Uptown Harlem: Nike Sportswear Launches Rucker Park-Inspired Footwear Pack

BEAVERTON, OREGON — American multinational corporation Nike, Inc. (Nike Sportswear) launched a special Rucker Park – inspired footwear pack.

Based on 155th Street and Fredrick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem, New York, Rucker Park is the undisputed mecca of street basketball — and Nike Sportswear is saluting its legendary status with special iterations of the Air Force 1, Air Barrage and Air Flight ‘89. Featuring basketball-centric detailing, each pair provides a compelling homage to the summertime stomping ground where NBA champions and streetball legends including Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Vince Carter, Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Rafer “Skip To My Lou” Alston and Corey “Homicide” Williams all played at.

First up is the Air Force 1. An undeniably apt choice due to its history in New York City — and especially Harlem, where it’s still known as the “Uptown” — this low-cut iteration of a classic is built fully of white leather. Smooth on the upper’s panels and tumbled on the Swoosh, this crisp base material is rimmed by bright orange contrast stitching, collar lining and tags on the old-school mesh tongue. Enamel basketballs replace the standard lace deubres, Rucker Park’s zip code is embroidered on the lateral heel and a basketball court is printed on the insole. White midsoles and orange outsoles finalize the look.

Secondly, once worn by Marshall Faulk, the Air Barrage Low is more known on the gridiron than the blacktop, but here it salutes outdoor hoops nonetheless. It’s built from white leathers and meshes, with orange appearing on Swooshes, collar trim and toeboxes alike. Pops of black appear on the heel tab, rubberized tongue badge and midsole’s Air branding to provide a finishing touch.

Finally, the Air Flight ‘89, white leather uppers feature orange trim around the large forefoot overlay and the collar, with orange Nike Air branded accents appearing on each heel. Short Swooshes are presented in black, as are top and bottom eyestays and the tongue’s Air Flight hit. The shoe’s special embellishments are threefold: an enamel basketball lace deubre appears on the forefoot, “10039” — the Rucker’s Harlem zip code — is embroidered in black on the heel and a basketball court print is present on the insoles. White/orange midsoles and two-tone outsoles round off the look.

The Air Flight ‘89 is an undeniably apt lifestyle choice for a basketball-inspired pack; it released in 1989 alongside the Air Jordan 4 — hence the similarly-shaped midsole — and was worn on court by Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen.

The Nike Air Force 1, Air Barrage Low and Air Flight ‘89 “Rucker Park” are all available now.

Photos Credit: Atmos | Nike