Kicks Analysis 2016 #8: The Champ

All it takes is 4.7 seconds to go from Air Jordan XX9s to Kyrie 2s for the win. Tarheel Marcus Paige’s hit a miracle double pump three to tie the game with his Air Jordans cavorting in the air.

Then as the clock ticked down with 4.7 seconds, Wildcats’ Kris Jenkins launched the game winner with less than a second. Truth be told, I couldn’t identify Jenkins’ kicks in that 4.7 seconds. After watching several replays, I thought Kris could be wearing the LeBron 13, but my final guess is the Kyrie 2. Even now, I’m not completely sure but pretty confident that the 6-6 forward was wearing a shoe designed for guards. Well, Kris stroked that jumper just like a guard.

Check out the unbelievable ending yourself.

Either way, Nike was the ultimate kicks winner in the 2016 edition of March Madness. Looking back to 1999, the kicks title looks like this:

• 1999 Connecticut (Nike)
• 2000 Michigan State (Reebok Answers)
• 2001 Duke (Nike)
• 2002 Maryland (Nike Shox Stunners)
• 2003 Syracuse (Nike Shox)
• 2004 Connecticut (Nike Lebron Zoom Generation and Air Force Operates)
• 2005 North Carolina (Nike Retro Jordan X)
• 2006 Florida (Nike)
• 2007 Florida (Nike)
• 2008 Kansas (Adidas)
• 2009 North Carolina (Nike)
• 2010 Duke (Nike)
• 2011 Connecticut (Nike)
• 2012 Kentucky (Nike)
• 2013 Louisville (Adidas)
• 2014 Connecticut (Nike Kobe 8 or Venomenon)
• 2015 Duke (Nike)
• 2016 Villanova (Nike Kyrie 2)

That’s 15 championships for Nike in the past 18 years, coming out to a 83% winning percentage.