James Harden is releasing his own signature shoes in partnership with Adidas. Unfortunately for the Houston Rockets star, his new kicks are getting the Steph Curry “Curry 2” treatment.
Photos of the new Adidas Harden 1 in “triple black” shoes have made their way online via Sneaker Watch and they’re not pretty. The all black shoes are bulky, feature curious design choices and feel somewhat unfinished. Take a look.
adidas JHarden 1 @BALTsneakerShow @US_11 @Nightwing2303 @NYJumpman23 @ianstonebrook @xBRICHx @sneakersfiles pic.twitter.com/y3P45OX5ME
— SneakersSpy (@SneakersSpy) August 22, 2016
Now, as the Internet does when an NBA player releases an ugly shoe, they had some fun with the black Harden 1’s.
Finally Harden makes a basketball shoe for me, a waiter at Chili's. pic.twitter.com/Etw6Ihl0bQ
— Jordan Pryor (@jordodale) August 24, 2016
James Harden shoe looks like a fried boot. pic.twitter.com/UlVBI00iVn
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) August 24, 2016
james harden signature kicks look like u brew prison wine in em pic.twitter.com/DajjXXYl57
— Four Pins (@Four_Pins) August 24, 2016
Bold move by Harden dropping the "WHAT ARE THOSE 1'S" pic.twitter.com/JWx9d4wmUO
— J Mac (@jordanmacvicar) August 24, 2016
James harden really made sneakers for grandpa Joe from Charlie and the Chocolate factory pic.twitter.com/zo8M0vdOoG
— Desus Nice (@desusnice) August 24, 2016
Whose idea was it to drill holes in burned baked potatoes and call it a James Harden signature shoe? pic.twitter.com/F5kmjGr2HB
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) August 24, 2016
James Harden's signature shoes look like something Geppetto would carve for Pinocchio pic.twitter.com/LI8zw4iUqg
— Jensen Karp (@JensenClan88) August 24, 2016
James Harden’s new shoe, perfect for wabbit hunting. pic.twitter.com/QuDKSnUppC
— Joon Lee (@iamjoonlee) August 24, 2016
All press is good press, right?
It’s hard to believe the shoes are really this ugly. I’d say, perhaps the shoes don’t photograph well from its side profile, but all the angles are ugly. They look like the basketball kicks you’d get at Wal-Mart for under $15, not a collaboration between one of the biggest shoe companies in the World and an NBA All-Star. Curry should send Harden a pair of Curry 2’s to thank him for taking the heat off his shoes and stepping into the limelight of worst NBA shoe collab.
A leaked picture of the white version of the shoe looks much, much sleeker.
It would be great to see someone wearing the Harden 1’s to see how they translate when someone is wearing them – but for now, the verdict is out.