When Jerry Lorenzo signed on to adidas with his Fear of God brand in 2020, everyone knew that it was a replacement for Kanye West‘s Yeezy, which was dropped around the same time after Ye’s anti-semetic remarks. Still, given his previous work with Nike, there was no reason to doubt that Lorenzo would be able to map out an exciting new line for the brand. At the time, he even mentioned that Fear of God x adidas could go on to rival Nike Jordan Brand. So, expectations were high.
It’s been six years now, and, unfortunately, not a single release has managed to achieve that. Instead, what we’re left with are sneakers that feel like Yeezy rip-offs (similar colorways, similar materials, but less exciting designs). Now, you can add the upcoming adidas Fear Of God Athletics Basketball III to that list.
Yes, Lorenzo confirmed the partnership with adidas ended last year, but there’s still one more collection to release. But, again, it’s pretty much more of the same. We’ve seen this colorway. We’ve seen those laces. We’ve seen that shape. The only major difference here is the materials.
And it’s because of that simple touch that many would argue that the adidas Fear Of God Athletics Basketball III might be the best release of the collection so far. Suede and knit up top, sculpted midsole underneath, and that wavy, multi-directional traction makes it stand out from the rest.
But again, like the others, this isn’t really a basketball sneaker, is it? It looks more like something you’d wear on a fashion runway than something made for balling on the streets. And that’s okay. Just don’t try to play any sort of sports in these sneakers. The narrow toe and the loose laces won’t allow you to.
If you’re getting Yeezy Boost 500 or 700 vibes off the adidas Fear Of God Athletics Basketball III, you’re not alone. But maybe that was the point all along.
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