Adidas Top Ten RB Patent Black White

The German footwear brand was dominating the basketball courts in the ‘70s, a decade that saw the birth of silhouettes like the Campus, Nizza and the Top Ten. Designed for all those who played in the NBA, adidas selected the top 10 players in the league to don the shoes, hence the name, the adidas Top Ten. The shoe was eventually released to the public where street ballers made the silhouette their own and gave it the legendary status it maintains today.

“What does the RB stand for?” you might be thinking, well that would be Ricky Barry, the inventor. Barry was a versatile basketball forward who was recruited by adidas to help design the shoe as he himself was a player who dominated at both ends of the court.

This “Patent Black White” edition sticks to the functional purpose of the Top Ten while giving it a stylish makeover. A lot of sneakerheads think about patent leather from an aesthetic point of view, however, the material was excellent for adding strength to an upper that had to withstand the stress of numerous directional changes. The small perforations between the 3-Stripes provided a similar purpose as on the Stan Smith, allowing for sweat to drain during game time. Gross right? But that’s 70’s sneaker technology for you.

While you could get away with hooping in these today, they’re much better off being rocked off the court. So if you’re a fan of OG silhouettes with a simple colourway, make sure you don’t sleep on this adidas Top Ten RB “Patent Black”!