Nike Unveils This Year's "Elite" Basketball Collection

It's that time of year again, birds are chirping, the suns out longer, and Nike is officially unveiling its Elite line of Basketball sneakers. As we head towards the NBA playoffs we have become accustomed to seeing Nike's three main basketball stars (Kobe, Kevin Durant, and LeBron) get upgraded versions of their signature shoes. This year's line sees each version sporting a team-friendly color.

We've seen the Kobe IX Elite release already in several colorways and this version doesn't seem to have any changes other than its purple and gold paint job. The real changes can be seen on the Lebron XI and the KD VI. The first of the two is scrapping the majority of the Armorposite on the Lebron XI in favor of a larger shankplate and lighter look. With this year's KD Elite model, the most change is adding a full-length visible Zoom unit as well as Flywire, Kevlar fiber, and a more breathable upper.

You can take a look at the whole collection right now and pick up a pair on April 11.