Kanye West is already facing an early dilemma surrounding the on-court debut of his first Adidas Yeezy basketball sneaker, following reports that the NBA will ban the anticipated silhouette from the hardwood.
According to ESPN’s Nick DePaula on Twitter, the current variation of the model features a gleaming 3M reflective heel, which the league finds potentially distracting for fans watching in the arena and for spectators viewing at home.
However, there is an outside shot at the shoes seeing game action.
According to Christopher Arena, the NBA’s vice president of identity, outfitting and equipment, companies usually are submitted for approval for the first half of the season by early August. But sneakers scheduled to be worn post-All-Star break are required to be approved by early December, which means the Yeezy basketball model — with a potential early 2019 release date — may still make an on-court debut this season.
This year, the NBA ruled that players no longer need to wear shoes coinciding with the team’s uniform colors.
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West and Adidas are still expected to release their Yeezy basketball sneaker sometime next year, but the pair’s official release date and retail pricing have yet to be announced. According to West, this model has been in development for more than 3 years and undergone close to 300 sample alterations.
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