Manila a global hoops capital

It’s widely known in FIBA circles that there are only two countries in the world where basketball is the No. 1 sport – Lithuania and the Philippines. Football is king in most countries on the planet but Filipinos and Lithuanians proudly declare that their love for hoops is like no other.

So when Nike recently named Manila as one of six global basketball capitals to be represented in a new HyperFam city collection, it came as no surprise. More than anything, that was a vindication of Manila’s reputation as basketball-crazy. New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Beijing, Madrid and Manila were singled out as the cities that would be immortalized with their own signature shoes.

Curiously, Lithuania isn’t in the group. Maybe, population density had something to do with its exclusion because after all, size of market is critical. Lithuania’s capital city Vilnius has a population of only 540,000. In contrast, Metro Manila’s population is 12.9 million. Beijing tops the list with 21.5 million then New York 8.5 million, Los Angeles 4 million, Madrid 3.2 million and Chicago 2.7 million.

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Every shoe in the collection has a distinct colorway and exterior to depict culture and personality but the six low-cut models share a common technology – they’re equipped with Nike’s latest cushioning invention called the Nike React. According to Nike, the technology went through thousands of hours of testing in the company’s high-powered Sports Research Lab. React is the most innovative foam in a shoe to date with the feature of being able to bounce back to its original state with each step for a consistent underfoot feel, game after game, no matter the court surface. Nike’s guarantee is the shoe provides “a surprising combination of comfort, support and responsible energy return.” All six editions are in the mold of the Nike React HyperDunk 2017 Low. 

Since the exteriors of each shoe are unique, you’ll undoubtedly try to score all six editions if you’re a sneakerhead. The New York pair shows a blueprint map that shouts out to the Big Apple’s concrete jungles in different neighborhoods. LA’s version pays tribute to the Drew League with a reference to Orange County and the Inland Empire. Chicago honors anti-gun violence advocate Saieed Ivey, a 20-year-old high school hoopster who was shot to death last year, and has a special call-out to the city mantra of “Failure Is Not An Option” or FINAO. Madrid is about playing basketball during sundown while Beijing is resplendent with an emerald colorway from top to bottom and a speckled midsole.

Manila is the last shoe to be released in the market. Madrid made its first appearance last July 20 then Beijing on Aug. 1, Chicago Aug. 2, Los Angeles Aug. 3 and New York Aug. 10. Was it saving the best for last? Perhaps. The Manila shoe will be out Saturday on a limited run exclusively at Titan Two Parkade and Titan22.com. It will go for P6,745 a pair. The New York, Chicago and Los Angeles editions are selling for $130.

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The Manila shoe was inspired by the fierce and competitive pick-up games on the city’s street courts.   In particular, the inspiration came from the Tenement in Taguig, a mass housing project for about a thousand families with a concrete basketball court in the atrium surrounded by high-rise buildings. NBA stars LeBron James, Jordan Clarkson and Paul George have checked out the Tenement during their Manila visits.  The edition has an all-gray upper and a concrete-style midsole to reflect the Tenement look. 

“Filipino basketball dreams start in the streets, in the cement courts and make-shift backboards found in just about every corner of this hoops-crazy country,” said Nike. “It’s in those under the radar pick-up games where the next basketball star is born. These games are at their fiercest at the Tenement Court – rough, rugged and hidden by towering concrete structures on all sides.  The shoe suits the Pinoy style of play on Manila’s concrete street courts. The colors and graphics used on this special edition shoe reflect Manila’s unique game and competitive background.”

To add to the Filipino effect, the heel of the shoe shows a sun-like basketball with eight rays and three stars around it.  The stylized portrayal of an iconic Filipino symbol is as eye-catching as it is proudly Pinoy. No question, this deserves a place in your shoe cabinet.