Damian Lillard‘s follow-up to the Adidas Dame 8 is defying name conventions as the Dame 8 EXTPLY. The extension of his eight signature sneaker takes on the “Extended Play” moniker as a nod to his work ethic, but it could just as well signify Lillard not quite moving on to a “Dame 9.”
Despite not advancing in numerals, the brand touts the Dame 8 EXTPLY as the “next generation of Adidas Basketball‘s footwear innovation. Appearing beneath the foot is a dual-layer heel counter along with a Bounce Pro midsole hosting a top-loaded, Y-shaped propulsion plate. Down lower is an outsole pattern that’s both multi-directional and features “strategic spacing.”
Up higher, a molded and perforated midfoot strap sits above a relatively minimalist knit upper to help keep the sneaker secure. An additional overlay climbs up the heel and surrounds the collar before dipping straight back down to the midsole about halfway along the tongue. Inside the broad the window created by this overlay, Adidas‘ Three Stripes sit vertically. Perhaps the most fun detail of all is an exaggerated, lengthy eyelet with “Dame Time” debossed into it.
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Adidas has confirmed four colorways for the Dame 8 EXTPLY, although it’s only giving details on three of them. An all-electric-green “Tennis” treatment will ring in the sneaker’s debut Sept. 1, followed Sept. 15 by a purple, blue, and red “Out of This World.” The last of the confirmed trio is the black and white “Most Criticized,” which arrives Oct. 1.
Noticeably, there isn’t a Portland Trailblazers-friendly black and red colorway. Lillard requested requested a trade this summer to depart from the organization for which he’s played all of his 11 NBA seasons. A move has yet to be made, but the ongoing saga has inspired fans to grasp for less substantial straws.
Look for each of the Dame 8 EXTPLYs to drop for $130 each through Adidas and select other retailers.
