After much speculation and fanfare, Nike’s self-lacing basketball sneakers have finally arrived. Today the sportswear giant unveiled its Nike Adapt BB sneaker that features its power lacing system and revealed Boston Celtic rising star Jayson Tatum will be the first rock them on an NBA court.
Tatum will be getting his Marty McFly on when laces up or should we say powers up Nike’s Adapt BB sneaker when his Celtics take on the Toronto Raptors Wednesday night in Boston on ESPN. Paired with a continuously updating app the sneaker aims to tackle grasp the ever-elusive idea of providing basketball players the perfect fit while performing on the court.
The sneaker immediately goes to work as soon as the player steps in shoes. The Nike Adapts BB custom motor and gear train senses tension and makes the necessary adjustments accordingly for a snug and secure fit. The FitAdapt tech or the brain of sneaker will allow the player to adjust the fit either by the app or manual touch depending on different moments of the game.
Before the tech is introduced to Nike’s other lines, the company picked basketball as the first sport to test out the wearable technology. In speaking about why the company chose that particular sport first, Nike VP Creative Director of Innovation Eric Avar states:
“We picked basketball as the first sport for Nike Adapt intentionally because of the demands that athletes put on their shoes. During a normal basketball game, the athlete’s foot changes and the ability to quickly change your fit by loosening your shoe to increase blood flow and then tighten again for performance is a key element that we believe will improve the athlete’s experience.”
Sounds like Nike is light years ahead of the competition right now. To get a detailed look at the sneakers that officially launch February 17 and will cost $350 hit the gallery below.
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Photos: Nike