First Look At The Nike Air Bakin’ Retro

The current push and pull in the Nike catalog is new innovations pushing futuristic aesthetics, from the KD 19 to the GT Future, and backwards-facing retro efforts that revive the energy of eras past. As models like the Air Max Uptempo 95 and Flightposite embark on renewed runs and we look ahead to kicks like Jason Kidd’s Nike Zoom Flight 5 in 2027, another icon is coming off the board with the Nike Air Bakin.

A Nike Air Bakin retro has been one of the more requested releases among Nike’s hoops contingent, looking back to an iconic Eric Avar design and one that became heavily associated with the Heat days of Tim Hardaway. On a tacit level, we’ve been bracing for this since Supreme introduced modernized aesthetics on the late-’90s titan in 2023, now paying off what has become a reliable formula for the skate brand and Nike’s relationship.

Shown here in the singular Miami-approved colorway, decking out a simple black-and-white foundation with black synthetic ribs and yellow laces, it’s no surprise to see the Air Bakin rely on standard Nike Air text versus the controversial wavy branding that once placed the sneaker in the crossfire. Air units under the heel and a craggly cutout in the outsole also return from previous pairs. This will mark just the second-ever bring-back for the Bakin, having explored a cursory return in 2014 with original-minded tooling and a later reinvention in 2017 with Foamposite shells.

The Nike Air Bakin “Varsity Red” is due out this Fall, retailing for $170. That window places this release sometime between July and September. Catch in-hand looks at what we’ll get once that comes to pass; watch our Sneaker Release Dates page for any additional info as it comes to light.