The Best Nike Sneakers Releasing in December
With the holiday season underway, Nike is not making it easy to hold onto your waller.
December is shaping up to be a stacked month for Nike sneakers through a combination of brand-new collaborations, call-backs to the 2000s and the fastest-looking version yet of the Swoosh’s record-breaking marathon sneaker.
Lil Yachty will kick off a strong month for Nike with his debut Air Force 1 Low collaboration, while Kobe Bryant also gets an edition of the same shoe. Stash, too, takes on the AF1 Low for the return of his highly coveted 2006 pack that includes the Air Max 95. Paige Bueckers is set to make history as the first college athlete to get a Nike sneaker, and an official “Wizard of Oz” SB Dunk Low will appeal to an even wider audience drawn to “Wicked.”
Below, you’ll find all the best Nike releases scheduled for December. You can also find a list of every December Air Jordan release here, and this post will be updated as any new information becomes available.
Lil Yachty x Nike Air Force 1 Low “Concrete Boys”
Release Date: December 2
Price: $130
SKU: IB5720-100
Lil Yachty’s debut Nike sneaker collaboration comes after his renown as a sneakerhead has led him to promote other projects and not without controversy because of an incident in Las Vegas.
Nike Air Foamposite One “Copper”
Release Date: December 4
Price: $240
SKU: FZ9902-001
A beloved edition of the Air Foamposite One makes its return to stores for the first time in seven years.
Nike Alphafly 3 “Ekiden”
Release Date: December 4
Price: $285
SKU: HQ3501-100
Nike’s industry-leading super shoe will release alongside three other running shoes taking on a flame treatment for Japan’s Ekiden race and inspired by the Air Streak Spectrum Plus from 2002.
Swarovski x Nike Air Max Plus
Release Date: December 5
Price: $450
SKU: FZ4237-001, FZ9042-001
Swarovski crystals adorn the Air Max Plus in two variants, the darker of which will release exclusively through Foot Locker.
Nike Air Force 1 Low “Kobe”
Release Date: December 6
Price: $130
SKU: FZ1151-100
An Air Force 1 tribute to Kobe Bryant takes inspiration from a similar pair of Air Force 1 Mids worn by him during his brief period of sneaker free agency. Another black AF1 Low for Bryant will release with just 8,000 units, although how the drop will go down has yet to be announced.
Nike Zoom GT Hustle 3 “Paige Bueckers”
Release Date: December 7
Price: $190
SKU: HJ7679-900
UConn star Paige Bueckers becomes the first college athlete to get their own Nike sneaker in a landmark moment for the NIL era.
Nike Kobe 9 Elite Protro “Christmas”
Release Date: December 12
Price: $240
SKU: FZ7335-600
The rare high-top among Kobe Bryant’s Nike line sees its “Christmas” colorway return for its 10th anniversary. React cushioning is included as a modernized upgrade.
Stash x Nike Air Force 1 Low, Air Max 95
Release Date: December 13
Price: $160, $200
SKU: HF5516-001, HF5515-400
Stash’s highly collectible Air Force 1 Low and Air Max 95 from 2006 make their first-ever return with a few changes distinguishing the grail redux.
Nicole Hause x Nike SB Dunk Low
Release Date: December 17
Price: $125
SKU: FZ8802-100
For her debut SB Dunk collaboration, pro skater Nicole Hause adds dupplin check and a hefty silver-tone chain that can be removed and worn as a bracelet. The insole graphic then invokes her love of birdwatching.
Fragment Design x Nike Zoom Spiridon
Release Date: December 17
Price: $170
SKU: HF5455-100, HF5455-001
Hiroshi Fujiwara delivers two colorways for Fragment Design’s take on a 1997 runner coming back to the forefront.
Nigo x Nike Air Force 3 “Baroque Brown”
Release Date: December 19
Price: $150
SKU: HQ0260-201
After their first collaboration launched in October, Nike and Nigo are returning to the Air Force 3 with a more earth-driven colorway and marketing that leans into the Japanese designer’s history with Bape and source material for the brand he founded in “Planet of the Apes.”
Nike Book 1 “Nightmare Before Christmas”
Release Date: December 19
Price: $140
SKU: FJ4249-102
Following the lead of Devin Booker’s “Halloween” sneaker, his “Christmas” Book 1 maintains spookiness alongside merriment.
Nike Ja 2 “Tree Top”
Release Date: December 19
Price: $130
SKU: FV6070-002
Ja Morant’s Chirstmas sneaker invokes tinsel and gold with a tree-pattern forming the rear two-thirds of the upper.
Nike Zoom Spiridon “Sport Red”
Release Date: December 20
Price: $160
SKU: HF9117-001
A beloved Nike runner last released in 2016 will get its the most precise recreation yet of its original form from 1997. This original colorway should give way to a major push for the retro silhouette in 2025.
Nike SB Dunk Low “Wizard of Oz”
Release Date: December 23
Price: $135
SKU: FZ1291-600
Just after the release of “Wicked” comes an official “Wizard of Oz” collab with a poppy field print, “No Place Like Home” embossing and a wear-away upper that will transform the sneaker to look like the ruby slippers. Full family sizing will be available, and the photo above is of kids’.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.