Kicks: (Shawn Kemp's) 1996 Reebok Kamikaze II

(Reebok Kamikaze II)

It's been a couple weeks since the last Kicks post, but I think this installment is a good one. Shawn Kemp terrorized the NBA during the mid 90's by reigning down thunderous dunks on unsuspecting defenders and crashing the boards. How did Kemp manage to rule the NBA skies back in the day? It's these sweet kicks of course.

These Reebok Kamikaze II's came out just in time for the 1996 NBA season. If you remember, this was the season Kemp's Sonics made it all the way to the NBA Finals. I know the Sonics lost that Finals in six games to the Chicago Bulls, but I don't think it's a coincidence that Seattle and Kemp had their best seasons during the Kamikaze II's reign. Just look at that crazy sneaker design. With kicks like that, who couldn't get up and throw it down like that. Ok, on an 8ft rim of course.

Need more Shawn Kemp? Checkout this Rookie Cards For $10 Bucks or Less post on Kemp's RC's from several months ago.

Kicks: Iverson & The Question Crossover Michael

In the second of the "Kicks" series we have the Reebok Question. Allen Iverson had a number of solid kicks made by Reebok, but the Reebok Question are easily the most memorable. They came out in 1996, Iverson's rookie year, and helped get Reebok back into the sports apparel game. By this point, the Reebok Pump had ran its course and Reebok needed to grab some market share back. Market share that Reebok had lost in its head-to-head match up with Nike during the late 80's and early 90's. Reebook certainly found what they were looking for with Iverson. Not only did they make a great looking and functional sneaker, but Iverson gave Reebok instant street cred.

As if the street cred Iverson provided wasn't enough, the Reebok Question is a very cool looking pair of kicks. The outer bottom sole was a translucent light blue rubber that was reminiscent of the Nike Air Jordan XI's. They also featured a very cool visible honeycomb pocket that was similar to Nike's visible air pockets. Although Reebok designers seemed to barrow design elements from Nike, the sneaker was different enough to distinguish itself as one of the best sneaker designs of the 90's and that's saying a lot.

No matter how cool a sneaker looks, and the Reebok Questions did look great, they still need to perform on the court. I had a pair of these when I played in high school. Although they look bulky and cumbersome, they're actually surprisingly light. This is partly due to the visible Hexalite honeycomb cushioning system Reebok utilized in this sneaker. They certainly aren't as light as a sneaker featuring the Nike Zoom Air technology, but they allow for solid responsive cushioning and stability. If you don't believe me, just ask Iverson himself. Better yet, ask Michael Jordan. He got a good look as Iverson and the Reebok Questions crossed him up back in Iverson's rookie season.

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Kicks: Who Remembers the Reebok Pump?

Sneakers, or kicks as the kids call them these days, are a collectors item in themselves. New releases and custom artist designed kicks can sell for big money (click here). For something as simple as the rubber and leather that covers our feet, the sneaker head obsession does seem a bit ridiculous. However, as with any other collectible, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I myself collect sneakers. More importantly, I also wear them so as to get the full use and enjoyment out of each pair. I'll highlight some of the kicks in my collection as well as some of the more iconic footwear from the past 30 or so years in a series of "Kicks:" posts right here on Hoopography.

The first installment of "Kicks:" features the ultra rad Reebok Pumps. I love the old school Reebok Pumps from the late 80's and early 90's. It seemed that Nike had every great NBA superstar signed up to the Swoosh, but Reebok had it going on for a while too with spokesman like Dominique "Human Highlight Film Wilkins, Doc Rivers and Shaquille O'neal. Plus, they put together one heck of a cool marketing campaign to go head to head with Nike.

The Pump technology was truly innovative. The air pockets inflated to allow for a highly desired tighter fit. Whether tying ones shoelaces tighter couldn't also accomplish this same feat is another topic entirely and it didn't really matter to consumers weather the air pockets really made that much of a difference or not. Between the cool factor and creative TV commercials like the one to the left, Reebok had found a winner with the Pump.

My favorite Pump sneaker was the original Shaq Attack kicks. Shaq was the hot commodity of the early and mid 90's for sporting apparel giants like Reebok and Starter. You could even get a small pressurized tube of air called the Insta Pump for the Reebok Shaq Attacks. The Insta Pump filled the air pockets automatically. Although the Reebok Shaq Attack line did not sustain the same longevity as the Nike Air Jordans, they were just as hot at their brief pinnacle.

Did anyone have a pair of Reebok Pumps back in the day? If so, how do you think they compare to modern day kicks of today like these Nike Zoom Kobe V's?