Basketball and sneakers go hand in hand but over the last decade, the importance of that connection has become forgotten. However, this summer has seen a change in direction for basketball shoes. From what we’ve seen so far, it seems like many of the players with signature basketball shoes are turning a new page on their aesthetic choices. LeBron James next shoe looks like a Kobe. Zion’s second signature became bulkier and added a forefoot strap. Now, thanks to photographer Cassie Athena, we know that James Harden is moving forward and backward at the same time with his next sneaker.

The adidas Harden Vol. 7 features an aesthetic that looks more futuristic than any of the recent Harden shoes but somehow, has a similar vibe to the earliest shoes in the Harden line. Not much is known about the shoe at this time but the colorway James Harden was wearing at a recent gym session features a toebox design that looks like a direct descendent of the Harden Vol. 1, as well as the overall shape from the early era Hardens. Vertical stitch lines on the side panel are reminiscent of the trends of the late ‘90s. While the minimal Three Stripe branding has been moved to the heel to give the show a cleaner look and feel.

No release date has been set for the adidas Harden Vol. 7 but you can bet we’ll see plenty more of this shoe as we get closer to the tip-off of the 2022-2023 NBA season this fall.