Author: tayib salami

Every once in a while I walk into a sneaker store with absolutely no intention of being impressed by anything, and then a shoe sitting on the shelf changes the entire plan. That’s basically what happened when I came across the Air Jordan 1 Low OG Laser Palomino Brown. I saw the shoe and immediately thought, this thing screams pick me up. So that’s exactly what I did. And once I got close to it, I realized the colorway wasn’t even the most interesting part of the shoe. The Laser Work Is What Makes This Pair Special At first glance,…

I recently came across the Nike Air Foamposite Pro Green Camo, and seeing the shoe again reminded me of why Foamposites developed such a cult following in the first place. This particular Green Camo colorway originally released in June 2013 with a retail price of around $240. More than a decade later, we’re looking at Foamposites approaching the $250 range before you even factor in sales tax. But price aside, there aren’t many basketball shoes that look—or feel—quite like a Foamposite. How Is the Foamposite Shell Made? The defining characteristic of the shoe is obviously that famous Foamposite shell. Unlike…

The Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4 is one of those basketball shoes that immediately takes me back to the early 2000s. I recently stopped by my local Foot Locker and came across the Penny Hardaway-inspired Huarache 2K4, and naturally, I had to take a closer look. This particular colorway pays tribute to Penny Hardaway’s time in New York, dressing the classic 2K4 silhouette in a combination of black, royal blue and orange. The shoe looks incredible in person, but with a retail price of $190, the real question is simple: Is it worth buying? A Great-Looking Knicks-Inspired Colorway The first…

I haven’t had any chance to write an authentication article till this morning, mainly because I have been extremely busy with my teaching job. Well, today I’ve been able to carve out some time to quickly show you how to identify the fake Air Jordan 9 Space Jam; IO usually refer to this shoe as the playoff 9s but Jordan brand keep changing the names of these shoes I guess to keep people interested. This is a highly coveted sneaker due to its rich history and its performance capability on the basketball court so counterfeiters aren’t going to spare it.…

The VOU gendered pickleball tournament is the only time, as a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, that I would agree with Charles Darwin, it was survival of the fittest. It all started at 9 a.m. with the clash of the ladies. Several duos were represented, but I only have a pair of eyes and could only catch some of the preliminary games.  The first one was between the Colleen Cat team vs. Brooke and her partner. They played two games, and the latter team came out on top, capitalizing on the mistakes of the former, notably some out balls, net…

If you had told me five years ago that pickleball would completely overshadow basketball in my life, I would have called you insane. I mean, I was and still am a huge fan of the game of basketball, but there is something that pickleball does to the human brain that words cannot express. I went from playing once or twice a week to now twice a day, seven times a week, to the point where my beautiful spouse almost hid all my pickleball paddles. (No, she didn’t. She just thinks I’m addicted to it and need to go on a…

How Basketball Has Changed The game of basketball has evolved the most in the past 15 years, especially since the Golden State Splash Brothers, i.e., Curry and Klay, won four of the coveted NBA championships and broke the concept that one couldn’t win a title as a jump-shooting team. You can kiss that concept goodbye now, since most NBA offenses heavily rely on volume threes and spacing the floor. That isn’t to take away from the fact that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson’s gravity causes so many defenses to scramble and consequently allows more of the dreaded middle penetration, resulting…

Since my schedule is about to be extremely complex within the next 24 hours, I wanted to quickly share a post on how to identify the fake Air Jordan 13 Flint Grey. This is a very popular sneaker and several counterfeit pairs have hit the market so you’ll do well in checking out this side by side comparison courtesy of the authentication GURU. Areas we’ll focus on will include the sides, back, tongue, toe, insole, outsole and box. So grab your shoes and let’s get started. How To Tell If Your 2026 Air Jordan 13 Flint Grey  is Fake? Side…

As someone who has ventured into the world of Ayurvedic healing, let me share a little story about a friend, Riya. She was feeling constantly fatigued, suffering from frequent headaches, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on the cause. After diving into Ask Ayurveda, the most authoritative platform in Ayurveda and the largest Ayurvedic portal in the world, she stumbled upon the idea of switching to a copper water bottle. Intrigued by the potential health benefits that she read about, Riya decided to take the plunge. Just like we keep copper bottle in fridge to maximize its properties, Riya…

Welcome back to another edition of legit check, today we’ll quickly learn how to spot the fake Air Jordan 3 True Blue from the 2026 release. I recently shared a post about how the shoe was underperforming on third party marketplaces, which meant great news for collectors, so I wouldn’t want anyone to be sold a counterfeit pair for the same price legitimate ones are being sold for. I was able to find a good side by side video comparison courtesy of the authentication GURU this time around. Areas we’ll solely focus on in this guide will include the back,…

The  Jordan 1 Mid continues to be one of Jordan Brand’s most popular lifestyle sneakers, and every now and then, Nike releases a Special Edition that offers something a little different. That’s exactly what we have with the Air Jordan 1 Mid SE Distressed White Silver. At first glance, it may look like another clean white Jordan 1, but a closer inspection reveals premium materials, textured overlays, and subtle silver accents that give this sneaker a distinctive personality. So, is this pair worth the $140 retail price from footlocker, or should you wait for a sale? Let’s take a closer…

The Nike Air Force 1 is one of those sneakers that never seems to go out of style. Whether you’re a longtime sneakerhead or someone looking for a dependable everyday shoe, the Air Force 1 has earned its place as a staple in sneaker culture. While browsing my local Foot Locker, I came across the Nike Air Force 1 LV8 Triple Red, and its bold all-red colorway immediately grabbed my attention. But does this striking sneaker justify its $115 retail price, or is it better left on the shelf? Let’s take a closer look. First Impressions There’s no denying it—this…

Welcome to another edition of legit check, today we’ll be learning how to quickly spot the fake Air Jordan 6 Bin23. When Jordan Brand came up with the Premio Bin23 collection, it was a sight to behold, each one that dropped was an instant classic, and my favorite one to this day is still the 13’s silhouettes, I just couldn’t get enough of it. I don’t know when the brand decided to bring back the collection again but counterfeiters wasted no time in producing their own replicated versions and you’ll do well in watchin this side by side comparison courtesy…

I would have never written this post if I hadn’t received a message from Footlocker asking me to promote the Air Jordan 3 True Blue in return for an upgraded commission. Now that should tell you a lot about what retailers are going through because places like Footlocker seldom gives any kickback on marquee launch releases like the True blue 3.  The last time we saw this colorway was in 2016 and I believe it came with a Jumpman logo on the back. Nike is still trying to connect with OG collectors by bringing this shoe back with the classic…

When basketball fans talk about Team USA, names like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird usually dominate the conversation. But the 2012 London Olympics introduced another unforgettable chapter in USA Basketball history, led by one of the greatest competitors the game has ever seen, Kobe Bryant. The 2012 Team USA Kobe Bryant #10 jersey represents more than just another basketball uniform. It symbolizes Kobe’s final Olympic appearance, his leadership of a new generation of NBA superstars, and Team USA’s dominant march to another Olympic Gold Medal. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the jersey’s craftsmanship, comfort,…

One of the reasons the Air Jordan 8 Aqua has stood the test of time is because of its unmistakable color palette. The combination of black, Aqua, purple, royal blue, and subtle hits of red creates a sneaker that is both loud and classy at the same time. But finding a shirt that truly complements those colors without overpowering the sneakers isn’t always easy. I’ve come across hundreds of Jordan matching shirts over the years, and many of them simply throw Aqua-colored graphics on a black tee and call it a day. The five shirts below take a much different…

Welcome back to our Thursday edition of legit check, today we’ll learn how to quickly identify the fake Air Jordan 5 Black Carolina by leaning on The Sneaker Authentication GURU video breakdown . This is a pair of shoe that is highly coveted because it is being brought back for the first time since it originally released. Our focus will be on the ankle liner, caging, stitching , the insoles, the heel and outsole. So grab your pair and let’s get started. How To Tell If Your Air Jordan 5 Black Carolina  is Fake? Liner Color Comparison The most noticeable…

Welcome back to our Tuesday’s edition of legit check, today we’ll learn how to quickly identify the fake Nike Air Foamposite One Tianjin 2.0 by leaning on Snide’s detailed video breakdown. This is a pair of shoe that is highly coveted and counterfeit pairs have already flooded the market. Our focus will be on the toe, the back, the insoles, the heel and outsole. So grab your pair and let’s get started. How To Tell If Your  Nike Air Foamposite One Tianjin 2.0  is Fake? Toe The textured pattern on the eyestay is considerably shinier on the fake pair, producing…

In today’s legit check, we’ll be learning how to quickly identify the Fake Air Jordan 4 Brick After Brick Nigel Sylvester. The shoe reminds me a lot of the Fire Red 4 for obvious reasons but it was certainly targeted by counterfeiters as several batches of fakes were released on the market. The one we’ll be looking at today is by far the best one and pinned against the authentic pair, there weren’t that many flaws. We’ll be leaning on Snide’s video this time to point out the differences. Areas of our focus will include the heel, the back, the…

Welcome back to another special edition of legit check, today, we’ll be learning how to spot the fake Air Jordan 4 Toro Bravo. The shoe was introduced in 2013 and slowly became a classic and Jordan Brand being true to itself has decided to reintroduce it again after 13 years. They’re currently sitting on shelves, which is good news by the way but counterfeit pairs have also entered the market. We’ll once again lean on Jacob Marcellus’ video to figure out how to quickly identify the fake pair. Areas of our focus will include the toe, the netting, the edges,…

Back in 2013, when the Air Jordan 4 Toro Bravo first released, nobody could have predicted what was about to happen. I still remember walking into a local sneaker retailer in Baltimore, not too far from the Inner Harbor and the National Aquarium. The shoe had already released, and to my surprise, there were still plenty of pairs sitting on the shelves. Multiple sizes. No lines. No campouts. No chaos. At the time, sneaker culture was different. Social media wasn’t the powerful force it is today, and many people simply didn’t realize how special the Toro Bravo 4 was. On…

Welcome back to another edition of legit check, today we’ll quickly learn how to spot and identify the Fake Air Jordan 5 White Metallic Silver as many pairs have already entered the market. Once again, we’ll lean on Jacob Marcellus’ video to list all the key things to look for. Areas of our focus will include the sides, the tongue logo, the quarter panel, the toe, the shark teeth, the insoles and more, so grab your sneakers and let’s get started. How To Tell If Your  Air Jordan 5 White Metallic Silver  is Fake? Lateral Side From the lateral side,…

As someone who spends most of the day on his feet, I have become surprisingly picky about socks. That may sound strange coming from someone who spends most of his time talking about sneakers, but the reality is that even the best pair of shoes can feel uncomfortable if you’re wearing the wrong socks. Over the years, I’ve accumulated so many pairs that I’ve honestly lost count. Some are too thick. Others are too thin. Some trap heat and leave your feet feeling like they’re trapped in a sauna by the end of the day. Recently, I received a six-pack…

In this edition of legit check, we’ll learn how to quickly detect the Fake Air Jordan 1 VAA Alaska OFF WHITE .We’ll lean on The Authentication GURU  very through side by side  for this authentication. Areas we’ll focus on will include the tag, tongue, panels, insoles, booklets, and more. So grab your sneakers and let’s get started. How To Tell If Your  VAA Air Jordan 1 Alaska Off White  is Fake? Lateral Panel  On that lateral-quarter panel, the grey suede overlay on the fake is darker and more beige/khaki, while the authentic overlay is lighter and cleaner (a paler, more…