John Gotty

04/03/2026

iloveyoumane.mp4

Some recent work we did highlighting the relationship between the city of Memphis, its music and the beloved Grizzlies. As a TN native, it felt good to highlight the M and show love to all my West TN friends. Forget naysayers, Gotty loves you mane 🫶🏾

Link to the full feature resides in my bio

Production company: LOYD VISUALS
Producer: Cornell Jones
Executive Producers: Britni Danielle, Kareem White , John Gotty
Writer: Justin Tinsley

03/18/2026

The future of basketball sneakers is 19 — and already signed.

NIL ushered in a new era of sneaker deals with amateur basketball players — some of whom play for colleges signed to competing brands.

02/25/2026

Kyrie Irving’s Anta era is about building a whole hoops universe. As the brand's chief creative officer, his role includes designing sneakers, shaping culture, and, apparently, shooting his shot in free agency.

After Stephen Curry laced up the KAI 3, Kyrie told us, “I’d love to have Steph on the brand. I’m just throwing it out there.”

Read the full story on ESPN's Andscape: https://andscape.com/features/kyrie-irving-is-growing-as-anta-basketball-chief-creative-officer/

02/13/2026

“I’m definitely looking forward to the day I get my signature, for sure. But, for now, this was a really cool experience that allowed me to get a taste of what I want my own shoe to be like — hopefully — in the future.” - JuJu Watkins

Read more from Aaron Dodson's story on why JuJu's new LeBron NXXT Gen sneaker is only the beginning for what's ahead.

Read: Why JuJu Watkins’ Nike LeBron NXXT Gen is a step toward her own signature shoe // https://andscape.com/features/juju-watkins-designs-nike-lebron-nxxt-gen-sneakers-iq8495-002/

01/23/2026

Salehe Bembury created hits for Versace, Crocs, Yeezy and New Balance, and now he's stepping out with Spunge, his designer-led brand aimed at breaking the hype model.

Read Ian Stonebrook's latest on how Bembury is applying 15 years of industry experience to change footwear.

Salehe Bembury's independent footwear brand Spunge is positioned as the first designer-led label in the $94.1 billion sneaker industry.

01/21/2026

First, Tyrese Maxey was named as an All-Star starter. Then, word released yesterday that he's the next player to receive a signature sneaker from New Balance.

Aaron Dodson spoke with Maxey last summer about the prospect of him getting a shoe and about his relationship with the brand.

TLDR: His path to a sig shoe was about timing, trust, and proving it every night.

Maxey signed a contract extension with the brand that will deliver the debut of his signature line later in 2026.

12/24/2025

Wale's bona fides as an MC and a sneakerhead can never be disputed.

Long before sneakers became mainstream content, he was selling kicks on the floor at DTLR and debating releases on Niketalk. Over the years, the hit records followed, but the love for footwear never left.

That history made it especially meaningful to see Nike tap Wale to debut the new G.T. Future + collaborate with him on a special colorway rooted in the DMV.

Andscape’s Aaron Dodson was on the ground to document the moment, capturing why this release mattered to the culture and the community that shaped the man behind it all.

Photos: Tony Ports

READ: 'The story behind rapper Wale’s journey to headlining the Nike G.T. Future' // https://andscape.com/features/the-story-behind-wale-nike-gt-future-ice/

12/24/2025

Finding new ways to highlight the Air Jordan XI is a tough task. In the model's 30 years of existence, it's been dissected and talked about so much, as it rightly should. It's one of those shoes that's as much a part of pop culture as it is sneaker culture.

But leave it to Ian Stonebrook.

He went out and got people to share their stories.

Not just any people, though. He talked to Tinker. And guys like Chicago native Jabari Parker, Derek Anderson, and former UCLA great Tracy Murray (remember him?). He even got Anthony Hamilton to give the backstory on his never-duplicated, rich brown pair of patent leather gems.

I highly encourage giving this one a read.

Jordan Brand execs, elite athletes, and famed artists share tales of unreleased renditions and future rollouts of the AJ11 never before heard

11/11/2025

Many of basketball’s strongest shoe sellers — and the brands that bank on them — are starting the NBA season on the IR.

We thought that deserved a deeper look, since so many companies and their stars are finding their footing due to their unusual circumstances.

Words by Ian Stonebrook for Andscape + ESPN

Many of basketball’s best players and strongest shoe sellers are starting the NBA season injured

10/02/2025

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s first CONVERSE signature sneaker isn’t just about style, which he's proven he has in spades. The SHAI 001 ‘Family’ pack pays tribute to the people closest to him, with each colorway telling a personal story.

This year couldn’t have been scripted more perfectly for NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The 27-year-old point guard captured the NBA scoring title, averaging 32.7 points per game during the 2024-25 regular season. That was before being named the league MVP and, ultimately, the NBA Finals M...

09/16/2025

How Atlanta Dream forward and frontrunner for Sixth Player of the Year Naz Hillmon balances her WNBA grind with a passion for photography—and why every road trip is her chance for the perfect shot.

✍🏾 Sean Hurd for Andscape

When she’s not on the court starring as a forward for the Atlanta Dream, you can find Naz Hillmon shooting another type of shot. This year, Hillmon has cultivat…