You gotta have the shoes

You gotta have the shoes.

By MICHAEL McGARRY
Staff Writer
Press of Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Jordan Sykes scours New Jersey malls in the fall in search of basketball sneakers.

The Holy Spirit High School senior, like many basketball players, is finicky about what she puts on her feet.

She wears only Air Jordans. But popular sneakers like those can be as tough to get as a concert ticket to see the hottest band.

"I'm picky," said Sykes, one of the region's top players. "I'm a shoe person."

Sykes found what she was looking for this season on a trip to Hamilton Mall.

She spotted a pair of gray and lime Air Jordan Retro IVs, the sneaker that was first released in 1998 to mark Michael Jordan's second of three retirements from the NBA.

"I was thrilled," she said. "I'm old school, and (Jordan's) retro line is hard to come by."

Few things are more important to basketball players than their trusted and prized sneakers. Most can easily recall the first pair they owned.

For Atlantic City senior standout Tasha Cannon, it was a pair of Nike Air Force Ones she got when she was 11.

Players can't wear different jerseys and shorts, but many high schools allow them to choose their own sneakers.

"My shoes express my personality," Sykes said.

She prefers Air Jordans because she wants to play with the same determination and competitiveness as the NBA great.

Players want sneakers to look good. They want them to be unique. Dave Beyel and a few of his Ocean City teammates wear the Reebok Pump Omnilight.

"I didn't think there would be too many teams that wear them," he said.

Comfort also counts. Players want to feel like they can run fast and jump high.

Cannon currently wears a pair of Nike Huaraches that her brother gave her for Christmas.

She will do some calf raises and even hop up and down a few times when she tries them on in a store to make sure the sneakers give her the proper lift.

"I like a light shoe. A nice cushion on the inside," Cannon said. "It has to look good, but it also has to be comfortable. I can't take blisters for no sneaker."

A good pair of basketball sneakers can cost anywhere between $100 and $250.

The sale of basketball sneakers in the United States generated $2.08 billion dollars in 2004, according to the 2005 SGMA International's Recreation Market report. SGMA International is a trade association that consists of manufacturers and retailers in the sports products industry.

Jordan and Nike revolutionized sneakers in 1985 with the debut of the first Air Jordans. That helped elevate sneakers to fashion statements.

Nike has since released 20 different types of Air Jordans. Retro is in today and that means players want sneakers that were popular in the late 1990s. But they are not easy to get.

Stores and Web sites never seem to have enough supply to meet demand.

Once players find a shoe, another question must be asked. Is it available in their size?

Some players monitor manufacturer and store Web sites to learn the release date for new designs.

"If people find out a store is going to be selling a certain type," Beyel said, "they'll line up before it opens."

What makes it even tougher for players is that many people buy basketball sneakers for non-basketball purposes.

"They buy it as a casual shoe," Sykes said.

Still, most players own two to three pairs. Many elite players get free pairs from their AAU teams, which are often sponsored by sneaker companies.

Cannon gives some of her excess pairs to her eighth-grade sister Tiana.

Others have closets filled with sneakers. Beyel owns around 25 pairs. His goal is to one day have a room in his house dedicated to his sneakers and retro jerseys.

"Some people collect baseball cards," he said. "I like shoes."

The search for a sneaker with just the right look never really ends.

Sykes returned to the Hamilton Mall a few weeks after she bought the gray and lime Air Jordan Retro IVs.

This time she saw a pair of green and white Air Jordan Retro IVs. The grey and lime sneakers were quickly exchanged for the green and white pair.

"I think they just looked hotter," she said.