Jamaica-inspired Ewing sneaker fuels Knicks nostalgia
With the New York Knicks making a deep run in this year’s NBA Playoffs, Knickerbocker fans have been hit by a wave of nostalgia.
Knicks Mania has brought a buzz back to Madison Square Garden not felt since the 1990s, with legends such as Patrick Ewing and John Starks along with many celebrities filling the seats of the famous arena over the last several weeks.
Also making a comeback to the mainstream is Jamaican-born Ewing’s trademark sneakers, which were very popular among hoop fans in the 1990s including in his native Jamaica.
Ewing, a Hall of Fame center, has never shied away from representing his homeland and the release of a sneaker called The Rogue Jamrock from Ewing Athletics draws inspiration from the Jamaican flag featuring a black and green leather upper and yellow leather straps to represent the gold diagonal cross on the flag. The Jamaican flag is included on the heel as a final piece de resistance.
Fans have reacted positively to the release of the sneaker on social media.
The 1990s were ruled by the Chicago Bulls but during that era, the New York Knicks emerged as contenders with names like Ewing, Anthony Mason, John Starks, Doc Rivers, Charles Smith, Charles Oakley and Greg Anthony.
As the 2024 iteration of a championship contender emerges this year with point guard Jalen Brunson leading the way, Knickerbocker fans are cheering their team, especially Jamaicans who wanted the Ewing-led teams of the 1990s to have been validated with at least one championship, but it never came to pass.
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls always stood in the way, and then, eventually the Houston Rockets.
The Ewing Rogue Jamrock is now available on ewingathletics.com.