Adidas’ latest Damian Lillard basketball shoe is about more than just game day

Dame Time is about to commence once again, as Adidas has announced the launch of Damian Lillard’s eight signature sneaker.

The Dame 8 is influenced by Lillard’s rigorous training as much as it is by the performance needs for an NBA game, with the Portland Trail Blazers superstar pointing to his “boxer mentality” as a key point of inspiration. Two of the four color variants that will ring in the new basketball sneaker are a nod to Lillard’s clutch reputation of deliver “4th QTR K.O.”s, with another paying homage to the rapper J. Cole.

“This shoe is special to me because it reflects a boxer’s mindset,” Lillard said in a release. “Working hard every single day, putting in the extra hours during training and bringing the heat right down to the last second of every game.”

A bit of a chunker — The Dame 8 boasts a relatively large midsole, and it utilizes two different densities of Adidas’ Bounce Pro foam replacing the Lightstrike used on last year’s model. Directly underfoot, the cushioning feels soft and light. A more firm sidewall then provides extra stability to help encourage explosive play and lateral movements. Further down, a traction pattern unique to the Dame 8 is designed to maintain grip throughout quick cuts, pivots, a full-speed stops.

An all-knit upper sees three different patterns used providing a variety of texture and includes a lightning bolt split appearing at midfoot. Three stripes are tucked in somewhat small just beneath the collar, while the mustache is used as a means of expression throughout the various iterations.

First up for release will be a purple and electric yellow “4th QTR K.O.” variant dropping December 19, followed by an additional, more muted grey, black, and teal version in 2022. Next year will also bring the “Dame Time” Dame 8 in Trail Blazers colors and the teal and magenta “Respect My Name,” pulled from the J. Cole song of the same name that samples the broadcast from Lillard’s 61-point performance in 2020. All four versions of the Dame 8 will retail for $120 and will be available in Adidas's stores, on its website, and on the the app.