The partnership between NBA player, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nike has produced a shoe inspired by his favorite film, the 1988 classic, “Coming to America.” The Athens, Greece native whose parents originally hailed from Lagos, Nigeria came from humble beginnings. However, he shares a similar “dream come true” experience to Eddie Murphy’s character in the movie, Price Hakeem.
In 2013, Antetokounmpo traveled to Brooklyn, NY with hopes of getting drafted into the NBA. He wound up being the number 15 draft pick for the Milwaukee Bucks that same year and has had an impressive career, landing him as the league MVP in 2019, a three-time all-star and signature sneaker deal.
The Coming To America inspired Zoom Freak 1 is covered with gold accents, and animal print as a nod to the costume Murphy’s character wore when arriving to NYC in the film. The sneaker retails for $120 and is set to be released with corresponding apparel, including hats, t-shirts, jackets, and shorts.
As part of the collaboration between Nike and Paramount Pictures, Nike has recreated the original movie poster with an image of Antetokounmpo. It is unknown as to whether or not Antetokounmpo will make an appearance in the long-awaited sequel of the film, scheduled to release in August 2020.
