Spike Lee is somewhere ecstatic right now. Though he was on the opposite end of some wallopping courtesy of His Airness, Spike has been a fervent member of Team Jordan since the beginning.
Finally, Jordan Brand is blessing Spike and fellow Knicks fans with a Knicks-influenced colorway of the Jordan 3. The tumbled leather gives it that distinguished look that the AJ3 deserves. Dressed in the Old Royal, University Orange, and Tech Grey, the Knicks colorway is the best thing the Knicks have had since the Melo era. The inner tongue tag reads “04.08.88” as an homage to the “Virus Game” where Jordan dropped 47 while battling a stomach bug.
These legendary kicks will see the hardwood on September 21st.
Kobe and Undefeated continue their dominating collaborative run. After their highly sought Kobe Protro I, the group has moved on to the Kobe Protro IV with a selection of NBA inspired colorways.
The colorways represent the Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, and San Antonio Spurs. Each pair features a glossy leather upper and has Undefeated branding on the tongue, insole, aglets and heels. The heels also feature both Kobe’s #8 and #24 embroidered on the left and right heel, respectively.
This special collaboration is set to release today, 8/23–Kobe’s birthday. Which is your favorite pair? Let us know which one you wanna cop.
The second highest LB on the NFL SneakerReporter Top 30 countdown is Caorlina Panthers Luke Kuechly. Kuechly wasn’t always the best of the field, as the linebacker was only a 3 star recruit in the class of 2009. He took his talents to Boston College, where his hard work earned him national recognition. The 6’3” 235 lbs LB made plays all over the field, as his tremendous play at BC led him to two consensus All-American seasons.
Kuechly was drafted 9th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers, where he has stayed his whole career. It didn’t take him long to leave his imprint on the field, as he led the league in combined tackles in his rookie campaign. From his second year on, Kuechly has made the Pro-Bowl every single year, a mesmerizing feat for such a physical position. Kuechly sustained dominance has been a vital reason for Carolina’s sound defense over the last decade.
Kuechly had perhaps his best year in 2015, when the All-Pro LB helped lead the Panthers and their stingy defense to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they came up short versus the Denver Broncos in the infamous Cam Newton dive game. Kuechly earned All-Pro honors in 2015 after recording over 100 combined tackles, four INTs and two forced fumbles in only 13 regular season games.
Some of Kuechly’s best attributes are his pristine tackling form and top-notch intelligence. His reading of formations and knowledge of tendencies always leads him to the right place at the right time. Kuechly also displays remarkable athleticism for such a strong LB. He recorded a 4.58 40 yard dash along with a 38 inch vertical. His 40 time ranked him third highest among LB in the 2012 draft.
After an average season in 2016, Kuechly made it back to All-Pro level in 2017 and 2018. There are no signs of Kuechly slowing down, as Pro Football Focus released their 2018 end of season “Best Player” at every position, which ranked Kuechly as the number two Linebacker. Kuechly is only 28 years of age, and with his lack of injuries there is no reason to believe he doesn’t have plenty of football left. Stay tuned to the SneakerReporter Top 30 countdown as you may see who we rated as the Best Linebacker in the business.
Michael Thomas has been one of the most productive receivers in the NFL since he debuted in 2016. After being drafted in the 2nd round (47th overall), Thomas has played in all but one of his 48 regular season games in his three years. Thomas has been so good that he broke Odell Beckham Jr.’s record for most receptions in your first three seasons. Thomas totaled an astounding 92 his rookie year, 104 in 2017 and a whopping 125 in 2018, leading the league in that category. Michael Thomas is quietly climbing many of the all time receiving ranks, collecting accolades all along the way.
Thomas was a three star recruit that committed to Ohio State in the Class of 2011. After red shirting his freshman year as a Buckeye, the true sophomore totaled nearly 800 receiving yards and 9 TDs. He continued this dominance with another 800 yard season in 2015, once again tallying 9 TDs. He forgave his senior season to enter the NFL Draft. Thomas could not have found a better home, as the New Orleans Saints with Drew Brees and Sean Payton deploy a brilliant aerial attack.
In his rookie year playing alongside fellow WR Brandin Cooks, Thomas still posted over 1000 yards and 9 TDs. Throughout the season, it became clear that Thomas was indeed the #1 target of Brees. The target share kept rising and with the departure of Cooks in his second year in 2017, Thomas was already seeing approximately 150 targets per year. One of his best attributes is his incredible efficiency when being targeted. As the lead receiver in 2017, he helped the Saints finish 2nd in Total Yards, 5th in Passing Yards, and 1st in Net Yards per Passing Attempt.
The dynamic duo of Brees and Thomas is a force that will continue to dominate until the former must step down. Thomas exhibits so many qualities of the ideal receiver in today’s game. He has tremendous timing and hands as a possession receiver, but he is also 6’3 and can go upstairs for jump balls. His 4.57 40 yard dash wasn’t considered top-tier, but don’t be fooled by Thomas’s speed and agility for such a strong and tall receiver.
Thomas will continue to accumulate awards and honors as one of the best receivers in the game. He already has two Pro-Bowls, one 1st Team All-Pro and one 2nd Team All-Pro in his short three years in the league. Expect Thomas to put on a show in 2019, as the Saints look to bounce back from the no-call that could have cost them their season in the playoffs versus the Eagles.
Travis Kelce was drafted to the Kansas City Chiefs with the 63rd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. The third rounder was placed on IR before he got to play in a regular season game due to a bone bruise that required a microfracture procedure. Kelce missed his entire rookie year, but since has remained relatively injury-free throughout his 6 year tenure.
In Kelce’s first real season as a Chief, he caught 67 balls for 862 yards and 5 TDs. He continued to improve his totals over the next three years as he became Alex Smith’s favorite target. He made his first Pro-Bowl in 2015 and he hasn’t missed one since. Kelce took Gronk’s spot as the league’s best TE in 2016, as Kelce received his first All-Pro recognition.
Coming into 2018, the league was sleeping on Patrick Mahomes. Little did everyone know that the Mahomes-Kelce duo would become one of the best in the NFL. Kelce had a career year with Mahomes behind center, as he reached new career highs in almost every statistical category. His first 100 reception season, over 1300 yards, and double digit TDs with 10. Kelce has always had big play ability, it is just finally being displayed due to the abilities of Patrick Mahomes.
The connection between the two will only get stronger over time. During the offseason, video clips surfaced of Kelce and Mahomes establishing a bond off the field, as the two were seen drinking and dancing together at a wedding. The cameras also caught their sheer excitement when they first saw each other at the training camp. The bromance being formed is a scary sight for opposing teams, as the two have such a natural rapport that translates to the field.
Kelce is easily the top TE in the game today and his rank on the SneakerReporter Top 30 justifies it. Expect another 100 reception, 1000 yard and 10 TD season from Kelce, and that’s just the floor of his capabilities. Kelce can really do it all on the field. He has elite athleticism and coordination for someone so powerful. Really his only knock is that his emotions get the best of him from time to time.
