One of the biggest stages in basketball is the NBA All-Star Weekend. Nike has chosen the moment to introduce its most technologically advanced basketball sneaker to date.
The sneaker is the Adapt BB, a silhouette that draws from the power-lacing technology first introduced on the Mag and then the HyperAdapt 1.0.
The refined power-lacing system is employed on the Adapt BB for automated fit customization during the course of a basketball game.
Getting the right fit from a performance shoe is both personal and complicated. Consider basketball: Over the course of a basketball game, the foot can expand almost a half-size during play. A level of fit that feels comfortable at one point might feel constrictive just 24 minutes later. Because the needs of the foot change at any given time based on the sport, its duration and on specific movements, like a slashing cut to the basket, “perfect fit” is a floating target.
How the Adapt BB works
When a player steps into the Nike Adapt BB, a custom motor and gear train senses the tension needed by the foot and adjusts accordingly to keep the foot snug. The tensile strength of the underfoot lacing is able to pull 32 pounds of force (roughly equal to that of a standard parachute cord) to secure the foot throughout a range of movement.
That’s where the brain, or FitAdapt tech, kicks in. By manual touch or by using the Nike Adapt app on a smartphone, players can input different fit settings depending on different moments of a game. For example, during a timeout, a player can loosen the shoe before tightening it up as they re-enter the game. In a forthcoming feature, they can even prescribe a different tightness setting for warm-ups. Plus, players can opt in to firmware updates for the FitAdapt technology as they become available, sharpening the precision of fit for players and providing new digital services over time.
Eric Avar on the design
“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.”
“Bill Bowerman’s original insight was that fit is the foundation of athletic performance. The Nike Adapt BB helps the athlete find their custom fit and provides uncompromising lockdown, feel and traction throughout a game, but we knew it would only be validated once the game’s best players tried it out.”
Eric Avar, Nike VP Creative Director of Innovation
The sneaker will launch on Sunday, the 17th of February through the Nike Sneakers app and shops like Vegas based Feature Boutique.
