Source: @kanyewest / Instagram
Just when it seemed like Kanye West had crawled out of the sunken place that ostracized him from the culture, he dived right back in head first with a MAGA hat this past Saturday night. Now word is that the NBA has taken issue with Kanye’s upcoming basketball silhouette before it’s even hit the floor.
Tough start to the week, Ye.
According to ESPN, Yeezy’s first ever basketball sneaker might already be banned from the NBA due to the reflective 3M material that’s located on the heel panel of the sneakers. Though the 3M doesn’t necessarily violate any of the league’s footwear rules, the NBA feels that it would be “potentially distracting for both in-arena spectators and television viewers.” While lots of sneakers feature the 3M material on their silhouettes, Kanye took the reflective fabric and basically draped the heel in it.
Good luck trying to dip and hide in the dark in a pair of those.
Though the NBA relaxed their footwear rules earlier this summer and gave players the free reign to wear whatever the heck they want on the court, these might be a bit much for the leagues taste. Then again this may all be much ado about nothing as the sneakers haven’t even been submitted for league review.
According to Christopher Arena, the NBA’s vice president of identity, outfitting and equipment, companies will typically submit sneakers for the first half of the season by early August, with shoes scheduled to be worn after the All-Star break required for approval by early December.
While the league office has yet to receive and formally review the new Yeezy basketball shoe in person, the version shared online by West would not be permitted on court as is, according to a source. Alternative versions of the sneaker that don’t incorporate the reflective material would likely be approved.
At this point we’re just wondering what the repercussions would be should the NBA ban these Yeezy’s. Would Kanye’s president take to twitter to attack the NBA on Yeezy’s behalf? Probably not but then again we’re living in the upside down and if Russia can help elect a American president than anything is possible.