In the first round of the NBA playoffs, perennial superstar James Harden rocked his signature Volume 5 sneaker – but the design detailed on the shoes was a unique ode to both the Philippines and Filipino basketball fans.

The sneakers were designed by Juanito Maiquez, a Filipino toy designer who was tabbed to create the design for this version of the Volume 5 shoe. Specifically, the sneaker itself bore the colors of the Phillippines’ flag (blue, red, yellow and white), alongside patterns and elements indicative of Filipino culture. Maiquez was pleasantly surprised to discover Harden debuting his version of the shoe during his game against the Celtics, sending out numerous photos via social media of the superstar wearing the sneakers:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPcKBVAhfwt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading

The shoe has been in production for well over a year, with the design process alone taking well over a month and a half. Notable changes to the shoe design worked out during this process include adding the Philippines’ country code for calls, as well as the date for when Harden last visited the nation. In order to better reward Maiquez and publicly display the exceptional creativity of Filipino artists, Maiquez’s name was also weaved into the shoe’s design.

While Harden is one of the only people currently able to lace up this version of his Volume 5 shoes, the newest version of the Adidas kicks will be available for the public to purchase on June 12 – a final tribute to the Philippines, with the day being the nation’s Independence Day.

New court documents bring light to alleged bribery done by Adidas involving New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson during his time at Duke University.

The documents are part of an ongoing civil lawsuit between Adidas and former college player Brian Bowen Jr., who alleges that he lost his NCAA eligibility in 2017 because of Adidas’ alleged money laundering, fraud and bribery, which came to light after an investigation by the FBI. Bowen attended Louisville and South Carolina, but never played college basketball because his father, without Bowen’s knowledge, accepted $100,000 from Adidas for his son to go to Louisville.

A sworn deposition taken on March 23 by attorneys for Bowen allege that in 2016, Daniel Cutler helped arrange flights and hotel accommodations for Williamson and his family. These accommodations apparently allowed the Williamson family to attend an Adidas event while Zion was still in high school. Cutler had worked with Chris Rivers, the former Adidas management official.

In a letter filed with the court last month, Adidas attorney William Taft wrote, “Rivers may have transferred $3,000 per month to the Williamson family for an unspecified period of time” and “Rivers may have transferred $1,000 to the Williamson family.”

“Adidas does not know the specific purpose of these transfers,” Taft wrote.

The letter, which was a part of the new filings obtained by The News & Observer, lists nine “potential transfers” made to Williamson’s stepfather from a company executive that totaled $5,474. Furthermore, a former consultant to Cutler, said in a sworn statement included in those filings that the company provided four airline tickets for Williamson’s family before he enrolled at Duke. In addition, the consultant alleges that hotel arrangements were made for the Williamson family.

Messages between Cutler and Olivia Guidera, then an Adidas marketing assistant manager, detailed purchasing flights for Williamson and his family in July 2016. “The only options for the young kid and mom are in Delta Comfort for both,” Guidera wrote to Cutler. “And for the dad and Zion, they only have middle seats, so you might need to put them all in Delta Comfort.”

The allegations that Williamson received payments from Adidas are not new. However, this is the first time that this evidence has surfaced.

The University of Kansas Men’s Basketball program has been under investigation by the NCAA for what feels like forever. On Thursday, the NCAA fired back, calling the programs five Level I alleged violations “egregious” while also threatening the future of college athletics.

For context, the NCAA was investigating Kansas and some other college basketball programs that had representatives from Adidas acting as boosters, giving money to recruits so that they would possibly come to that school. These payments became the focal point of an investigation by the FBI, looking into programs like Kansas.

In a statement, the NCAA said that the practices by Kansas the other schools gave an unfair advantage to those schools in recruiting. “The institution secured significant recruiting and competitive advantages by committing alleged Level I men’s basketball violations. The institution, in taking its defiant posture in this case, is indifferent to how alleged violations may have adversely impacted other NCAA institutions who acted in compliance with NCAA legislation.”

As it pertains to Kansas, the university has admitted that money was given to the parents of various recruits, but head coach Bill Self and his assistant Kurtis Townsend were unaware of these payments which the two have reiterated in sworn testimony. The NCAA has countered that claim by Self and Townsend as well as another Kansas assistant coach, Jerrance Howard with video and text messages that show that the three men were in talks with the Adidas representatives about payments to prospective recruits. Adidas also paid close to a quarter of a million dollars for an induction party for Self when he was voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The university has dug its feet in saying in a statement on Thursday that they stand by their coach and that they did not violate any rules. “The NCAA enforcement staff’s reply does not in any way change the University of Kansas’ position that the allegations brought against our men’s basketball program are simply baseless and littered with false representations.”

The university will have the opportunity to argue its case in front of the NCAA Committee on Infractions. Most likely the committee will side with the NCAA, meaning that Kansas will have to appeal the most likely severe penalties. 

SLIDESHOW: 50 GREAT SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019

No player like Zion Williamson has caused this much stir around the league since LeBron James entering the NBA back in 2003.

Williamson has it all: the size, the athleticism, the strength and the knack for scoring whenever he feels like it. The projected No. 1 pick in this year’s draft is one of the most talked-about players of his generation, immersed with talent and upside. Shoe endorsers will be fighting tooth and nail for this guys’ signature, and according to Fox Business, Williamson could be looking at a $100 million sneaker deal.

The legendary sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro says he thinks Adidas will win the race for Williamson. “They lost out to Nike on LeBron because they didn’t pay the money,” he said, according to Footwear News. “But if I’m Adidas, I’m going to [go all in this time].”

Williamson hasn’t given any hints, and has kept the media guessing too. In a workout on May 31, he was wearing Nike Kyrie 4s, but there may not be anything too much to look into there, as his former collegiate team Duke is endorsed by Nike. At the same time, Williamson has a hesitant relationship with Nike after he famously blew out a Nike shoe during a February 20 game against rivals North Carolina, during which he ended up spraining his knee.

According to CBS News, Nike stock fell $1 billion dollars after the incident, but has recovered since.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019- TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

If Zion were to sign the supposed $100 million deal, he would exceed James’ rookie deal with Nike ($87 million) back in 2003.

The Duke star averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds a game in his freshman season at Duke, and seemed to step up for the big moments for Duke as he scored over 29 points a game in the ACC Tournament and over 23 in the NCAA Tournament.

If and when Williamson gets selected by the New Orleans Pelicans, he will be joining a young team with fruitful talent alongside Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Jrue Holiday, Josh Hart and Elfrid Payton. 

A jury on Wednesday convicted three defendants accused of influencing high-school athletes to attend the Universities of Kansas, Louisville and NC State for monetary incentives.

Guilty Verdict For Three ex-Adidas Employees In recruiting scandal

The accused are James Gatto, a former Adidas employee, a lawyer and former Adidas consultant named Merl Code and Christian Dawkins, a former runner for NBA agents. The trio was found guilty on felony charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud after a three-week criminal trial in federal court in New York.

The Daniel Patrick Moynihan federal courthouse saw a deliberation of over 19 hours, and the monumental case of corruption concluded with a verdict of guilty for seven charges. This sets the table for a slate of several NCAA trials involving similar cases of corruption and wire fraud in the coming years. The precedent is like none other, and NCAA figures spoke on the historic court cases following the verdicts.

“I would think that [Wednesday’s verdict] means something good for our sport,” said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski after hearing the verdict. “[It’s] always good if someone does something wrong, they’re found out and they’re held accountable for it.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim doubts the issues of corruption are distributed throughout all of college basketball, and insists the case was an exceptional matter. “I could be naive, but I’ve been in college basketball for 43 years, and I’ve never been asked for money, and I’ve never asked anybody to give anybody money,” he said. “It’s very damaging what’s happened, and that’s not good for college basketball.”

With four college basketball assistants on trial in 2019, the fates of those involved with any semblance of corruption in the state of a tumultuous and questionably unethical ecosystem of college basketball, and the NCAA altogether, the forecast remains grim.

The ongoing college basketball recruiting scandal reached a turning point on Wednesday after an NCAA commission led by Condoleezza Rice laid out a series of a series of potential reforms to avoid future incidents of bribery and other types of corruption amongst coaches, agents and sponsors.

NCAA Basketball Commission Proposes New Reforms

“The corruption we observed in college basketball has its roots in youth basketball,” said Rice, a former Secretary of State.

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Among the most outstanding proposed reforms is one that hopes to end the “one-and-done” rule. This stipulation requires that all basketball players must play at least one full year of college before declaring for the NBA. Several prominent NBA stars, including LeBron James, have said they are opposed to the rule.

The NCAA commission also suggested permitting regulated communication with agents so that they do not try to steer players toward certain college programs and sponsors, as revelations in recent months have shown. Adidas is one of the companies that has become embroiled in the scandal.

The report the panel led by Rice released also included proposals to change the system related to sanctions, as well as summer basketball programs, and demanded sports apparel firms take on greater “transparency and accountability.”

“The levels of corruption and deception are now at a point that they threaten the very survival of the college game as we know it. It has taken some time to get here, and it will take time to change course,” read the report, per the New York Times.

The commission reportedly has not offered any ideas on what to replace the highly-debated one-and-done rule with.

According to several reports, the punishments for recruiting violations could potentially include year-long bans on allowing players to visit, while other infractions could lead to even bigger sanctions like five-year postseason bans and possible loss of postseason revenue sharing.

The commission has also pushed for the NCAA to revamp summer basketball programs, which are key to the recruitment process, so as to exclude involvement from the top three sports apparel giants: Adidas, UnderArmour, and Nike.

Multiple prospects of universities whom Adidas sponsored, like Kansas, Louisville and Miami, were found to have been bribed (along with their families) in an effort to convince them to commit to those schools. These revelations led to indictments from federal prosecutors after a lengthy FBI investigation.

The commission also counts former NBA stars like Grant Hill and David Robinson, as well as former coaches, college presidents and USA Basketball executives, among its members.

SLIDESHOW: 10 Highest-Paid Athletes

Rice also hinted she would support the idea of giving college athletes a cut of any type of commercial use of their names and photos, according to the Times. 

NCAA president Mark Emmert has said college basketball is broken and is in need of major changes.

In other related news, the NCAA is facing a federal antitrust lawsuit. Jeffrey Kessler, a New York lawyer, sued the association in August 2014, claiming the NCAA and its partners have violated antitrust regulations by restricting how basketball and football players are compensated. The case is being determined in California.

Rick Pitino is retaliating at Adidas following one of the largest scandals in collegiate sports history.

Rick Pitino Adidas lawsuit news

The former Louisville basketball coach filed a lawsuit against the sports apparel giant Tuesday, claiming unspecified damages, including punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.

Pitino, 65, was fired by the Cardinals on Monday amid an FBI investigation into bribery and fraud actions that aimed to steer recruits to Adidas and other specific sponsors, agents, financial advisers and basketball programs.

The FBI allegations against Louisville include payments of $100,000 from an assistant coach to the family of an unnamed player to sign with the Cardinals.

Pitino — who had been in charge of Louisville’s basketball program since 2001 — has denied any involvement in the scandal.

“In today’s lawsuit, Coach Pitino swears that he had nothing to do with, and no knowledge of, the Adidas conspiracy,” said Steve Pence, Pitino’s attorney.

The coach has even cited a lie detector test he took earlier this month as proof that he had “no knowledge” of the aforementioned payment to the Louisville recruit’s family. The player is believed to be five-star freshman Brian Bowen, who signed with the Cardinals in June. Bowen was suspended indefinitely shortly after the FBI revealed the findings of its probe.

PItino said he was asked two questions as part of the test: “Did you have any knowledge of the Bowen family getting any money? Did you have any knowledge of an Adidas transaction?’

According to MSN, Pitino could lose the $44 million left in salary and bonuses on his contract with Louisville through the 2025-26 season because he was terminated with cause. Per USA Today, he was the highest-paid coach in college basketball this year at $7.8 million.

Pitino had already been placed on probation for a controversy involving strippers and escorts hired to entertain recruits and other players in dorm rooms — another scandal he has refuted any participation in.

Louisville put assistant coaches Kenny Johnson and Jordan Fair on paid administrative leave earlier this month, and Fair was then dismissed.

The Louisville Courier-Journal reported last month that Pitino received 98 percent of the cash — approximately $1.5 million annually for five years — that the Cardinals earned from their expiring apparel deal with Adidas.

Pitino is a Hall of Fame coach who went 416-143 in his 16 seasons in charge at Louisville.

LOUISVILLE, KY – MAY 04: Coach Rick Pitino attends the 139th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

The president of the University of Miami revealed Wednesday evening that the school’s men’s basketball program is under federal investigation.

NCAA basketball recruiting investigation news

The Hurricanes, along with Auburn, Arizona, Louisville, USC and Oklahoma State have been charged for illicitly recruiting players.

Miami president Julio Frenk released the following statement about the probe:

The FBI’s case does not specifically mention Miami or any of its coaches, although the same is true for Louisville, which also acknowledged it is being investigated by the FBI for allegedly accepting bribes from agents and companies who attempted to convince players to work for them, or to steer high school athletes toward certain NCAA programs. The case was revealed on Tuesday.

The Cardinals placed Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich on administrative leave on Tuesday. Louisville may be forced to vacate several victories, including its 2013 national championship.

Also charged with bribery is Adidas executive Jim Gatto, who is accused of working with a Hurricanes assistant to move $150,000 to the family of a high-profile 2018 prospect.

“The University of Miami is aware of the indictments handed down today by the Department of Justice involving several men’s college basketball programs, coaches, financial advisors, agents and apparel executives,” Miami athletic director Blake James said Tuesday. “As we are just learning the details, we cannot comment on the actions taken today by federal authorities. However, if requested, we will cooperate in any legal or NCAA review of the matter.”

According to CBS, there is also a phone call recorded from mid-August that reveals a conversation between Gatto and Merl Code, an Adidas employee who recently left Nike. They reportedly discuss a negotiation price of  $150,000 for an unnamed “Player-12.” Code is heard saying, “If [University-4]’s willing to pay” a $150,000 price “then that’s where the kid is going to go.”

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – FEBRUARY 20: Davon Reed #5 of the Miami Hurricanes shouts during Miami’s game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on February 20, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)

Ten individuals working in the highest ranks of college basketball, including four assistant coaches and an official from Adidas, are facing federal bribery, fraud, and other corruption charges, Manhattan prosecutors announced Tuesday.

NCAA Basketball bribery scandal news

The New York Times was among the first to report the news.

The U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York revealed in a statement that since 2015, federal prosecutors and the FBI have been investigating “the criminal influence of money on coaches and student-athletes who participate in intercollegiate basketball governed by the N.C.A.A.”

The probe has revealed several cases of bribes paid by athlete advisers, among others, to assistant coaches and in some instances directly to student-athletes at NCAA Division I universities, according to the complaint.

The payoffs were intended to force college players to work with specific agents and companies after they went professional, or to pressure highly-touted high school players to attend certain colleges.

Among the individuals charged was Chuck Person, an assistant coach at Auburn, where he was also a star player. Person played in the NBA for 13 years, a carer that included a stint with the Indiana Pacers. Coaches at Arizona, Oklahoma State and Southern California also received charges.

One of the three indictments charges five people with wire fraud and money laundering in a plot to bribe high school athletes to enroll in certain universities. Those indicted included Adidas senior executive James Gatto.

The indictment reveals that around $100,000 was paid to the family of “Player-10,” a heavily recruited high school all-American. The player’s college decision, which was announced in June, reportedly came as a surprise. Payments were also made to other players’ families, according to the indictment.

Adidas said in a statement: “Today, we became aware that federal investigators arrested an Adidas employee. We are learning more about the situation. We’re unaware of any misconduct and will fully cooperate with authorities to understand more.”

Another complaint claims that Person solicited bribes from a financial adviser and business manager for professional athletes, in exchange for his consent to direct some of the school’s players to the adviser when they joined the NBA.

The complaint states Person accepted a total of $91,500 in the case, and gave approximately $18,500 to the families of two athletes.

The third indictment charged assistant coaches with receiving bribe to direct athletes to certain agents. Among those charged are Lamont Evans, an assistant at Oklahoma State and a former assistant at South Carolina; Emanuel Richardson, an assistant at Arizona; and Tony Bland, an assistant at USC.

Oklahoma State said in a statement: “We were surprised to learn this morning of potential actions against one of our assistant basketball coaches by federal officials. We are reviewing and investigating the allegations. We are cooperating fully with officials.”

USC said: “We will cooperate fully with the investigation and will assist authorities as needed, and if these allegations are true, will take the needed actions.”

The investigation follows another major scandal that recently rocked NCAA basketball. In June, Louisville was sanctioned and head coach Rick Pitino was suspended for five games after it was revealed several of the university’s coaches and athletic department staff members solicited escorts and strippers for recruits. The Cardinals were forced to forfeit several games, possibly including their 2013 national championship victory.

Longtime Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun lamented the findings.

“The shoe companies have always, through grass roots, A.A.U., tried to get the young great players to stay with their sneakers,” said Calhoun. I remember kids getting swag, trips. But I don’t remember kids getting money.”

“I shouldn’t say it’s beyond belief, but to give money is the wrong thing. Stuff like this is obviously disturbing.”

GLENDALE, AZ – APRIL 03: Przemek Karnowski #24 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs handles the ball against Kennedy Meeks #3 and Isaiah Hicks #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second half during the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The National Hockey League and Adidas celebrated their partnership on Tuesday by unveiling new uniforms for all 31 of its teams.

NHL and Adidas Reached a Seven-Year Partnership Deal in 2015

The NHL and the sports apparel giant also revealed a jersey for the league’s recently-established franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights.

The ceremony was held at a resort in Las Vegas, where temperatures reached a scalding 114 degrees earlier that day. The occasion marked the transition of the NHL’s uniform deal with Reebok, which had provided the league with apparel since 2005.

Now, Adidas will reserve the rights to the NHL’s uniforms for the next seven years, per an agreement the two organizations reached in 2015.

The new ADIZERO Authentic NHL jerseys are 19 percent lighter than current league jerseys, 133 percent cooler and more permeable, and much more durable. The new jerseys are 27 percent stronger in burst testing and up to 72 percent more resistant to abrasions compared to their current versions.

“Specifically created for elite performance, we’ve designed the ADIZERO Authentic NHL jerseys to deliver advanced innovation and technical design for the world’s best hockey players,” said Dan Near, Head of adidas Hockey. “We build products for the creator athlete. Our mission is to help athletes perform better and we look forward to making our on-ice debut this season with the new Lighter, Cooler, and Stronger adidas Hockey ADIZERO Authentic NHL jerseys.”

“We’re excited for the fans and players to see the innovation and performance features that adidas put into creating the new jerseys,” said Brian Jennings, NHL Chief Brand Officer & Executive Vice President. “To play at their highest levels, the game’s greatest players require the best technology and design available, and these adidas jerseys set a new benchmark for performance gear.”

“Adidas is a brand recognized worldwide for innovation and technology investment, creating constant innovation in high performance apparel,” said NHLPA Chief of Global Business Strategies, Sandra Monteiro. “The Players are excited to partner with adidas, creating a new milestone in hockey apparel, bringing edge, innovation and premium design to the game, specifically focused on their performance.”

Here is a preview of the Vegas Golden Knights’ new uniform:

Adidas has also removed Reebok’s scoop hemline from the new jerseys, given that so many fans seemed to dislike the feature. A less exaggerated shirttail has been added instead.

All jerseys now also include a dimpled fabric across the shoulders.

The NHL shield logo at the base of each team’s jersey neckline will now appear as a Chromaflex chip, not as an embroidered patch as it did before.

During the 2017-2018 season, Adidas will interact with fans through large-scale brand activation events like the NHL Combine, the NHL Draft, the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, the Stanley Cup® Playoffs and the NHL® All-Star Game.

LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 22: Vegas Golden Knights apparel is displayed after being announced as the name for the Las Vegas NHL franchise at T-Mobile Arena on November 22, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team will begin play in the 2017-18 season. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Adidas Running has apologized after sending an email lauding customers who ran the Boston Marathon on Monday for having “survived” the race.

Adidas Apologizes For Boston Marathon Email

The sportswear giant sent out an email Tuesday with the subject line: “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!”

Several people on social media began reminding Adidas of the 2013 Boston Marathon, during which three people were killed and more than 260 injured when two bombs exploded near the finish line.

Adidas rapidly realized how “insensitive” their comment was and issued an apology for its poor choice of words in a statement in which the sports apparel retailer said it was “incredibly sorry,” and that “no thought was given” to their email subject line.

Two survivors of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, a terrorist attack perpetrated by two young Muslim Chechen-American brothers, also ran this year’s race.

Adidas stated the marathon is “one of the most inspirational sporting events in the world” and a reminder “”of the hope and resiliency of the running community”.

One of the two terrorists behind the 2013 bombings, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was found guilty of the attacks and was sentenced to the death penalty in 2015.

Tsarnaev and hid older brother, Tamerlan, placed pressure-cooker bombs close to the Marathon finish line.

Tamerlan, then 26, was killed in a shootout with police in Boston.

Dzhokhar, then 19, fled the same shootout but was captured one day later, after being discovered hiding in a boat in the backyard of a nearby house.

Both the male and female winner of this year’s Boston Marathon, held on Patriots’ Day, hail from Kenya.

Geoffrey Kirui and Edna Kiplagat won the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively. Kiplagat is the second-oldest women’s winner in Boston Marathon history at age 37.

Kirui beat American Galen Rupp by 22 seconds in Monday’s race, and the Boston Globe showed the Kenyan crossing the finish line:

Here are more highlights from Monday’s Marathon:

Marcel Hug beat Earnst Van Dyk to claim his third straight men’s wheelchair title:

In the women’s wheelchair race, Hug’s fellow Swiss competitor Manuela Schar set a world record by finishing in 1:28:17:

American Meb Keflezighi, who ran his final Boston Marathon on Monday, bowed to the crowd and also embraced the family of Martin Richard, a boy who died in the 2013 bombings at age 8, in a touching moment.

Marc Fucarile, who lost a leg in the 2013 attacks, finished the race on a hand-cycle.

Another star of the 2017 race was Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to ever run the Boston Marathon in 1967, who returned to run this year’s event on Monday at age 70.

Clearly, there were several emotional moments in this year’s Boston Marathon.

WELLESLEY, MA – APRIL 17: Runners make their way through the half way mark of the marathon in Wellesley, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images)

Nick Young has finally unveiled his own shoe.

Lakers Guard Nick Young Unveils His New Adidas Sneakers

The Los Angeles Lakers guard, known as “Swaggy P,” partnered with Adidas, who launched Young’s Player Edition version of the Crazy Explosive Primeknit, a team-oriented performance model shared with players like Andrew Wiggins. 

The all-white pair of sneakers is personalized with a brand new “Swaggy P” logo patch on the tongues.

Young averaged 7.3 points last season, and found himself getting DNP-CDs under former Lakers coach Byron Scott. 

The 31-year-old also scored 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting in a preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. After a report in August that the Lakers would either trade Young or buy him out, it now seems as if his ability to work the floor could earn him a spot in new coach Luke Walton’s rotation.

Young unveiled his sneakers at a Nice Kicks event in LA on Saturday.

DENVER, CO – MARCH 02:  Nick Young #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates a three point basket against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on March 2, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. The Nuggets defeated the Lakers 117-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.  (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

With preseason right around the corner, you (or your child) have already put in the time prepping your body for the rigors ahead.

While you don’t welcome the Indian runs, wind sprints, Tampa Bays or those times when the coach just says “start running, I’ll let you know when to stop,” you have taken the time to train yourself to be able to withstand such a physical beating.

Get the Gear Preseason Edition: 3 Options For Soccer Boots Under $200

If you can just make it through the preseason, then you will be fine, right?

Well if you want to play like a pro, you’ve gotta look the part.

So, with those two-a-days lurking, here are three pairs of boots that will make you look like Ronaldo on the pitch, even if you don’t play like him.

Nike Hypervenom Phantom II FG Men’s Soccer Cleats

I feel like I can run faster just looking at these cleats.

The Hypervenom Phantom IIs are studded cleats that are best-suited for sloppy weather, but the aesthetic appeal is off the charts.

Flat-out, these boots are sick. A zebra-like design coupled with the signature swoosh that will have you outrunning defenders and tracking long balls played over the top by opponents.

The built-in sock offers excellent ankle support to ensure one less thing will be burning by the end of August.

PUMA evoSpeed 1.4 Men’s Firm Ground Cleats

These neon green spikes are perfect for dry weather, giving you maximum traction for those hot summer practices and future games.

PUMA makes very attractive shoes and they have not slipped a bit with the evoSpeed 1.4. The image of them looks like they will run off-screen at any moment.

Twelve cleats help distribute your weight and keep you on-balance to allow for perfect one-touch passing.

And with the PUMA logo, you will turn heads this preseason.

ADIDAS Men’s X 16.1 FG Soccer Cleats

You didn’t think we would leave the fellas over at Adidas out of the party did you?

How could we when you take a look at the X 16.1s?

These spikes are eye-popping in terms of pure swagg, and Adidas is known for their comfort above all other brands. The 16.1s are no different.

They somewhat resemble the old-school, silver predators that the company put on shelves in 2000, but a much fresher look and advancements in aerodynamics make these boots the best pair I’ve seen next to the Messis.

After seemingly endless rumors about the all-black version of Kanye West’s first signature Yeezy Boost 750, there’s finally confirmation that they will be released. Now, it’s just a matter of when.

Yeezy Boost 750 Black

On Tuesday, Adidas tweeted that the shoes would be coming in black and coming soon. Beyond that vague ‘soon’, though, no one knows when they’ll see the light of day.

Speculation says that they could hit markets on December 19, based on past precedent and shopping logic. Other Yeezys have been released on Saturdays and, if Adidas misses that date, the next Saturday won’t be until after Christmas; it’s a tight time frame, but they surely don’t want to miss such a massive sales opportunity.

Yeezy 750 Black

They will retail for $350 and be available at the following United States retailers, according to Sneakernews:

Adidas.com, BAIT, Bodega, Extra Butter, St. Alfreds; RSVP Gallery, Foot Locker, Finish Line, Footaction, Ubiq, KicksUSA, Champs, Undefeated, Barney’s New York, DTS, West NYC, Packer Shoes, VILLA  and Wish

Yeezy 950 Boot

In the meantime, you’re still able to get the Yeezy 950 boots here in time for the holidays.