Has Nike’s Very Special Sneaker Strategy Gone Too Far?

Another holiday, another batch of fancy new basketball shoes to choose from.

Nike has unveiled signature Christmas shoes for LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant, its three marquee hoopsters. The new kicks will be worn in NBA games on Dec. 25 and show up in stores the following day — in limited quantities, of course. James gets a mint-green treatment with snowflakes, Bryant’s appear to be made out of snakeskin and Durant’s have a pure holiday look from an intense cherry-red color offset by green soles.

But those on-court shoes mark only a portion of Nike’s holiday shopping extravaganza. The company is getting set to release one of the most anticipated shoes of the year, the Air Jordan Retro 11 Gamma Blue, and on New Year’s Day will roll out the Zoom HyperRev. The full-court press is enough to overwhelm even the most aggressive sneakerhead. Read more...