James Harden Debuts His Outlandish Ninth Signature Sneaker From Adidas
James Harden took to the court for the first time in the Adidas Harden Vol. 9, a sneaker that raises the bar for Adidas Basketball’s outré turn.
The Adidas Harden Vol. 9 will release early next year. Prior to Harden wearing the sneaker in a metallic silver colorway for Monday night’s game pitting his Los Angeles Clippers against Utah Jazz, Adidas Basketball teased the silhouette through an obscured video on its social channels.
One might even consider the shiny new kicks a catalyst for his performance, as Harden put up a season-high 41 points with 24 of them in the first quarter alone. Not only did he wear it for the game, but he also donned the shoe in the tunnel in the lead-up to it.
Much like the Harden Vol. 8, which invigorated Harden’s signature line and Adidas Basketball at-large along with the Anthony Edwards 1 (or AE 1), the Harden Vol. 9 puts a dynamic single-piece overlay atop a mesh base. Coverage is much more robust this time around, with the panel broken up only by three sweeping tear drops bringing a new take on Adidas’ stripes.
For the silver edition debuted by Harden, the overlay is matched by its outsole and allowed to stand out atop a black base. This two-tone treatment, which has also been used for most colorways of its predecessor and the AE 1, carries over to two of the other three Harden Vol. 9 variants that have already leaked (all pictured below).
Technical specifications for Harden’s latest model have yet to be revealed but will likely come soon as Adidas begins to divulge more. A carbon fiber heel panel can be seen on the heel, though.
In a Footwear News story on the AE 1 and Adidas Basketball’s new direction, vice president of Basketball Design Nathan Van Hook said, “We want jaw-dropping product on-court, first and foremost.”
The Adidas Harden Vol. 9 will release in several colorways in January through Adidas’ website and select third-party retailers. Pricing is set at $160.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.