August’s best sneaker drops: Your guide to this month’s must-have releases

Our monthly series looks at the top releases from the best brands in athletic footwear. Whether you’re an avid sneakerhead or just looking for the perfect pair to complement your style, navigating the vast world of sneakers can be overwhelming. From understanding where to buy to decoding the latest trends, consider this your road map to finding the perfect pair.

August marks the end of summer and the kickoff to fall in footwear. This month’s releases provide the perfect transition from summer to fall while highlighting what makes each season unique and special. Joe Freshgoods returns with another New Balance collection, Adidas has something for everyone, and Nike shows love to its Olympic past and present.

The Sabrina 2 comes in hot

Nike blessed first-time Olympian Sabrina Ionescu with a heater for her Paris debut. The Nike Sabrina 2 “United” sports a solid red upper on top of a navy blue outsole, while a simple, white Swoosh breaks things up by adding contrast to the shoe. It creates a striking look both on and off the court.

Release date: August 1

Retail: $130

A vintage prom night with Joe Freshgoods

Joe Freshgoods has been one of the most consistent collaborators over the past few years, especially with his New Balance collections. The Chicago designer returns with a new drop, dubbed “From Prom to Paris,” highlighted by two tonal takes on the New Balance 990v6 and accompanied by a short film, all meant to explore themes of young love, rites of passage and exploration.

The “Prom Blue” pair features the lifestyle running model in a soft powder blue over the shoe’s mesh, leather, and suede elements. The “Paris Red” sneakers certainly looks the part of love with its warm shades. The two style combine to form another feather in Freshgood’s cap.

Release date: August 1

Retail: $220

Jordan reissues a patriotic fan favorite

Michael Jordan never actually wore the Air Jordan 6 “Olympic” sneakers while playing with USA Basketball, but it’s arguably the best patriotic colorway in his signature line. It first made waves during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, then went into the Jordan Brand vault until the 2012 Olympics in London.

After over a decade, it’s back and more in line with the original release. The familiar navy and white color-blocking is there. But, the most crucial detail in this year’s version is the return to a white midsole after the 2012 version opted for a navy one.

Release date: August 3

Retail: $200

Adidas goes low with Anthony Edwards’ kicks

The original Adidas AE 1 was refreshing in many ways, from its marketing to its looks to the sheer number of colorways we saw on Anthony Edwards’s feet during the NBA season. The AE 1 Low will follow that trend with two new colorways this month: an Olympic colorway and a “Mural” version, which has a more personal touch.

The new Low comes in shades of peach and pink, inspired by the background of a mural dedicated to Edward’s late mother and grandmother in his hometown in Atlanta. The reduced collar height and exposed Light Boost in the heel should extend the hot streak for Edwards’ signature line for months.

Release date: August 5

Retail: $110

Going for gold

Over a decade since its first release, Nike’s treating Kobe Bryant fans to a flashback to 2008’s Beijing Games with the Kobe 4 Protro “Gold Medal.” Everything comes true to form as the upper features metallic gold snakeskin on the heel and toe, complemented by white and obsidian Flywire cables. The white midsole and Bryant’s Olympic jersey number 10 on the heel and gold medal details on the insoles complete the Olympic theme.

Release date: August 6

Retail: $190

Be like Mike

When you think about Michael Jordan on the Dream Team, you probably think about him wearing the Air Jordan 7 “Olympic.” However, there was another shoe that MJ was fond of during that time.

While Jordan never actually wore the Nike Air Max 180 “Concord” in a game, he did lace them up for Team USA’s photoshoot and other off-court photos as the team took Barcelona by storm. However, this Air Max model doesn’t necessarily need the extra nostalgia since it holds enough on its own since it was the first shoe to feature 180 degrees of visible Air cushioning. For this year’s retro, Nike reverted to the big bubble in case anyone needed added incentive to cop.

Release date: August 7

Retail: $150

It’s all about Bike Air

Pro BMX rider Nigel Sylvester has always displayed a penchant for adding twists and good details to his Jordan collaborations. His streak continues with the Jordan 4 RM “Driveway Grey.” The nickname continues the storytelling started with the first colorway — the gorgeous green “Grandma’s Driveway,” in which Sylvester pays tribute to the place where his love for bikes began. There is nothing over the top here, as dark grey covers the bulk of the shoe. But that red mini Swoosh near the toe, red Air unit and the flip to Bike Air branding on the heel all pair well. Swap in some white laces for additional pop.

Release date: August 7

Retail: $150

Stussy sticks the landing

Frequent Nike collaborator Stussy is back with another offering, continuing their take on the LD-1000 model. Coined as “Sanded Gold,” the gold upper of the sneaker works well with the pink Swoosh and Stussy branding on the heel tab. If you missed the “Linen” Air Force Ones from earlier this summer, this pair will be a nice consolation prize.

Release date: August 9

Retail: $110

A DMV people can actually enjoy

Certain regions will always be associated with specific footwear. If you see a pair of Timbs, your mind immediately goes to the East Coast. A pair of Chucks? The palm trees of the West Coast come to mind. When it comes to the DMV region (Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia), Foams are essentially a birthright. This “DMV” iteration has a soft pink upper inspired by the cherry blossom trees that bloom in DC in late March and early April, but it’s a color fit the any time of year when the weather is warm and shorts are the go-to.

Bad Bunny doubles back

Bad Bunny and Adidas are back with another spin on the classic Gazelle sneaker. Their first take from this year was a bright blue and white mockup that paid homage to the beaches and ocean of his native Puerto Rico. The second edition takes a more subdued approach, using a cream suede upper with hints of black on the Three Stripes branding, tongue and heel collar. Adding that to a gum bottom creates a perfect neutral-tone shoe that’s good for warm days and cooler ones alike.

Release date: August 18

Retail: $140

Nike brings back a timeless tennis classic

If there was ever a shoe that matched the persona of the athlete associated with it, the Nike Air Tech Challenge II “Hot Lava” would have to be in the top five of all-time. The shoe and colorway were both made popular by bad boy tennis legend Andre Agassi in the early ’90s. His wild hair, denim shorts and loud kicks made him stand out as much as his playing style.

For the 2024 retro, a sail midsole replaces the shoe’s normal white to give it an aged look that makes it appear as if it was found after years of being lost in the Nike vault. Better yet, it looks as if Agassi himself had just walked off the clay courts at Roland Garros after competing in the French Open.

Release date: August 30

Retail: $150

Sporty & Rich adds flair to the traditional

Cool kid athleisure brand Sporty & Rich completely snapped on its latest Adidas collection, including three sneakers and an apparel line. If the Samba and Handball Spezial aren’t your speed, we suggest the Adistar Cushion, a 2000s runner updated with an open mesh upper, metallic silver elements and saturated shades of red and navy on the accents. Even though international sports inspire the look, the styles in this collection have a long shelf life.

Release Date: July 29

Retail: $140

A ‘90s basketball classic returns

If there’s one thing to take from basketball footwear of the 1990s, it matched the NBA’s playing style at that time — in your face with no apologies. The Air More Uptempo encompasses that perfectly.

The “Olympic” edition of the shoe, worn by Scottie Pippen during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, takes that braggadociousness to another level. If you want bold, look no further than pairing a solid navy upper with white lettering to showcase the bold “Air” across the medial and lateral sides. A nice subtle touch of having Pippen’s Olympic number 8 on the heel tab completes the package.

Release date: July 30

Retail: $180