While the world is fixated on who’s making it to the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup. adidas thinks it’s done enough for the love of the game with the Trionda, and now it’s time to shift focus to basketball. To do that, the sportswear giant is bringing 3D-printed footwear innovation to the hardwood with the launch of adidas BB.01. It is the first 3D-printed basketball shoe to hit the market, in an eye-catching combination of Solar Red and Orbit Grey.
The 3D printed basketball shoe from adidas is a definite head-turner. It’s called the adidas BB.01 “Solar Red/Orbit Grey,” and it’s nothing like the traditional canvas, textile, and foam silhouettes. While most shoe midsoles are molded in factories, the BB.01 is printed entirely from resin in layers instead.
Designer: adidas
The basketball shoe is part of adidas’ Project R.A.P (Radical Athlete Perception). The program ensures that adaptive manufacturing is not just an experimental category but an actual way to create functional, court-worthy footwear. Based on this ideology, adidas BB.01 has been a long time coming.
The much-anticipated footwear finally has a release date and a price. Fans should be able to get their feet into the 3D-printed marvel starting July 14, when it will be available through the adidas Confirmed app for $250. Meticulously combining “cutting-edge digital manufacturing with elite on-court performance,” the shoe features Orbit Grey in the base, which, in contrast, is highlighted by the Solar Red upper cage. The Three Stripes logo is present on the heel, from where it extends upward toward the collar.
Since the footwear is designed to complement the wearer’s performance on the court, its 3D printed midsole is designed to handle the impact and keep the player “stable through cuts and landings.” The footwear weighs only 15.13 oz (428 g) and comes with its most striking resin outer shell on top of the engineered midsole, which utilizes a lattice design across the sidewalls. This form factor allows the shoe to flex with the twisting nature of the foot. Higher-density printing is also carried out around the toes and heels for stability.
adidas BB.01 is not an attractive shoe on the outside alone. On the inside, it also features a soft textile bootie that locks the foot in place, ensuring support and comfort. A flagbearer of the future of 3D printing in the footwear industry, adidas BB.01 will release on July 14, but you can start registering for it as early as July 9 through the company website.
