Report: NBA Will Ban Kanye West’s Basketball Sneaker From the Court

West's new Yeezy shoes from Adidas won't be making the NBA great again.

Kanye West onstage during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.
Kanye West onstage during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.
Jeff Kravitz/MTV1415

Maybe he will do it with America (probably not), but Kanye West won’t be making the National Basketball Association great again.

Industry sources told ESPN that West’s new Yeezy basketball sneaker will be banned from the NBA because of its gleaming heel, which is made from reflective material.

Produced by Adidas, the shoes do not violate the league’s color restrictions, but the NBA feels the “3M” heel panel would be a distraction for spectators and television viewers.

West has yet to officially submit the shoe to the league office for review, so it’s possible an alternate version with a different heel would be approved.

The league famously banned Michael Jordan’s black-and-red Nike Air Jordan 1 sneakers in 1985, making the shoe an immediate hit with customers.

If West is smart, perhaps he will keep the shoe as is and attempt to emulate the success of the Air Jordan.

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