New Balance 480

About

The New Balance 480 traces back to 1983, when it debuted as the first basketball shoe New Balance ever produced, released as the high-top Pride 480, later paired with a low-top companion known as the BB680. New Balance developed the shoe as it pushed beyond its running-shoe roots into basketball, building in better court traction and a breathable toe box. In 2010, New Balance revisited the silhouette with a winterized, high-top-only edition under the BB680 name, adding a rugged upper, metal eyelets, and boot laces for cold-weather wear. Following the success of the 550's 2020 comeback, New Balance relaunched the 480 as a low-top lifestyle sneaker in 2021, opening with a Junya Watanabe collaboration before moving into general release. The line has since expanded into a 2023 skateboarding variant, the NB Numeric 480, and a 2024 golf edition, the 480 SL. The 480 also holds an unusual claim to fame: per Wikipedia, the Air Jordan Jumpman logo was based on a Life Magazine photograph of Michael Jordan captured mid-air while wearing New Balance 480 shoes.