Carmelo Anthony & Jordan Brand Launch the Melo M9 Posted by Ru Porter on 01/15/13 | Filed under Style, Sneakers, Nike

The last two years have been pretty successful for Carmelo Anthony. He left Denver to return to his hometown, where his first full-season with the Knicks got them all the way to the playoffs. And even though they couldn’t compete with the Miami Heat, thanks to Melo’s contributions, the New York Knickerbockers are now the second best team in the Eastern Conference. But even after an outstanding performance in 2012, Anthony – arguably one of the best Small Forwards in the league – still has a chip on his shoulder: he doesn’t have any rings. That said, Melo still has a lot to prove; not just as an athlete, but also as a brand and a businessman, which is why the arrival of the Jordan Brand Melo M9 – his ninth signature sneaker – couldn’t have been released at a better time as it serves as a pretext for what’s next to come for the NBA superstar.

According to Anthony, the Melo M9’s are the lightest he’s ever created, and is inspired by a mix of his penchant for high-end watches, and armored superheroes like Marvel’s Iron Man. Justin Taylor, lead footwear designer at Jordan Brand, noted these details when creating the M9, with the Dynamic Fit technology locking down Melo’s foot like Tony Stark’s suit armors his entire body. Speaking on the cushioning aspect, the Melo M9 features max-volume Zoom at the forefoot and the heel, with a herringbone traction providing heightened court feel. On January 13, at a media event in New York, Anthony told Hip Hop Wired "once you put it on your feet, you're locked down. Sometimes when you put a shoe on your foot it loosens as you play and as you sweat. This one is a total 100% lockdown. It feels like your walking on pillows out there.”

I also got a chance to look at the shoes during Carmelo’s private launch party later that night, and made a few observations of my own:

1) Of the seven standard colorways, the BREDS are the only pair that stands out.
2) The silhouette will look better on sneaker heads with small feet.
3) The Melo 9 Christmas Edition, featuring a cool grey/white upper with a reflective elephant print upper detailing are the best ones in the entire Melo 9 collection.
4) The “Year Of The Snake” Edition – available in patent leather black, red and yellow features Year of the Snake logos that takeover the lace holders and heel -- reminds me of the Nike AirMax Lebron 8 v2’s because of its colorway.
5) The “Black History Month” Edition -- inspired by graffiti art and the subway system in Brooklyn, look as if the Nuggets uniform inspired them. The flamboyant kicks feature a blue upper with a splattered effect shown throughout. Neon green accents complement the light blue base, as tonal laces complete the thematic release (available in select Jordan retailers in February).
6) Carmelo Anthony is just as proud to be a born and raised New Yorker as I am, and its evident in his “Playing For the City that Made Me” video series. The first episode stays true to his roots, taking viewers through Red Hook, Brooklyn and also to the very court where Melo first honed his skills. NYC legends like Nas and Bernard King also make some cameos.
7) The shoes are moderately priced. At $140 you can get two pairs for less than the amount of a Lebron sneaker.






See Also: Nike Attempts To Spur A Little Holiday Cheer With Their “Christmas” Sneaker Pack (Pics)