Oh, 2016. My how you’ve been a rather interesting and exhilarating year for sneaker releases. Whether it was the hype that held your wallet captive or the sheer nostalgia of remastered retros that depleted your funds, there was certainly heat dropping from January to December. As the year draws to a close, we here at THRONE decided to end the year with a bang by picking the best sneaker releases of 2016. Though they aren’t listed in any particular order, each drop featured certainly played a major role in shaping and setting the tone for the year’s onslaught of highly coveted retail offerings. Continue reading on after the jump to check out some of the year’s best sneaker releases and be sure to let us know which drop was your absolute favorite in the comments.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2
Not much needs to be said about these. Anytime a new Yeezy releases, you can bet your bottom dollar that things are going to get a little bit hectic and a lot more eventful.
Air Jordan 1 “Bred”
Back for the umpteenth time, this latest Remastered rendition was an instant hit the minute it was made available.
Nike Mag
Nike Air Force 1 “Linen”
Originally released in 2001, it was certainly a breath of fresh air to see these joints return in all its stylish glory during Art Basel.
adidas Yeezy Boost 750
Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy. Enough said.
Nike Air Max 97 “Silver Bullet”
A bonafide classic, this nostalgic retro disappeared with the same speed as the train its named after.
Air Jordan 5 “Metallic”
With Nike Air branding in tow, it wasn’t hard to see why these were a must have retro offering.
adidas NMD “Triple White”
Rock that all white when your feeling godly, word to Dej loaf.
Nike SF-AF1
Militarized and ready for action, the SF-AF1 changed the game when it was released.
Air Jordan 4 “White Cement”
Retroed once before, this latest iteration encompassed a bit more nostalgia thanks largely in part to Nike Air heel tab branding.
Nike Air More Uptempo
MJ may be the sneaker G.O.A.T but Scottie Pippen was certainly no slouch either.
Air Jordan 1 “Top Three”
Mixing three iconic colorways into one pair of kicks, three for the price of one was certainly hard to turn down when they were unleashed upon the masses.
adidas Ultra Boost “Triple White”
Easily one of the must-have drops no matter how many times they may have been restocked, the Ultra Boost added a new dynamic to the all-white sneaker trend.
Air Jordan 11 “Space Jam”
If you wanted to slam, jam and take on the Monstars in style then this retro was without question a must have. Fully laced with MJ’s 45 on the heels, nostalgia alone was enough to overlook the higher cut of the patent leather.
adidas Ultra Boost “Medal” Pack
No matter your position on the sneaker podium, the “Medal” Pack had you covered.