Since reviving the shoes late last year, adidas has recently been rolling out new editions of its Jabbar sneakers in both low and high-top versions. And while we’ve been reminded of how awesome Kareem’s original sneakers were, the new variants have mostly been playing it safe from a styling perspective. That is, until now, as the footwear giant teams up with Bruce Lee’s estate for a yellow-and-black special edition of the Jabbar Lo that pays homage to the actor’s iconic drip.
More Than Just a Tracksuit
Bruce Lee left such a legacy behind when he passed away in 1973 at the young age of 32. But for every completed masterpiece, there’s the wonder of what could have been. One relic of speculation comes in the way of Game of Death, a project Lee was working on before he died but never completed. In 1978 (the same year adidas originally dropped the Jabbar), Robert Clouse attempted to take on the production, using just 11 minutes of footage featuring the martial arts icon. The rest was filled in by two stunt doubles wearing sunglasses. The film is far from perfect, but those 11 final minutes only remind us of how much gravity Lee brought to any frame he was in.
Even if you haven’t sat through Game of Death, you might recognize Lee’s legendary yellow tracksuit since it’s arguably the most famous ensemble he ever wore (although, he was often shirtless in his films). Lee only wore the outfit for the last portion of the film, which had him ascending a pagoda, defeating opponent after opponent until reaching the big boss at the top (this actually largely inspired the video game concept of levels and bosses). That final boss, of course, was played by NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, leading to one of the most memorable fight sequences of Lee’s career.
The Shoes
While adidas hasn’t revealed much on the new yellow Jabbars, we do know that they feature an attractive yellow suede upper with black leather stripes — obviously inspired by Lee’s tracksuit. On the heel of the sneakers, you can see Lee’s signature in black with a gold silhouette of him jumping in the air below the back of the collar. This matches the gold Jabbar stamp on top of the black tongue. Kareem’s fighting stance can be seen on a photo printed on the insole as well. Beneath it all is an off-white sole, appearing to sport the same rubber herringbone traction as the standard Jabbar Lo.
Even before Game of Death, Jabbar and Lee were friends, with the latter helping train the former in martial arts. You can see the two icons bonding on a black-and-white image atop the shoebox. If that’s not enough, collectors will want to save the tissue paper too, which has the both of them standing with their arms stretched out.
Spec Sheet
Model: Bruce Lee x adidas Jabbar Lo “Game of Death”
Uppers: Yellow suede and black leather
Outsole: Rubber
Laces: Standard lacing system
Limited Edition?: Unspecified
Release Date: N/A
Pricing & Availability
There’s no release date yet for the Bruce Lee x adidas Jabbar Lo “Game of Death” edition, but you can expect them to arrive later this year. The regular Jabbar Lo cost $100, but these might be a bit more considering they’re a special, if not limited, edition version.
Recap
Bruce Lee x adidas Jabbar Lo “Game of Death”
Adidas dressed its Jabbar Lo sneakers in yellow suede in honor of Bruce Lee’s iconic tracksuit from Game of Death. No release date or pricing is announced yet but packaging will include some extras featuring the two icons.
