EXCLUSIVE: Jason Kidd’s Nike Zoom Flight 5 Returning in 2027

Nike Basketball’s retro resurgence is about to get even stronger in 2027. Alongside already-confirmed returns of classics like the Nike Air Flightposite 3 and Nike Total Foamposite Max, Nike is now preparing to bring back one of the most visually unforgettable basketball sneakers of its era: the Nike Zoom Flight 5.

The first official signature shoe of Jason Kidd, the Zoom Flight V remains one of the boldest silhouettes the Swoosh has ever produced. What made the Zoom Flight V so unique was its refusal to fully resemble a traditional basketball sneaker at all. The aggressively sculpted outsole and protruding traction design almost gave the model the appearance of a turf trainer, while the enlarged iridescent metallic “bug eye” pod sitting directly at the midsole looked unlike anything else on the court at the time.

On paper, many of the shoe’s design choices sound almost excessive, but the entire concept simply worked. Inspired by track shoes, the Flight V featured a 3/4 length Zoom Air and a torsional plate at the midfoot; the outsole consisted of a dozen pivot points to emphasize the shoe’s multi-directional purpose.

That willingness to embrace visual risk defined Nike Basketball throughout the era. The late 1990s and early 2000s were filled with experimental silhouettes that prioritized identity and innovation over minimalism, and the Zoom Flight V arguably sits near the top of that list in terms of pure impact. The Zoom Flight 95 is remembered for the giant oval pods, the Air Max Penny for its bubbled Swoosh, the Air More Uptempo for its daring A.I.R. lettering on the upper. Something was definitely in the Beaverton waters in the mid-1990s.

Official release details have not yet been announced, but the Nike Zoom Flight V is expected to return in Spring 2027 for $170. It’s unclear if Jason Kidd’s logos will appear on the 2027 Retro version.