The ‘Ghost in the Shell’ x atmos x Reebok Instapump Fury 94 Is a Cybernetic Upgrade to This Week’s Best Footwear Drops
The NBA postseason begins tonight as teams look to secure the final seeds via the 2026 Play-In Tournament. As basketball takes center stage again, sneaker brands have prepared not only court-ready kicks, but a wide variety of exciting drops. Nike, Camper, New Balance, adidas, HOKA, Jordan Brand, and Reebok have all prepared notable launches to look out for. Before I dive into the complete list, I have some key headlines to recap, and a few farewell words too.After well over 100 editions of best footwear drops across the past four years, this is my final one. While the content itself has always been fairly ordinary, it became a ritual for me, and I’d like to think there are at least a few people out there that tuned in regularly. Whether you skimmed these features or read every last word, thank you for tuning in. Without further ado, here are some stories to revisit before I run through my final 10 drop previews.Nike Basketball revealed its latest signature shoe: the Nike Sabrina 4. Speaking of the Swoosh, in-hand previews of an Air Max 95 “Multicolor” and LeBron James-approved Air Force 1 Low “Marble” surfaced. Travis Scott’s electric Nike Phantom 6 Low Elite also popped up.Elsewhere in the industry, Steph Curry is concluding his “sneaker free agency” era with a 75-lot auction of the kicks he wore since the announcement of his departure from Under Armour. We also previewed another MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon collaboration, highlighting several new pairs. For New Balance, it announced the KAWHI V and Joe Freshgoods teased his upcoming 1890 project.With all of the major news recapped, let’s look ahead at what’s to come this week, starting with more from Caitlin Clark x Nike. Afterwards, be sure to check out which pairs HBX has for sale today.Caitlin Clark x Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Rookie of the Year”Release Date: April 15Release Price: $190 USDWhere to Buy: SNKRSWhy You Should Cop: As anticipation continues to build for Caitlin Clark’s first signature shoe with Nike Basketball, which may not debut until early next year, the duo is at least offering fans another Clark-themed sneaker this week. Her latest Nike Kobe 5 Protro celebrates her near-unanimous Rookie of the Year award from 2024, combining “Metallic Silver” and “University Red” across the popular performance model.Issey Miyake x Camper Karst FinchRelease Date: April 15Release Price: $305 USDWhere to Buy: Issey Miyake and CamperWhy You Should Cop: Issey Miyake and Camper are back with another collaboration, this time creating the Karst Finch sneaker. Building atop Camper’s Karst silhouette, the shoe features a Mary-Jane-inspired stretch knit upper that combines with the two complementary pairs of socks that come with each shoe. A Vibram outsole and Camper’s ReXarge supercritical foam at the midsole supply a smooth ride that suits the slick design.LABELHOOD x Nike Shox Z CalistraRelease Date: April 15Release Price: $135 USDWhere to Buy: SNKRSWhy You Should Cop: Nike expanded the Shox franchise with the women’s-exclusive Shox Z last year, offering a narrow, kitten heel-inspired approach to the beloved line. Since then, it’s leaned further on its dainty presentation by evolving into the Shox Z Calistra. Introduced in an earlier collaboration with NAKED, it has now been reworked by China’s LABELHOOD. In addition to the new model’s midfoot strap, laces run across the foot as black and red go back and forth throughout.New Balance MADE in UK 991v2 “Vibrant Chroma” PackRelease Date: April 16Release Price: $270 USDWhere to Buy: New BalanceWhy You Should Cop: New Balance’s premium MADE in UK line is back with two new compositions of the 991v2 sneaker. Dubbed the “Vibrant Chroma” pack, these pairs lean on “Grenadine” orange and “Limoges” blue. Both are equipped with mixed material builds of mesh, suede, and synthetic at the upper. Meanwhile, gray, off-white, and black notes complement their primary hues.Palace x Nike Air Max 95Release Date: April 16Release Price: $200 USDWhere to Buy: SNKRSWhy You Should Cop: In case you missed out on last week’s launch, Palace Skateboards’ first Nike Air Max collaboration is returning to shelves on Thursday. The shoe features a silver-to-black gradient across its upper, with a sky blue serving as the key accent color in notable places, including the OG “Big Bubble” tooling. Nods to the UK skate brand are present throughout the sneaker as well.adidas Hyperboost Edge “Pure Ruby”Release Date: April 17Release Price: $200 USDWhere to Buy: adidasWhy You Should Cop: Another shoe that is making a follow-up appearance is adidas Running’s new Hyperboost Edge in “Pure Ruby.” The colorway, and model, was introduced in March and is restocking one month later. A PRIMEWEAVE upper, LIGHTTRAXION outsole, and Hyperboost Pro midsole work harmoniously together, delivering a premium running experience and eye-catching presentation while staying lightweight.Syna x Nike Air Force 1 Low “Dark Beetroot”Release Date: April 17Release Price: £135 GBP (approx. $182 USD)Where to Buy: SNKRSWhy You Should Cop: Central Cee and Nike are continuing their Air Force 1-focused footwear streak this week. The British artist’s latest creation taps into a “Dark Beetroot” color scheme that sees the shoe drenched in maroon. Patent and smooth leather share space across the upper, with Syna’s “S” logo present at the lateral heel in gold, matching other branding elements, the dubrae, and aglets.XLIM x HOKA Mafate Speed 2Release Date: April 18Release Price: TBCWhere to Buy: XLIMWhy You Should Cop: South Korea’s XLIM has made a name for itself in fashion with its technical, garment-dyed designs. It teamed up with New Balance previously for footwear and has now moved on to HOKA for a two-shoe Mafate Speed 2 collaboration. Leaning on primary tones of bold blue and black, a duo of distinct offerings has been created. The outdoor-ready sneaker nods to XLIM at the lateral heel and footbed. Meanwhile, a yellow Vibram callout nods to the sole technology.Air Jordan 11 Low “University Blue”Release Date: April 18Release Price: $195 USDWhere to Buy: SNKRSWhy You Should Cop: 25 years later, the Air Jordan 11 Low’s first colorway is returning to shelves. The “University Blue” pair nods to Michael Jordan’s alma mater, as a blue patent leather mudguard combines with the silhouette’s typical smooth upper in white. The blank hue continues on at the midsole, which rests atop an icy translucent outsole to complete this faithful reproduction of the beloved color scheme.Ghost in the Shell x atmos x Reebok Instapump Fury 94Release Date: April 18Release Price: ¥29,700 JPY (approx. $186 USD)Where to Buy: atmosWhy You Should Cop: Another anniversary being celebrated is legendary anime Ghost in the Shell. It’s been just over 30 years since it debuted and has been commemorated with a special exhibition in Japan that opened at the end of 2025. In addition to the 1,600+ rare production materials on display, the franchise has tapped atmos and Reebok to assemble a footwear and apparel collection that is highlighted by a special Instapump Fury 94. Countless cables are sprawled atop the black shoe’s upper as heel branding and a co-branded footbed with iconic artwork featuring Motoko Kusanagi complete the pair.Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast
