Veteran guard Allen Iverson was shipped to Detroit by way of Denver in a shocking trade that flip-flopped the aforementioned A.I., Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and a couple of young rookies as teams from opposite conferences jockeyed for year-end playoff positioning. Earlier today, we featured the Reebok Answer XII Blue/Red/White “Pistons” color scheme, and last week, we explained Allen Iverson’s corrlelation with the British poem Invictus. Reebok is celebrating AI’s time in the Rockies with this buttery smooth black/powder blue/yellow “Nuggets” color scheme of the XII. Expect this joint to hit retailers during NBA All-Star Weekend. Images via Fatboy Kickz.

It was the trade of all trades. Legendary Philadelphia 76ers point guard Allen Iverson was being shipped to the Denver Nuggets, further enchancing the talent-rich Western Conference. Secondly, there were hopes that the brazen, yet veteran guard would provide the leadership and skills necessary to make the hopeful Nuggets a title contender. The stars never aligned for the Nuggs, as they made a series of early exits in the playoffs, but at least the lightning-quick Iverson was doing it in style. Reebok blessed the Answer with an exclusive pair of his tenth signature shoe, the Answer X in a beautiful white/powder yellow/sky blue color scheme. The X was a beautifully sculpted piece of kit, as it incorporated an exaggerated CMEVA midsole, half-zipper/half tradional lace closure system, and podular outsole to impart an organic feel on-court. Via Dirty Dame of ISS.

Billups in his Pistons-toned adidas TS Creator Mid. 

In a trade that seemingly came out of left field, veteran guard Allen Iverson of the Denver Nuggets was shipped to the Detroit Pistons for clutch shooting guard Chauncey Billups, reliable forward Antonio McDyess, and rookie Cheikh Samb. I wondered whether adidas and Reebok would be ready to suit up their two signature studs in footwear to match their new uniforms–each company had only days to manufacture new product for their players. Saturday night provided us with an answer, (Pun not intended!) with Billups rocking out in a Pistons-themed blue/red/white iteration of his adidas TS Creator Mid and Iverson switching between the ’07 and Answer XII (7). Both athletes have been rewarded significantly by their sponsor companies, each recieving their own product for the 2008 season. (CB recieves only his own colorway, mind you. Basketball is a Brotherhood!) But the question remains–who will buy these, these, or these? Images via Yahoo Sports.


Iverson destroyed the competition in the first half in the ’07 Reebok ATR Vertical III.

A.I. closed out the game in signature ride from yesteryear, the Answer XII (7).