16-04-2009

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The Use of the Word DUNKMAN. Nike Zoom Soldier III Mean Green. »

When LeBron James took off for his first unforgettable dunk in the league we all witnessed a moment of greatness. Now, as he leads his squad to his fourth playoff run, Nike celebrates that moment and the great moments to come with the Zoom LeBron Soldier III Mean Green edition. This special edition Soldier III features a white and reflective 3M grey upper and toe-cap. The signature scream green highlights the inner lining, the L23 logo and the translucent outsole. Even the accent stitching on the double white straps and upper get a flash. The Dunkman logo, commemorating LeBron’s very first dunk in the league, is boldly emblazoned on the top strap.

The description above and couple new pics below come from Nike Basketball website. The thing that struck me most was the use of the word Dunkman. It doesn’t appear in the name, but somewhere on the bottom… almost hidden. Also, they mentioned a limited number of pairs available at House of Hoops locations. But, what about two online drops that did occur? In general, the Dunkman started off as an underground term and sort of took off. It’s just another proof that Nike is listening to us… sneakerheads. Read on to find out more about it.

Well, if you remember the description on Cavs Team Shop… it was a different story – click here. The word Dunkman appears here too, but it describes the shoe plus they even used the phrase “Gun Metal Grey”, which is definitely not a technical term. Maybe I was watching too much X-Files as a kid, but doesn’t it seem weird, to say at least? Technically it’s one seller, but there are two different approaches. One official and the other one as it was written by one of us. Maybe it’s because the actual Dunkman trademark (created for Shaquille O’Neal) is a registered trademark of Mine O’Mine, Inc. and used under an exclusive license by Exeter Brands (created by Nike). In 2004, Nike Acquired Official Starter Properties LLC – sole owners and licensors of the Starter, Team Starter and Asphalt brand names as well as master licensee of the Shaq and Dunkman. It could be a reason why Nike is not officially naming their Mean Green shoes as Dunkmans, which is a natural thing for us “LeBron-heads”.

Please read our previous post on this matter: Original vs Flying Dunkman | Dunkman Logo Evolution. Show Album