Foot Locker & NBA in London for the #HottestMonth

The Nike Air Max TN are a must this season. This is the first thing that comes to our mind upon entering the secret garage behind the Nike Lab in Shoreditch, London, where Foot Locker has chosen to showcase its new collections. The Hottest Month is February, in which a lot of sneakers will be released. Nike, adidas, converse, Jordan, all strictly approved by Foot Locker.

Approved and Hottest Month are also the hashtags that we are asked to use for our Social posts, while a group of sneakersheads of different nationalities begin to compose pictures for thousands of likes on Instagram. An entire space is devoted to the TN. There are orange ones, some silvery ones and, of course, shades similar to the Nike Air Max Plus. Then there are the new Adicolor, an improvement to the Pharrell edition, and the pastel colours "for her".

We drink a few beers, MistaJam - host of the BBC Radio 1 on loan at Foot Locker - plays some records after having showed us his adidas Stars Wars edition. Brad Hall, a very important name in the sneaker industry (who was also on the pages of Sports Illustrated) is being interviewed. He's very nice and begins his speech with "you probably have no idea of who I am" and for some it may be true.

After a tour among the various collections and some talk with the most interesting sneakersheads in Europe, we relax ourselves. We assist to a live performance by Bonkaz, wearing a tracksuit and a cap in Skepta's style. Now the obligations are over, those who continue to speak do it for pleasure. Others seek the right pose next to Foot Locker's box, then the photographer will turn it into a gif.

The Foot Locker's campaign that will begin shortly promises a lot of little revolutions. The keyword is lightness. The new Air Force will weigh 40% less than the old one, thanks to a super light sole. Adidas has instead reinforced the ultra boost, Nike added more models for basketball's lovers. In a few hours the game will begin and the time we have left is enough to reach the O2 Arena in the London's traffic.

The NBA returns to London, a city that doesn't seem to love it that much. The location however is quite full, maybe not sold out, but people look interested in what is happening on the pitch. There are the Orlando Magic and the Toronto Raptors, two teams that should be today at the playoffs, and that are therefore part of a certain NBA nobilty. The game suffers, meaning that the European public (for the first time) witnesses a real NBA game. 

Everyone is hypnotized by the cameras. Some people dance, some say hi, some go mad and some are ashamed. Meanwhile, the mascots make the atmosphere more American.

It's the NBA, and there's no NBA star on the sideline. Michael B. Jordan confirms he's among the men of the moment, Didier Drogba enters instead a contest of free throws by marking a ¾. The English crowd particularly appreciates the framing of Gordon Ramsay, a real local idol, while one of the most awaited guest seems to be missing: Lewis Hamilton.

We should have also expected the guest to the official after party, in which we entered thanks to Foot Locker. The 02 is big enough to contain also a wonderful club, on the (low) ceiling of which we see the pictures of the current and past NBA season.

If you dance and raise your head to see LeBron James playing, the effect is certainly pleasant. The DJ is Idris Elba, legendary actor of The Wire and Luther, with a reputation as music selector. He's wearing a flat cap and a tie. Outside the set I've always seen him dressed like this. He plays Hotline Bling and some old 80s hits. 

The next morning, before heading to Gatwick Airport, we stop at Foot Locker in Oxford Street for the VIP Shopping. Among the sales associates many are Italians, so we start talking about yesterday's game. "It was pretty tight, right?" asks what appears to be the store manager. "Yes, pretty much. Finally a beautiful game" my friend D. replies, the deepest basketball connoisseur in the group.

They make us presents, I lose with the Cavs against D. choosing the Golden State Warriors. Who knows it's not an omen ahead of the Finals. But first there's the All Star Game, falling coincidentally in February, the Hottest Month.