The Complex Sneakers Podcast

There’s no debating that Michael Jordan has the best signature sneaker line ever in the Air Jordans, but who comes next? How close is Penny Hardaway to the top tier of signature shoes with designs like the Foamposite? And where do Bo Jackson and Ken Griffey’s shoes stack up? Does Carmelo Anthony deserve a spot in the tier list? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty put together a tier-list ranking of all-time Nike signature lines in this episode. Also, an update on the Air Max 95 “Neon” rollout, news about Bodega’s struggles, and a narrowly avoided April Fools’ prank.

Skateboard legend Eric Koston is on the podcast this week to talk about his history in skate sneakers, his input on the Air Jordan 4 SB, and his favorite Air Max models. Is he ready to talk about his Nike SB version of the Nike Air Max 95? Not exactly, but we did our best anyway. Elsewhere on the episode: Zadeh Kicks is guilty, Nike is down bad, Cactus Plant Flea Market is as wacky as ever, and former Swoosh CEO Mark Parker has been back in Beaverton.

It’s not really up for debate that the “Neon” Nike Air Max 95 is the best version of the Air Max 95 that’s ever released. But what are the other great colorways worth celebrating? How good is Atmos’ “Beast Pack”? What about insidery pairs like the Mita flip on the Sergio Lozano prototype? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty break down a ranked list of the best Air Max 95s of all time in this episode. Also, they catch up on sneaker news like the leak of the Adidas AE 2, the frenzied drop of the “Cool Grey” Air Jordan 9, and the F1 endorsement deal between Lewis Hamilton and Nike that never happened.

How far would Nike possibly go when it comes to bringing grail sneakers back out of the vault? Could untouchable sneakers like the “Red October” Air Yeezy 2 and the Nike Mag actually see some sort of retro? Would people line up all over again for a classic like Sean Wotherspoon’s corduroy Air Max 1/97? What about the return of Virgil Abloh’s Off-White x Nikes? In light of Nike bringing back heat like the Wu-Tang Dunks and Undefeated x Air Jordan 4s, co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty debate the merits of that kind of retro in this episode. Also in the episode: the best Air Jordan retro era ever, Stussy’s Nike Baltoros, and the leopard print Adidas Sambas.

ASICS’ sportstyle sneakers, including runners like the Gel 1130 and the Kayano 14, have been on a tear for the last couple of years. Where did the hype around these Y2K running sneakers come from? Who is buying all the Asics? And how did we get to a world where resellers are flipping the shoes? On this episode of the Complex Sneakers Podcast, Brian Nadav, owner of Philly sneaker boutique Lapstone & Hammer and a lifelong sneaker retailer, breaks down the ASICS momentum. Also on this episode: co hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about the hype around the “Galaxy” Foamposite retro, Undefeated’s next Spiridon, and the brazen Air Jordan train heists happening in the middle of the desert.

There’s no doubt that sneaker reselling has cooled off from its peak in the early part of the 2020s. But has the bubble totally popped? Answering that question in this episode is Puneet Singh, aka Sole Supreme, a collector and reseller who owns the store Legacy in New Jersey. Singh talks about the death of the Panda Dunks, the rampant Travis Scott Air Jordan fake market, and the truth about who’s spending money in sneaker stores. Also on this episode, co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about the heavy Air Jordan presence during All-Star Weekend, the return of the Tom Sachs x Nike Mars Yards, and the billion-dollar potential of Nikeskims.