Matt Varga First it was Ja Morant taking over our side of the business and giving exclusive peeks at upcoming colorways. As always, Giannis is raising the bar. Without much fanfare, the perennial MVP candidate took to Instagram and took matters into his own hands, revealing the next step in his signature shoe journey with the Nike Giannis Freak 7.
The past three editions have each executed rounded, low-cut builds that essentially “emanate” out from the trademark reverse Swoosh. Immediately, this new offering diverges from that aesthetic, instead leaning into a ridged overall atmosphere that plays out within the Swoosh itself, on dense midsole layers, extending out through the collar and coating the heel. A patterned mesh foundation and graphic layers atop it further that same atmosphere.
In an unexpected point of interest, the outsole splits between two jagged halves of geometric traction: one spells out “Antetokounmpo” in abstract fashion. For one final nod to Giannis’ status as a family man, the members of his nuclear unit are inscribed on the midsole, shouting out his three children, wife Mariah, and mother Veronica, among many others. Details regarding specific tooling will have to wait for an official announcement from Nike.
However, to that end, it’s notable how both brands have recaptured the cadence of signature shoe reveals. Two consecutive All-Star weekends have seen adidas pulling back the curtain on their next wave of basketball shoes, while back in Beaverton, various Swoosh arms have capitalized on entirely controlled reveals. That goes for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his Converse SHAI 001, Luka Doncic and Jordan Luka 4, and A’ja Wilson and her Nike A’One.
This initial reveal starts the Nike Giannis Freak 7 rollout, but concrete details on when to expect the model are uncertain. Presumably, the tonal “Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing” colorway featured here is a candidate for the shoe’s launch. Catch a look at all of Giannis’ shots included below and keep a watchful eye on our Sneaker Release Dates page for further updates.
