The Nike Dunk was introduced in 1985 as a college-basketball shoe in team colorways.
Nike created the model during a period when college basketball was becoming a major source of sportswear identity. The original Be True to Your School campaign paired Dunks with the colors of prominent university teams, including Kentucky, Michigan, Syracuse, and St. John’s.
The Dunk’s simple basketball construction later made it useful for skateboarding. Nike SB introduced a skateboarding version in 2002, adding features such as a padded tongue and Zoom Air cushioning.
The Dunk is often confused with the Terminator because both appeared in 1980s basketball campaigns. Their silhouettes are related visually, but they are separate Nike models with different original marketing histories.