Puma may be new to the modern basketball shoe scene, but it’s leaning heavily on history to prove it knows its stuff. The latest drop from the shoemaker is a pair of kicks that honor the legacy of one of the classic basketball venues of the 1990s.
On Monday, Puma revealed two Palace Guard sneakers — the OG and Uproar — complete with red white and blue touches that honor The Palace At Auburn Hills in Detroit. Puma athlete Danny Green showed up to Raptors-Pistons wearing the Palace Guard shoes on Sunday, wearing the Uproars on the floor as well. The symbolism was important, as the shoe is meant to pay homage to the Pistons teams of the 1990s.
“It’s important for us to honor our history while bringing new ideas that will help to define our future – and the new Uproar Palace Guard does just that,” Adam Petrick, PUMA global director of brand and marketing, said in a release. “The original Palace Guard was worn by NBA legends in the late 80’s, and we look forward to having both the original and the new version being a part of basketball and streetwear culture in the coming years.”
After a two-decade pause on basketball shoes, Puma has brought a slew of new technology to the pair of Palace Guard shoes, with Trinomic technology in the heel and padded collar to give extra comfort to the wearer. The retro look is finished off by an orange 3D basketball logo on the tongue that stands out on the white base of the shoe’s colorway.
The Palace Guard Uproar is a bit more aggressive of a throwback design, and looks much more like a modern basketball shoe than the OG. But both make it clear Puma is much more than a one-hit wonder when it comes to basketball shoes.
