Today Converse Hoops debuted their newest model, the All Star BB EVO. Tuned for fluid creativity on the court, the All Star BB EVO pays homage to the line’s rich history while pushing technology and performance forward.
Since Converse Hoop’s return to performance basketball in 2019, the brand has continued to make waves in leagues of all levels, ages and, genders across the world. From a sneaker history perspective, Converse is synonymous with basketball; so their presence in the space just feels right. The brand has been surging by signing key up-and-coming stars like Kelly Oubre Jr., Natasha Cloud and their latest signee, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (not to mention Draymond Green). Lucky for you, we have all the details on Converse’s latest addition to their formidable basketball shoe roster right here.
Brodrick Foster, Global Footwear Product Director of Basketball at Converse Hoops, sat down with us to talk about the ins and outs of Converse’s All Star BB EVO. Peep the Q&A below, cheers.
RBF: How did working with young stars like Kelly, Shai, and Natasha influence the ASBB EVO?
BF: We took their feedback and directly tied it back into our process. Kelly has been on our team the longest so his input really helped drive the All Star BB EVO’s makeup. His [Oubre Jr.] style plays into how the shoe was executed. He’s like the rockstar of the team, and he wanted something that worked with his swag on and off the court, so we incorporated that into the shoe. Shai (SGA) loves his stepbacks and moves with a lot of shiftiness, so we really wanted to give him great zoned traction. Natasha is really about locked-in support [with her shoes] and plays with a lot of pace, so the ASBB EVO’s 5/8 height fits her game nicely too.
RBF: What performance goals for the shoe led to the use of a drop-in Nike React insole instead of Zoom or Air Max?
BF: We kept the drop-in React insole simply because it keeps working. If it’s not broke don’t fix it type deal. Our first iteration of the All Star BB received a lot of positive feedback for its cushioning setup from professional & amateurs, men & women hoopers across the world, so why change it?
RBF: What is Fluid Creativity?
BF: Fluid Creativity is all about the positionless nature of basketball nowadays. The All Star BB EVO is going to work if you’re 6 feet or 7 feet tall. We wanted to make sure the ASBB EVO enhanced the creativity of any athlete.
RBF: How does the ASBB EVO’s traction set it apart?
BF: Converse was originally a rubber company, so we take our traction seriously. We want it to be [as close to] perfect of traction as possible, and ultimately, we want it to work very very well. Our approach to traction has two elements: 1) the rubber compound; 2) the design of our traction
For example, with Shai and Kelly, we repeatedly tested the forefoot and heel grip to make sure they’ll be locked onto the court when pushing off or changing pace. Both SGA and Oubre Jr. really value playing low to the ground and the ASBB EVO’s traction pattern allows them to get low and maneuver effectively.
RBF: What purpose does the material split up the middle serve?
BF: Fashion aesthetic. With the ASBB EVO it can be whatever we [or the athlete] wants it to be. Kelly and Shai in particular and known for their drip around the league and the All Star BB EVO really plays into that. From a materials perspective, the dual-knit uppers will allow us to tell our team’s (Natasha, Kelly, and Shai) stories on the shoe, and we’ll be able to hit the EVO with some great colorways down the road.
RBF: Do you draw inspiration from past Converse models and Nike models, or do you try to strictly focus on the ASBB EVO’s relation to the OG All Star?
BF: Good ideas can come from anywhere, we’ll draw inspiration from Nike but we have a great archive too. It’s important to draw inspiration from wherever you can.
The All Star BB EVO drops on August 1st as part of Converse’s “Rivals Pack” on Converse.com
Robbie Falchi
Sneaker History