The past week in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup certainly did not lack in drama, as Sunday wins by Magnolia over Rain or Shine and San Miguel over NorthPort through Alex Cabagnot’s game-winner in the first day of the quarterfinals capped off a seven-day stretch also filled with crucial elimination games.
Of course, the past week featured some of the best sneakers. Will there be new faces on our list? How about new sneakers? Find out at our latest edition of our rankings.
5. Nike LeBron 18 Low “Stewie Griffin” (Jericho Cruz, NLEX)
After a few weeks of getting dominated by Air Jordan and Kobe pairs, a different signature shoe line has finally made the list.
Cruz proved that other sneakers have a place on our list. The Road Warriors star laced up a new silhouette of the Nike LeBron 18 Low: “the Stewie Griffin” in NLEX’s game against Meralco last Wednesday, September 22.
The pair has actually been the 30-year-old gunner for quite some time now. However, the hyped and rare silhouettes of various Jordan and Kobe pairs completely overshadowed the LeBron 18 Low.
Nonetheless, it is worth applauding that this LeBron 18 Low made the list despite its lack of hype, mainly because the multi-colored “Stewie Griffin” silhouette is a nod to the unreleased Nike LeBron 6 and the famous fictional character from the animated television series, Stewie.
The LeBron 18 Low “Stewie Griffin” was released in September 2021 and is currently valued at PhP 8,000.
4. Under Armour Curry 1 “Back to Back” (Robert Bolick, NorthPort)
Bolick may not be known for wearing flashy silhouettes of Air Jordans and Kobe. However, the former Red Lion definitely nailed it this time after lacing up an MVP-caliber pair, the Under Armour Curry 1 “Back to Back”, when the Batang Pier cruised past the Aces last Thursday, September 23.
This silhouette of Stephen Curry’s first signature pair with Under Armour commemorates the historic feat that the Warriors superstar achieved: winning back-to-back league MVPs from 2014 to 2016.
The Curry 1 “Back to Back” did not make an astounding uproar in the sneaker community, but it is obviously one of the most prolific from the Under Armour Curry line.
As one of the two Curry 1 silhouettes from the “MVP Pack”, the value is surprisingly within the affordable range. The Curry 1 “Back to Back” currently sits at PhP 10,800.
3. Zoom Kobe 4 Protro “Snakeskin” (Nard Pinto, Meralco)
Pinto made his first appearance on our list after channeling his inner “Mamba Mentality” in his shoe game. The former Arellano Chiefs guard pulled out a not-so-old but definitely iconic Kobe sneaker, the Zoom Kobe 4 Protro “Snakeskin”.
This silhouette of the Kobe 4 was just released in November 2019, but what made the pair so highly-sought was its inspiration. Every sneaker enthusiast knows that “Snakeskin” or other iteration of sorts from the Kobe line deserve a spot in the shoe rack.
Primarily because the iteration nods to the late Kobe Bryant’s moniker, “Black Mamba”, the attributes of the “Black Mamba”, being a fast and venomous snake, are channeled within the Kobe pairs’ silhouettes, making the pairs more fascinating.
The Kobe 4 Protro “Snakeskin” is currently valued at PhP20,000.
2. Air Jordan 13 “Chicago” 2017 (Chris Ross, San Miguel)
After dominating the list in Week 5 with his iconic Air Jordan 13 silhouettes: the “Candy Cane” and the “Last Shot”, Ross did not make it on the list the week after. However, as a serious contender of PBA’s version of the Sneaker King, there is no way that the athletic guard will back down from reclaiming his rightful spot.
During Beermen’s one-point win against the Aces last Wednesday, Ross casually laced up another Jordan 13 colorway. This time, it was the 2017 release of the “Chicago” silhouette.
This was the second appearance of the Jordan 13 “Chicago” 2017 on our list. Being an iconic OG silhouette of the pair, it is indisputable that it will re-appear sooner or later.
The Jordan 13 “Chicago” 2017 is currently valued at PhP20,000.
1. Zoom Kobe 5 Protro “Bruce Lee” (Matthew Wright, Phoenix Super LPG)
Talking about the sneaker’s second appearance, another iconic silhouette made it on the list once more. This time, it is the Zoom Kobe 5 Protro “Bruce Lee”.
Laced up by Wright, this iteration of the Kobe 5 Protro draws inspiration from one of the most prolific names in the history of martial arts, Bruce Lee.
Channeling Bryant’s mentality and Lee’s resilience were not enough for Wright, as he fell short in leading the Fuel Masters into the playoffs during their heated battle for the 8th seed last Saturday, but the Fil-Canadian guard did regain his spot at the summit of this week’s top sneakers. This could be his last appearance at this conference, but as a top contender for the “Sneaker King” title, Wright surely has more to showcase in conferences to come.
The Kobe 5 Protro “Bruce Lee” sits at PhP 24,000.
