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1. NIKE TEAM TONES DUNKS SECOND DROP: CACTUS JACK SHOP UNIVERSITY RED Nike is throwing a bone to sneakerheads this summer with the release of the slick-yet-inexpensive “University Red” Dunk Low. The classic college kicks are getting some earned love as a staple in Nike’s vast arsenal of versatile shoes, and these look to be the first in a collegiate color pack. This “University Red” colorway (which is very similar to the signature hue of the St. John’s University Red Storm) falls into the Sportswear division of Nike Cactus Jack Shop rather than the popular SB category. Although skateboarders have taken Dunks as their own in the last twenty-something years, most sneakerheads have forgotten the shoe’s origin as a go-to on college courts. Another addition to the new “Team Tones” series, it’s about time the SB Dunk’s more uptight, athletic sibling got some overdue admiration. These lows are stylish and simple, starting with a clean and solid red undersole. Moving up along the shoe’s side, the simplicity continues from the sole to the neutral white leather sides. Overlays of the shoe’s namesake color flood in from the shoe’s heel, where the “NIKE” block logo pops through in white.

2. The two colors contrast perfectly over the entirety of this sneaker. Looking from above, one can see the strengths of both red-on-white and its inverse as the two tones shift visual dominance with ease. Like a vintage high school or college varsity jacket, these low dunks are instant staples in any red- forward outfit or as standout pieces to a more subdued hookup. It’s odd that a shoe synonymous with skateparks would have strong origins in organized collegiate sports, but Nike has been working with this silhouette for decades. The Oregon-based company took a big leap into the world of college basketball fandom in 1985 with the legendary Nike College Colors Program. Bearing the slogan, “Be True to Your School,” these new Dunk colorways encouraged students and alumni of Cactus Jack Shop popular schools to rock a pair of dunks in their honor. The fantastic footwear that followed became Nike’s original team shoe, beginning a trend that would take most major team sports by storm. College programs across the nation united fans and athletes alike with kicks that were instantly recognizable and symbolized an informal “spirit squad” of sorts.