words // Zack Schlemmer

This page will definitely take you back if you were paying attention to Nike Basketball shoes and apparel around the time of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.  The most recognizable and remembered shoe from the ’96 Basketball team is, without a doubt, Scottie Pippen’s Nike Air More Uptempo.  Pippen’s Olympic colorway, complete with his USA Team #8 on the heel, took the bold look of the More Uptempo even further with an even more pronounced color blocking of the giant “AIR” design across the shoe.

Also seen on this page are the Air Much Uptempos, with the same design as the More Uptempo, but without the full Air Max sole.  The rest of the page features classic apparel for the More Uptempos to coincide with USA Olympic colors.  Anybody who studied Eastbay catalogs in 1996 should recall the “Much More Air” t-shirt and “Big Butt” shorts.  Throw in the Much More Air Warm-Ups, and you had a full Olympics inspired outfit.

Be sure to head over to Eastbay to grab soon-to-be-classic USA Team inspired colorways on Nike Basketball shoes like the Hyperdunk and Kobe VII while you still can.