Athletic Propulsion Labs craft shoes with the sole purpose of making the user jump higher. The shoe makes use of a 150-page patent which deploys a spring-loading system in the heel and forefoot to propel would-be rim grabbers and backboard slappers closer to the dream of dunking a basketball. The shoe was fabricated by twin-brothers and USC bball walk-ons Adam and Ryan Goldston, who also sport a sneaker pedigree from their father, former head designer at a little company called Reebok. The shoe dropped a few months back with a bulbous price tag of $300, and a heaping helping of conjecture.

Today, the best marketing ploy the twins could have hoped for was enacted free-of-charge by the National Basketball Association. The NBA banned the kicks due to the bylaw stipulating “players may not wear any shoe during a game that creates an undue competitive advantage.” Just like the original Air Jordan 1 before it, the Athletic Propulsion Labs sneaker has been banned by the league, and the nationwide chatter has come rolling in. What was initially perceived as a gimmick has been given credibility and press, and the brothers are grateful, expressing their gratitude on Twitter and likening their product to the previously mentioned Air Jordan 1. We all know how that success story turned out. At this point, you’re probably at least marginally interested, so check them out here.

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