Which Nike basketball shoe was named after the Portland NBA team?

The Nike Blazer was named after the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team.

Nike released the shoe in 1973 as a basketball model. At the time, the company was still establishing its own footwear identity, and the Blazer helped place its products directly on basketball courts. The shoe used a high-top construction, leather upper and vulcanized rubber outsole.

Its name reflects Nike’s close connection to Oregon, where the company was headquartered and where the Trail Blazers played. Although the Blazer later became popular as a casual sneaker, it began as performance basketball footwear.

The Blazer is sometimes grouped with the Nike Bruin because both are early Nike basketball designs. The Bruin was a lower-profile model, while the Blazer’s high-top shape became one of its most recognizable traits.