Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 Collection Releases Spring 2026

The Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 Collection is set to be released in Spring 2026. The collection will include six silhouettes designed by patients of the OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. The retail price ranges between $120 and $230.

Nike is bringing back the Doernbecher Freestyle program for its 21st collection, set to release in Spring 2026. Six young patients from OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital designed their own versions of Nike and Jordan Brand silhouettes, continuing a partnership that has raised over $40 million for the hospital since the program began. The collection will be unveiled October 17, 2025, at the Portland Art Museum before hitting retailers the following spring.

The program started in 2004 and has become one of Nike’s most anticipated annual releases. Collectors buy these shoes knowing their purchase directly supports pediatric healthcare, which creates a secondary market where Doernbecher releases often sell for multiples of their retail price. The money raised goes toward medical equipment, research, and programs at the hospital.

Air Jordan 17 “Zach Rumbaugh”

Zach Rumbaugh designed the first Air Jordan 17 to ever appear in a Doernbecher collection. Zach survived sudden cardiac arrest and spent 38 days recovering in the hospital. He combined his love of working on cars and motorcycles with his medical experience to create a shoe that looks like it belongs in a custom garage.

The upper uses color-shifting purple material that mimics custom vehicle wraps. Chrome details and bolt graphics reference Michael Jordan’s motorcycle collection, which Zach studied while designing the shoe. Hexagon-shaped eyelets represent his dream of becoming a mechanic. The number 38 appears throughout the design, marking the 38 days he spent in recovery. A heart emblem on the lace toggle promotes CPR awareness, honoring the medical team that saved his life.

Nike Air Max Plus “Sergio Cano Marquez”

Sergio created a mismatched Air Max Plus that celebrates his love of video games, drawing, and basketball. The left shoe is black with a video game controller graphic and colorful button-shaped holes on the outsole. The right shoe is white with illustrations of monster lizards eating pizza in front of New York’s skyline.

Both shoes feature basketball-textured tongues and a pixelated “Sergio” logo on the heel. The outsoles glow in the dark with mismatched colors. The sock liner shows pizza graphics, referencing what Sergio called his favorite superhero food. The design celebrates his positive attitude about having a rare genetic condition, using bright colors and playful graphics to show that being different carries value.

Nike Air Force 1 “Oli Fason-Lancaster”

Oli designed an Air Force 1 Low that tells his story as an aspiring chef who had to pause his culinary dreams during cancer treatment. Olive branches decorate the Swoosh as a play on his name. Vegetable garden illustrations cover the insole, and small utensil graphics appear throughout the design.

Rainbow graphics on the outsole reference the rainbows Oli drew on a whiteboard during treatment to express hope. The heel tabs are textured to mimic the olive tree that grows in his family’s backyard. Hidden patches contain his favorite recipes for veggie tacos and African yam stew. Customizable patches allow wearers to add their family’s initials to each shoe.

Oli walked over 572 laps around the hospital in Air Force 1s during his treatment, which influenced his decision to design this particular model. The Air Force 1 uses an encapsulated Air-Sole unit in the heel, a cushioning technology Nike introduced in the late 1970s that places pressurized air in a polyurethane casing.

Nike V2K Run “Khovny Vignery”

Khovny’s design honors the doctors who saved her life as a baby, Stephanie and Dmitry Dukhovny. Her name is pronounced like “snow,” and she filled the V2K Run with details that represent her creativity and family connections. A light-up bear charm, a miniature version of her stuffed monkey Pinky Doo Doo, and a snake charm for her dream pet all attach to the shoe.

Detachable friendship bracelets on the laces pay tribute to her late brother Ryan. Glitter, fur materials, and colorful embellishments reflect her artistic personality and love of music. The outsoles glow in the dark with mismatched colors, maintaining what Khovny described as her mischievous spirit even after dark.

Nike Vomero Plus “Molly Bell”

Molly Bell aspires to be a field biologist and filled her Vomero Plus with references to Oregon’s natural landscapes. The upper features camas flower patterns, a plant native to the Pacific Northwest. The Swoosh uses reflective lenticular material printed with forest imagery. The outsole is colored to resemble dirt and includes fawn hoof graphics.

A quote from Robin Wall Kimmerer, an author and botanist, appears on the shoe: “The most important thing each of us can know is our unique gift and how to use it in the world.” This quote came from Molly’s field journal. Floral embroidery and animal prints cover the upper in earthy green and soft pink colors. Molly and her family advocate for the autism community, making the self-expression elements of the design particularly meaningful.

Nike Air Max DN8 “Raegan Scheid”

Raegan Scheid designed her Air Max DN8 after recovering from open heart surgery. She combined her two main interests: softball and the beach into one design. Reflective softball graphics appear on the upper, and stitching details cover the visible Air bubbles and the heart logo on the tongue.

Ocean wave graphics flow across the midsole, representing the beach as Raegan’s most important place. A keychain on the heel tab shows her golden retriever, Blue. The phrase “I CAN DO HARD THINGS” appears as a reminder to stay strong during difficult times. The design celebrates May 11, 2024, the day Raegan returned to playing softball after her surgery.

Previous Nike Doernbecher Collections

Release Date, Availability, and Price

The Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 Collection will be unveiled at the Portland Art Museum on October 17, 2025. The actual retail release happens in Spring 2026 at select Nike and Jordan Brand retailers and through Nike.com. Pricing ranges from $120 to $230 depending on the model. The Air Jordan 17 will hit the higher end of that range based on historical Jordan Brand pricing, while the Air Force 1 and running models will fall between $120 and $160.

This collection marks the first time the Air Jordan 17, Air Max Plus, V2K Run, Vomero Plus, and Air Max DN8 have appeared in the Doernbecher program. The Air Force 1 has been included in multiple previous collections, making it the only returning silhouette in the 2026 lineup.

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