Kanye West's Adidas Yeezy basketball sneaker will reportedly debut in 2019, but if 'Ye wants to see his product on an NBA court he'll have to tweak the design a bit. According to ESPN's Nick DePaula, the league office would ban the current version of the Yeezy basketball sneaker on court because of its gleaming, reflective-material heel.
The all-black version of the sneaker doesn't present any issues, but the other colorway features reflective "3M" detailing, "which the NBA would find potentially distracting for both in-arena spectators and television viewers," according to DePaula. This dilemma is similar to the issue faced by Carmelo Anthony when his Jordan M10 kicks had a metallic chrome heel and he had to switch to a pair with a matte finish.
According to Christopher Arena, the NBA's vice president of identity, outfitting and equipment, companies usually submit sneakers to be worn during the first half of the season by early August, while shoes to be worn after the February All-Star break are required for approval by early December.
DePaula writes, "While the league office has yet to receive and formally review the new Yeezy basketball shoe in person, the version shared online by West would not be permitted on court as is, according to a source. Alternative versions of the sneaker that don't incorporate the reflective material would likely be approved."
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