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Can lightning strike twice? We’re about to find out. Ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season, Adidas has launched one of the most anticipated basketball shoes in recent memory: Anthony Edwards’s AE 2. In the signature sneaker game, it’s rare for the sequel to garner as much interest as the original, but the AE line has always broken the mold. The AE 1, which debuted in 2023, set the world of hoops shoes ablaze thanks to its iconoclastic silhouette, elite performance tech, and a rollout campaign for the ages. It had been ages since a new sneaker felt like it truly captured the personality of the athlete it was named after, but the AE 1 was every bit as vivacious and bold as the Minnesota Timberwolves star himself. Adidas kept the hype train rolling for two full NBA seasons through a series of hot new colorways, memorable collaborations, and the introduction of an AE 1 Low spinoff. The rest of the hoops shoe world was suddenly on notice.
But when Anthony Edwards takes the court on opening night this month he’ll be doing so in the long-anticipated sequel. Design-wise, the AE 2 feels like a natural evolution of the 1, featuring the same netted panelling that made the original such a hit while incorporating new textiles, patterns, and killer performance tech. The quality of the shoe is there for sure, but the question remains: Can the sequel really top what came before? We asked some of our most reputable pals in the sneaker industry for their takes on the Adidas AE 2.
Andy Dutton
Sneaker photographer
“The AE 1 had that perfect storm. It was a new silhouette, Ant had a breakout season with highlight moments, and Adidas amplified all of it with smart marketing. The AE 1 crossed over from a performance sneaker to a lifestyle statement, and that kind of viral moment is impossible to duplicate. But the AE 2 doesn’t need to duplicate it. Ant will keep turning heads with his play and personality, and Adidas will keep building his story.
“With the AE 2, I'm glad Adidas looked to improve upon the performance from the 1. They made it lighter, improved the traction, and really dialed things in for how Ant moves on the court. If they stay consistent with storytelling and let performance drive the conversation, the AE line can keep building steadily. I’ve seen mixed reactions online to the first AE 2 colorway, but the same thing happened with the AE 1. It’s like when an awesome movie gets a sequel. It might not be as groundbreaking as the first, but it can add to the overall story in a very meaningful way.”
Jacques Slade
Content creator
“There’s no doubt that Anthony Edwards is among the top-five players NBA teams would sell the farm to build around over the next ten years. Even more than his impact on a single franchise, Ant is arguably the most important figure for the future of basketball in the United States. With the last seven MVPs belonging to foreign-born players and the looming ascendance of San Antonio’s extraterrestrial Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, the game has gone global in a way we’ve never seen before. With the debut of the AE 1 and the subsequent ads that drew Jordan-esque nostalgia comps, we witnessed the anointing of American hoops’ heir apparent. As the league’s OGs head towards their rightful place in Basketball Valhalla, Ant has emerged as the player who will bear the torch for the foreseeable future. It may be damn near impossible to replicate the same excitement that came with the original for the latest silhouette, but as it’s always been, the onus is on the man to make the shoe worth the hype.”
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English (US) ·