The NIKE AIR RAID OG finds the brand digging through the Nike Basketball archives to bring back the legendary asphalt-ready boot once again.
With a back catalogue absolutely stuffed with iconic designs and innovative technology, Nike have plenty of food for retro releases. The usual suspects return again and again, fortunately, but it’s also great to see some of the more obscure designs hit the stage once again. First released in 1992, the Air Raid was Nike’s first proper outdoor basketball shoe, coming from the brilliant creative mind of Tinker Hatfield. The shoe is still a slightly shocking silhouette, but its influence on subsequent releases is undeniable. The X-shaped strap system offered extra midfoot support and gave the shoe a tough, street-ready appearance. Originally named the Nike Jaq (after jacking as a slang word), it eventually became the Nike Air Raid, with a memorable series of commercials featuring Spike Lee and Tim Hardaway. This forthcoming colourway keeps things wearable, in Flint Grey and Black utilised across the premium tumbled leather uppers.
The NIKE AIR RAID OG is due to release on THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER: in the meantime, click the banner below to check the latest releases at NIKE ahead of the drop.