Since returning to the world of basketball last year, PUMA has made a number of huge signings including a member of the Finals-winning Toronto Raptors in Danny Green.
Finally, after much speculation, the German brand inked another member of the New York Knicks with 2019 #3 pick, RJ Barrett. The young Canadian first fueled rumors when he showed up to his rookie photoshoot in an unreleased pair of PUMA shoes.
PUMA continues to cement themselves in the basketball game with a wide range of NBA talent especially focused on young, burgeoning hooper like Marvin Bagley, Kevin Knox, and DeAndre Ayton. The focus on the young Knicks players makes sense for PUMA considering their close ties to New York legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier.
After a collection celebrating Kobe’s acolytes (DeRozan, Booker, Antetokounmpo, & Kuzma) the Undefeated Kobe Protro 4 returns with a pair honoring the man himself.
This slick black colorway maintains the iridescent shimmer of the other four with the matching UNDFTD and Nike branding as well. These shimmering black kicks represents Kobe’s nom DE guerre “The Black Mamba” and are set to release September 13th.
Are these a cop? Which did you grab out of the UNDFTD X Nike Kobe 4 collection? Let us know.
Born and raised in Texas, the four star recruit stayed local and took his talents to Texas A&M University. He stayed all four years at college, piling up plenty of accolades on the way. Miller took a huge jump in his Junior year, as he totaled 17.0 sacks compared to the 3.5 his Sophomore season. His sacks declined his Senior year, racking up only 10, but his overall impact on the game was felt even more. This was large in part to his switch from DE to LB, allowing him to cover more of the field on every play. He ended his senior year as a consensus All-American, as well as the winner of the Dick Butkus Award.
All of Miller’s hype led him to be the #2 overall pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2011 draft. Miller was the highest drafted Linebacker since LaVar Arrington in 2000. Miller also became the Aggie’s highest draft pick since 1992, when Quentin Coryatt went second overall. It didn’t take Miller long to get acclimated to the NFL game, as he made the Pro-Bowl in his rookie season. Miller has been a model of consistency throughout his NFL tenure, missing only 8 games in his 8 year career, 7 of which came in 2013 when he tore his ACL.
Miller has endured quite a roller coaster ride of a career from a franchise standpoint. In his earlier years with the club, they were contending for championships with Peyton Manning under center. They even reached the pinnacle with the thrashing of the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Von Miller was named Super Bowl MVP and his legacy was cemented for years to come.
Even during the Franchise’s down years (post 2015), Miller has still been a tremendous leader and presence on the field. Discounting 2013 when he tore his ACL, Miller has never had a season with less than 10.0 sacks. Miller actually has the 2nd most sacks off all active players, trailing only Terrell Suggs. He made his first First Team All-Pro in 2012, following it up with two more in 2015 and 2016. Even in down years for the Franchise, Miller’s play helps the Broncos defense remain formidable.
Although the Broncos may be stuck in the mud due to curious personnel acquisitions by management, Von Miller is certainly here to stay. Expect at least another 3-4 years of elite level production from Miller, unless he suffers a gruesome injury. His tenacity and passion combined with his worldly athletic ability make him nearly impossible to track down as an Offensive Linemen. Miller comes in at number 7 on the NFL SneakerReporter Top 30 Countdown. NFL ranked him as #10 heading into 2019, who got it right? Leave a comment down below!
Julio Jones has been one of the leagues top receivers for the last decade, as he burst onto the scene during his 2011 rookie campaign. The 6’3” 220 lb. wide out has always been a freak of nature, as his nickname in high school was “Waffle House” — because he was always open. The freak took his talents to Alabama for collegiate ball, and Jones certainly balled out. Jones had three terrific seasons on the Crimson Tide. His best year came in his last season as a junior, as he totaled 78 catches for 1133 yards and 7 TDs.
Entering the league in 2011, Jones wasn’t the primary option on his team to start. He joined the Atlanta Falcons offense who already had the talented Roddy White, a first round pick by the Falcons in 2005. The two quickly formed one of the leagues top duos at the position, and Jones fell just short of the 1000 yard barrier at 954 in his rookie season. He did this on only 54 receptions, putting him at 17.8 yards/reception, the highest mark of his career.
Jones continued to impress into his sophomore season, as he reached nearly 1200 yards and 10 TDs. If Jones had any negatives to his game it would be his lack of TDs on a per/year basis, as the 10 in his 2nd year is still his highest total to this date. Most analysts can chalk this up to bad luck, being tackled inside the 5, or the Falcons inability to target one of the best jump ball receivers in the red zone.
Jones suffered his only major injury in 2013, and he was only able to start and play in 5 games that season. Jones fractured his foot in a Monday night battle against the Jets which sidelined him the remaining 11 games of the year. After this injury, Jones has remained remarkably healthy, playing in 14 or more games in every other year of his career. Jones made his first Pro-Bowl in 2012, and has been elected to five more since then. Jones received his first All-Pro honors in 2015, during perhaps his best statistical season. He led the league in receptions, yards, and yards/game. He totaled a monstrous 136 grabs for 1871 yards!
Julio has been one of the best offensive skill players since he was drafted 6th overall to the Atlanta Falcons in 2011. The dude is just a generational type of athlete. Jones has always been near the top of the league in yards and yards/game. The only thing left for Jones to accomplish would be the elusive 2000 receiving yards. Jones is undoubtedly on his way to a Hall of Fame career, the only question is how many years can he keep putting up video game numbers?
It doesn’t feel right to have the Greatest Quarterback of all time ranked 11th on any list, but Tom Brady is at that point in his career. He can still win games by making crucial throws in the 4th quarter, but his days of compiling tons of yards and touchdowns are past him. Throughout the Patriots playoff run in 2018, Brady proved that he still has what it takes to get the job done. He threw for over 300 yards per game over the three game playoff run, including some incredibly clutch 4th quarter throws vs the Chiefs and Rams.
As Brady just eclipsed 42 years of age, it is really remarkable that he is able to maintain his high level of play. Having mastermind Bill Belicheck as your Head Coach doesn’t hurt either, as he has significantly altered the offensive scheme as Brady ages. The last few years have seen the Patriots drastically cut down on their First Down Passing plays, electing to run the ball as much as possible. New England also invested in their offensive line, as Brady needs to be protected at all costs. PFF has the Patriots ranked as the 6th best offensive line unit in the NFL.
As long as the O-Line can protect Brady and keep him off the ground, there is no reason to believe he won’t continue his high level of play. He might not have as much power on his throws, but Brady is too competitive to let his play deteriorate. All this man knows is winning, as he is easily the most accomplished player in the history of the league. Brady has his own way of doing things, and because of his TB12 diet and ultra focus on nutrition, he is able to last longer than other QBs similar to himself.
Brady’s Hall of Fame career is one of the greatest achievements in all of sports. The man is a six-time Super Bowl Champion, four-time Super Bowl MVP and three-time League MVP. Joe Montana is the only QB with accolades anywhere near Brady. His sustained excellence and dominance throughout the AFC East shouldn’t go unnoticed as well. Since replacing Drew Bledsoe and becoming the starter in week 2 of 2001, Brady and the Patriots have won all but two of the AFC East titles. One of these losses came in 2008, when Brady was injured for the whole season.
Brady’s supremacy paired with one of the greatest coaches ever is a tandem that won’t be matched for years. With Brady playing well into his 40s, he is creating a new wave of health and sustainability that every young QB will be paying attention to. Nobody knows how long Brady will be able to continue playing at this level, but if you were to only learn one thing from this article it would be to never doubt Tom Brady, the 199th overall pick in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft.
