Dive Brief:
- Skechers on Wednesday introduced its new SKX Full-Court Press basketball shoe. L.A. Sparks star Rickea Jackson debuted the shoe at the start of the WNBA season and has been featured wearing the product in its marketing campaign, according to a press release.
- The shoes were created for WNBA, NBA and “aspiring players” who seek a shoe to withstand the rigors of a game on both ends of the court. The shoe has a wraparound TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) feature in the midsole, Skechers Move Foam for comfort and a grippy rubber outsole for increased traction.
- The SKX Full-Court Press is available on the brand’s website, select Skechers stores and at a number of global specialty retailers. It comes in two colorways and retails for $110.
Dive Insight:
Skechers continues to lean into the performance footwear space with its new basketball shoe, which it offers on its website as a unisex style.
“We designed the SKX Full-Court Press for players who work every inch of the court to change a game’s momentum and earn that win at the final buzzer,” Ben Stewart, vice president of Skechers technical performance division, said in a statement. “Rickea is the perfect player to help us launch the SKX Full-Court Press.”
The launch comes as Skechers moves further into the athletics and performance space, debuting shoes for soccer, running, golf, training and other sports.
Skechers first launched basketball shoes in 2023 when it signed NBA stars Julius Randle and Terance Mann as brand ambassadors and introduced two shoes, the SKX Resagrip and SKX Float. This past January, Skechers opened its first performance footwear store, a 7,500 square foot retail location in Edmonton, Canada.
Skechers is growing its roster of men’s and women’s basketball ambassadors and currently counts such NBA stars as Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Jabari Walker, Terance Mann, OG Anunoby and Norman Powell among its team. WNBA rookie Kiki Iriafen is also a Skechers basketball ambassador.
With its expanding investment in performance basketball footwear, Skechers is playing in a category mostly dominated by the likes of Nike and Adidas. “There is room for a new brand in basketball,” Matt Powell, senior adviser at BCE Consulting, said in an email. “Puma took real share with LaMelo Ball, from virtually nothing. Performance brands need athletes wearing their products. [It] gives credibility and authenticity.”
Publicly traded since 1999, Skechers announced in May it was taking the company private through an acquisition by 3G Capital to the tune of about $9.4 billion.
