words // Nick Engvall
This week’s Eastbay Memory Lane post takes a look at a few of the Reebok basketball shoes from 1995. The unforgettable Reebok Kamikaze and Reebok Kamikaze II, made famous by Shawn Kemp of the Seattle Supersonics, were some of the craziest designs to ever hit the NBA hardwood back then. The Kamikaze and Kamikaze II were also some of the most successful shoes Reebok ever created without Pump technology thanks to Shawn Kemp playing in them during the 1995 and 1996 All-Star Games.
One shoe that might have gone overlooked back then was the Reebok Swingman, worn by Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues. The Swingman might not have been the most sought-after shoe back then, or even today, but it was one of the early options for personalization of your shoes. Sure, it was just a panel set aside for you to write your number on it with a Sharpie, but what other choices were there back then? As we all know, nowadays nearly every footwear company has some form of personalized shoes available.
What do you think was a bigger impact on sneaker culture, the Kamikaze, or the customizable number panel?
Kamikazes probably look real mean under the jean
PLEASE BRING EM BACK,HIGHS,MIDS,AND ESPECIALLY THE LOWS,AND THE KAMIKAZES AND THE SWINGMANS
Iversonsa Qustions are the best reebok b ball shoe!
had the kamikazes and the mids .. still in storage somewhere but beat
Bring the Kamikaze’s back reebok please!!!
Total nostalgia. I remember them both. I was in the 11th grade. Man where does the time go. Kemp was my favorite player back then. His vertical was ridiculous.
Reebok then was on par with Nike on every level. Such a good time to be a ball player with all the options. Need to get back to this level of competition between brands, and then watch the innovation grow.
This is back when Reebok was nice. Come on Reebok, make a move!
Go up one year and bring back the space jams, #11Jordans plz I been looking all over for them.
wish i could cop me another pair of those kamikaze II’s. enjoyed balling in those way back in college when it came out.
Need Those Kamikazes. RBK needs to retro some of there shoes.
I HAVE TO AGREE WITH KICKSAHOLIC2 REEBOK,YOU ALL NEED TO MAKE A BIGTIME MOVE FOR REAL,BRING BACK RETRO’S LIKE THE KAMIKAZE&SWINGMAN,MAKE SOME MIDS AND LOW CUTS AS WELL SINCE HIGH TOPS AREN’T MADE ANYMORE,REEBOK IS MY FAVORITE BRAND,BUT MY FAVORITE BRAND NEEDS TO MAKE A POWER MOVE
Those Kamikaze definately need to come back!
One of the best features on here are these memory lanes (for us old guys lol!)
LOL!! “Can be customized with your number with any pernament marker”