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The Evolution of the Nike SB Line: From Skaters to Collectors

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The Evolution of the Nike SB Line: From Skaters to Collectors

Jul 17, 2025

Nike SB, the Swoosh's specialty line for skateboarders, is an integral part of sneaker and skateboarding culture. But it wasn't always this way. The Nike SB story is one of victory snatched from the jaws of defeat, a surprise comeback for a brand that seemed to have tried and failed to win over skateboarders. 

Here's a quick look at Nike SB history, starting with what the House of Swoosh did right — after it figured out what it was doing wrong.

Man wearing Nike sneakers while skateboarding

From Missteps to Mission: How Nike Got SKATE Wrong… Then Right

Nike's early failures to crack the skateboarding market are legendary swings and misses of the shoe game. Remember the Nike Choad? How about the Nike Snak? "They looked like your Mom's Skechers," chortled one memorable review. 

 

These fabled mid-90s failures are emblems of the Swoosh's struggle to find credibility with skateboarders. The general skate culture simply didn't see Nike as an authentic brand: It was too corporate and not at all connected to the market.

 

And yet skaters did wear Nikes. Dunk Highs and Blazers were popular skate shoes, as were Jordan 1s. These sneakers offered pretty good board feel and often came through at a better price than the niche skater brands. Skaters were seeing what the brand hadn't noticed yet.

2002 Breakthrough: Enter Nike SB and the Dunk Low Pro

Nike formed Nike Skateboarding under Sandy Bodecker's leadership. In 2002, he led the launch of the new, skateboard-focused SB brand. Bodecker guided SB away from a traditional Nike market-domination approach, encouraging a more grassroots entry into the market. He built the brand around limited releases and skate shops deeply embedded in skateboarding culture. 

 

More importantly, he didn't try to reinvent the wheel — or in this case, the shoe. Bodecker knew skaters were already wearing Nikes. His task was to make the shoes that many skaters were already wearing even more appealing to the culture. He focused on the existing Nike Dunk, tweaking the design for skateboarding. The Dunk Low Pro SB launched in 2002 with features custom-designed for skateboarders, including:

 

  • A new outsole designed for better traction on skateboard grip tape.
  • Zoom Air insoles for impact protection.
  • The iconic "fat" tongue, padded to protect the tops of skaters' feet from board impact, which became arguably the most significant design feature in the history of Nike SB Dunks.

Bodecker also put the skater community front and center with a succession of skater-designer colorways, featuring design collabs with the likes of Danny Supa, Reese Forbes, Richard Mulder and Gino Iannucci. These early collaborations paved the way for classic SB Dunks and subsequent evolutions, like the Nike SB Day One shoes. 

Man sitting down holding skateboard wearing Nike SB shoes

Team Power Plays: Skater Collabs That Hit the Mark

Collabs were at the heart of the Bodecker vision for Nike SB. From the start, with signature shoes from Supa, Forbes, Iannucci and Mulder, the brand was built around developing small, collectible editions. 

 

An early hit came in the form of the 2002 Supreme x SB Dunk "elephant print" release. The colorway borrowed the "White Cement" patterning from Air Jordan 3s and flipped it into one of the most sought-after shoes on the market.

 

Not quite as prized, however, as Jeff Staple's 2005 "Pigeon" drop. The gray upper/pink sole colorway was a limited-edition Dunk release intended as an homage to New York City. But police had to break up a launch-day riot in front of Staples' shop. For some, the following day's front-page New York Post headline — "Sneaker Frenzy: Hot Shoe Sparks Ruckus" — marked the day sneaker culture got too big for the mainstream to ignore.

Tech That Lasts: What Made SB Dunks Skater-Friendly

At the core of SB Dunks' popularity is the fact that they're very good shoes for skating. Reviewers praise the "well-protected" feel and responsive cushioning in SB Dunks — qualities that are very much there by design.

 

The SB Dunk is a basketball shoe re-engineered for skateboarders. The famous Zoom Air insoles add maximum comfort without compromising stability. Rubber soles offer durability with a modified grip pattern designed to maximize traction on skateboard grip tape. Reinforced stitching helps the shoe better withstand the demands of skateboarding. And, the famous shoe's padded tongue and collar help protect the top of the foot and heel from the dings and bumps that come from constantly flipping a skateboard.

 

The success of SB Dunks has enabled Nike to continue growing its success as a skater-friendly company. SB has moved beyond the Dunk, expanding into the likes of SB Ishod 2, Vertebrae and Nike SB Check Canvas shoes. By bringing high-quality tech to every new line, Nike continues to deliver unparalleled performance for skateboarders. 

What’s Next for Nike SB: Fresh Designs, New Drops & More

The latest generation of Nike SB sneakers builds on the brand's lasting legacy. It includes everything from revivals of OG Pro B silhouettes, like the classic "Parachute Beige" colorway, to new collabs with skaters like Nicole Hause. And SB cannot and will not give up its love of the crossover collab. In 2025, the forthcoming Stranger Things collab and a Harris Tweed collection mark a couple of hotly anticipated SB Dunk releases.

Stay up to date on those and other Nike SB releases with our launch calendar. Cop or browse our selection of Nike SBs online at Hibbett.com or via the Hibbett mobile app. Or visit your local Hibbett store to see what's on the shelf.

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