The Nike Air Bakin "Varsity Royal" Releases November 2026

Nike is bringing back the Air Bakin for 2026 in its original "Varsity Royal" colorway, marking the silhouette's first return since 2008. The blue, black, and white color scheme closely mirrors the design that debuted in 1997, when the shoe was a fixture on NBA courts worn by names like Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Kevin Garnett during their careers.

Black mesh forms the base of the upper, divided by panels of royal blue and white that give the shoe its signature split look. Long cutouts run through the royal blue sections to expose the black mesh beneath, adding depth to the layered construction. Black overlays land on the toe, mudguard, and heel, while grey laces and thin white piping keep the darker tones from running together. White Swooshes appear laterally near the ankle and again on the midsole, with an embroidered blue Nike Air logo finishing off the heel. A black rubber outsole with blue accents down the center rounds out the build. Notably, this release carries the standard Nike Air heel logo rather than the original flame-embroidered "AIR" script, which was pulled from later versions of the shoe following controversy over its resemblance to the Arabic word for "Allah."