It was a battle of the ages — one for the books, some might even say. Two opponents, both defying the odds of physics in their respective ways, made cinematic history when 7’2″ basketball icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and late 5’8″ martial artist Bruce Lee faced off in the 1978 kung fu classic, Game of Death.
Fans of Lee hold this project to a high level as it was the last thing he was working on the day he died. For those in the Black community, it was one of the earliest Afro-Asian linkups on film that helped to usher in later barrier-breaking duos like Jet Li and the late DMX in Cradle 2 The Grave and more notably Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour.
That’s why we had to give major props to adidas Originals for taking time out to pay tribute on both sides of the spectrum with the Jabbar Lo x Bruce Lee collection inspired by the classic showdown of Billy Lo vs. Hakim.
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A combination of Jabbar’s signature silhouette and Lee’s signature yellow motif, this collab brings together the best of both words with premium detailing fit for two kings. The bright suede upper is adorned with branding from both parties involved, including Abdul-Jabbar’s Skyhook logo in gold foil and Lee’s “kick” logo on the heel in gold foil as well. The latter’s signature appears on the lateral heel for added nods to the late kung fu legend, and the insole artwork emphasizes things even further with imagery of both Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bruce Lee. The collaboration also features an additional capsule set that comes with graphic T-shirts inspired by the iconic Game of Death fight scene at the center of it all (seen above) in options of black and white. Both retail for $40 USD, with the Jabbar Lo sneaker going for $110 USD.
Expect the Jabbar Lo x Bruce Lee collection to drop this Saturday (August 30) at select adidas retailers like Shoe Palace and Extra Butter, with a wider global launch a few weeks later on September 13. Shoe Palace will also host a three-day pop-up in Los Angeles starting this Friday (August 29) and continuing into Sunday (August 31).
Take a look below at more images from the Jabbar Lo x Bruce Lee collection inspired by Game of Death, and let us know if these are high-flying fresh or you’d rather kick them to the curb:
