathomable mark on basketball and is universally regarded as a legend.
Kobe Bryant played the 2002–03 NBA season without sneaker endorsements when his contract with Adidas ended. Instead, the Jordan Brand presented Kobe with Air Jordan 3 & Air Jordan 8 shoes in Lakers-inspired designs. It was one of many prominent manufacturers that tried to attract Bryant. In 2016, Jordan Brand made copies of these two classics to celebrate Bryant's 20 years in the NBA by creating the Air Jordan 3/8 Kobe Pack for Lakers fans and sneakerheads.
Both styles sport a white leather upper, gold and purple elements, and the Jumpman logo in Lakers' colors. However, the Jordan 3s feature a variety of black and gray elephant cement overlays.
The Lakers-themed sneaker, the Air Jordan 3/8 'Kobe Pack,' is available at varying prices for Kobe fans.
3) Nike Kobe 4 ‘Carpe Diem’
Despite Nike's success with the Kobe series, the release of the Nike Kobe 4 shook up the entire performance basketball sector. Kobe desired the world's lightest basketball shoe, and Eric Avar delivered with the low-top Kobe 4. In addition, because of his soccer experience, Kobe sought a shoe that would allow for greater ankle flexibility without sacrificing the necessary stability for a basketball sneaker.
The Nike Kobe 4 took off and became an instant smash because it was the company's first signature sneaker incorporating Flywire and Lunar cushioning.
The Lakers-themed sneaker, 'Carpe Diem' colorway, inspired by the Lakers' 'Hollywood Nights' uniforms, was released in limited editions in 2009. The 'Carpe Diem' is a stealthy black shoe with purple and gold accents that bear Kobe's Black Mamba logo on the toebox and heel overlay in faux snakeskin.
Lakers and sneakers fans can get these sneakers at select retail sites for $500 and more.
4) Nike LeBron 7 ‘Media Day’
In his second year with the Lakers, LeBron James turned to Media Day wearing a colorway of the Nike LeBron 7 that was themed after the Lakers. Fans were drooling after witnessing this mismatched pair of sneakers because the sneaker Jason Petrie designed hadn't seen a throwback version. A white patent leather rand surrounds the sneaker, which has Laker Gold on the left shoe and purple on the right.
LeBron James donned the "Media Day" version of the Lakers-themed sneaker at the league's obligations that took place ahead of the commencement of the 2019-2020 NBA season. The sneaker is available for $200 and above at select and official Nike retail sites.
5) Adidas Crazy 1 "Lakers Home"
Adidas Crazy 1 is the new moniker for what was formerly known as Kobe Bryant's signature basketball footwear, which was developed in partnership with Adidas. This Adidas Lakers-themed sneaker has recently made a comeback in a colorway consisting of white, yellow, and purple, and it features a futuristic-looking textile upper that is decorated with the unmistakable 3-Stripes emblem to the side.
The Lakers-themed sneaker, Adidas Crazy 1 'Lakers Home,' is available for $900 at select retail sites and the official Adidas retail site.
The Lakers' legacy continues to captivate the world. Fans are eager to own a piece of the purple and gold. Through their iconic merchandise, including Lakers-themed sneakers, fans can own a piece of this legendary NBA team.
