Former NBA star Dennis Rodman has claimed that the Jordan brand and rapper Travis Scott have copied his iconic 90s shoe design.
Rodman, known for his flamboyant style both on and off the court, voiced his discontent during his appearance at Get Sole, the annual sneaker show in Chicago.
Rodman: Travis Scott copied my shoe
Rodman’s Nike Ndestrukt, a signature shoe released in the 90s, was a trendsetter and rivaled the popularity of Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan line at the time.
Rodman believes that the design elements from his Ndestrukt, particularly the reverse Nike swoosh, have been appropriated in recent Jordan Brand releases, especially those in collaboration with Travis Scott.
“Travis Scott has copied my shoe. I was the first guy to do mine backward when I was playing with the Chicago Bulls,” Rodman stated, highlighting the distinctive reverse swoosh feature that made his shoe stand out.
He further emphasized, “Come on, Travis, give us some credit. You copied my shoe. So this ain’t new. This ain’t new, brother. But either way, congratulations.”
Rodman’s Ndestrukt was not only popular for its unique design but also for its practicality as an outdoor basketball shoe with offset lacing and a tougher outsole.
The shoe’s success even created some friction with Michael Jordan during their time with the Bulls, as Rodman’s sneakers outsold Air Jordans for a period.
Despite the success of his designs, Rodman revealed his frustration with Nike for not acknowledging his contributions.
“Nike did the same thing with me when I had the Desktrukt,” he remarked, drawing a parallel to Kanye West’s legal battles over his Yeezy designs.
The Jordan Brand’s collaboration with Travis Scott has been one of the most successful in recent years, with the reverse swoosh becoming a hallmark of the designs.
However, Rodman’s recent remarks bring to light the long-standing debate over originality and recognition in the sneaker industry.
Whether or not Rodman’s accusations will lead to any changes remains to be seen, but the conversation about design ownership and credit is far from over.