NBA BANS ITS FIRST PAIR OF SHOES!!!
Take a look at the first shoe to be banned by the National Basketball Association (NBA)! The unnamed shoe made by Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) are vertical-influencing basketball shoes. What that basically means is, the footwear allows you to have more of a vertical leap. With a hefty price tag of $300 bucks, the shoes have been banned by the league cited as giving the players and “unfair competitive advantage”. In the following press release the NBA stated the following:
For the first time in its 64-year history, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has banned a new line of shoes based on the league’s rule against an “unfair competitive advantage” that increases a player’s vertical leap. The league’s ban on Athletic Propulsion Labs’ Concept 1 confirms the company’s claims that the shoe, with its Load ‘N LaunchTM Technology, performs as advertised. No professional player will be allowed to wear the product in games for the upcoming 2010-2011 NBA season.
This action comes on the 25th anniversary of the NBA’s ban on Nike’s Air Jordan shoes, albeit for reasons of their colorful appearance rather than any performance advantage.
Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) was notified by a senior NBA official who stated, “League rules regulate the footwear that players may wear during an NBA game. Under league rules, players may not wear any shoe during a game ‘that creates an undue competitive advantage (e.g., to increase a player’s vertical leap).’ In light of that rule…players will not be permitted to wear the APL shoes during NBA games.”
What I wonder is, what is the technology behind these shoes? Are there gas bubbles that react to the right amount of pressure and catapults you further when you jump? Also, why do the NBA athletes need this? Have the manufacturers NOT seen the NBA Slam Dunk Competition for the past 3 years and seen 5’10 Boston Celtic Nate Robinson catching major air? It may be banned from being used in an NBA game, but I think it will be interesting to see these things tested out in future Slam Dunk Competitions.
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