Home / Style / Sneakers

Is This Overlooked Adidas Shoe Destined to Become the Next Samba?

Adidas has no shortage of iconic sneakers in its ranks. One is quickly towering to the very top.

Adidas shoeAdidas

By Jack Seemer

Published

·

Updated

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

The Samba. Superstar. Stan Smith. More recently, the Ultraboost. Adidas has no shortage of iconic and influential sneakers in its ranks.

Now, one only recently plucked from the archive is quickly towering to the very top.

Rooted in greatness

The shoe in question is the Jabbar Lo, a low-top reissue of the NBA’s original signature sneaker.

(Technically, the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star existed long before it bore the name of Charles Hollis “Chuck” Taylor, while the Puma Clyde, too, was a rebrand of an existing shoe.)

Adidas shoe
Adidas brought back the Jabbar in the fall of 2024, its first appearance in over a decade.
Adidas

Adidas first brought the Jabbar to market in the late 1970s with none other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a.k.a. “The Tower from Power,” who led the NBA’s all-time scoring list until as recently as 2023.

vintage ad for jabbar low sneaker
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (left), nicknamed “The Tower from Power,” led the NBA all-time scoring list until 2023.

Though the Jabbar model carried a strong presence throughout 1980s, it faded into relative obscurity until late 2024, when Adidas reissued both a low- and high-top version for the first time since 2014.

green adidas shoe
Suede versions of the Jabbar Lo dropped in December of 2024.
Adidas

Since then, the Jabbar has received a steady string of colorways and material upgrades, ranging from bright red to vibrant green, both in suede and complimented by white stripes and gold-foil branding.

Soon, there will be a timeless black-and-white variant that all but confirms the Jabbar is here for the long haul.

Adidas shoe
Adidas has showered the Jabbar Lo in myriad colorways, but none as timeless as black and white — coming in March.
Adidas

On the panel

Like other Adidas classics, the Jabbar Lo boasts a clean, minimal upper that feels both retro and fresh.

But more structured paneling, especially around the toebox, give it visual distinction and a slightly chunkier profile that aligns with today’s sneaker trends.

Adidas shoe
Structured paneling, especially around the toebox, give the Jabbar visual distinction over the Samba and Stan Smith.
Adidas

Also, the Jabbar has a rich history tied to one of the most storied athletic careers … in any sport. That added legacy is an element very few sneakers can claim, including the Samba.

All to say, don’t be surprised to see Adidas continue to shower the model with further updates and colorways in the near future. If the Samba or Stan Smith are proof of anything, it’s that true classics don’t stay out of the game for long.

Adidas shoe
The Jabbar Lo may share elements of other old-school Adidas models. But its connection to an athlete of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s ilk is unique.
Adidas

Pricing and availability

The Jabbar Lo is available now in green and red suede, both with white stripes, as well a smooth white leather with dark-green stripes.

A black-suede version is scheduled for release in early March.

Read More