Meet The Shoe Banned By The NBA

For the first time since flashy Nike Air Jordans were banned by the NBA 25 years ago, a shoe line has been barred from use by players in the upcoming 2010-2011 season. Meet Concept 1 from Athletic Propulsion Labs.

Athletic Propulsion Labs, or APL for short, now has something to brag about. Their “Concept 1” shoe has been officially banned from use in the NBA, the reason being that they produced “unfair competitive advantage.” The shoes, featuring APL’s Load ‘N Launch technology, is said to improve a player’s vertical leap by up to 3.5 inches while simultaneously reducing player energy input.

“We were not exactly shocked to hear the NBA chose to ban our shoes,” said APL co-founder Adam Goldston. “The Load ‘N Launch Technology not only provides an instant and dramatic increase in vertical leap, but the biomechanical testing showed that the players exerted far less energy as a result.”

You can find the shoes here, but be prepared to clean out your wallet; the shoes retail for $300, a price well worth paying for bragging rights at the local courts, I’d say.