106​ ​years​ ​ago​ ​to​ ​date​ ​brothers,​ ​Giansevero​ ​&​ ​Fratelli​ ​Fila​ ​founded​ ​the​ ​now​ ​iconic sneaker/sportswear​ ​brand​ ​“FILA”. With​ ​the​ ​endorsement​ ​of​ ​the​ ​grandslam​ ​superstar​ ​Björn​ ​Borg — the​ ​brand​ ​catapulted​ ​to​ ​the​ ​forefront​ ​as​ ​a​ ​main​ ​contender​ ​against​ ​heavy​ ​hitters​ ​in​ ​sportswear such​ ​as​ ​Nike​ ​and​ ​Adidas.

Other​ ​athletes​ ​attributed​ ​to​ ​Fila’s​ ​laid-back​, ​yet​ ​looming​ ​presence​ ​in​ ​sportswear,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Jerry Stackhouse,​ ​Akiko​ ​Morigami,​ ​and​ ​more​ ​recently​ ​John​ ​Isner — but​ ​none​ ​other​ ​compare​ t​o​ ​the iconic​ ​Grant​ ​Hill​ ​collaboration.

1996​ ​was​ ​heralded​ ​as​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​years​ ​best​ ​basketball​ ​sneaker​ ​holy​ ​grails.​ ​Considering​ ​the​ ​US Olympic​ ​team​ ​had​ ​no​ ​shortage​ ​of​ ​talent​ ​and​ ​style,​ like ​names​ ​of ​Scotty​ ​Pippen​ ​with​ ​The Uptempo’s,​ ​and​ ​Charles​ ​Barkley​ ​with​ ​his​ ​CB34​ ​II. The​ ​Grant​ ​Hill​ ​II​ ​(Fila​ ​’96)​ ​were​ ​just​ ​one​ ​of​ ​five​ ​signature​ ​sneakers​ ​that​ ​each​ ​excelled​ ​in​ ​design and​ ​function.​ ​This​ ​collection​ ​was​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​more​ ​successful​ ​collaborations​ ​for​ ​Fila​ ​when​ ​heavy hitters​ ​like​ ​Air​ ​Jordan,​ ​Adidas,​ ​and​ ​Reebok​ ​were​ ​all​ ​in​ ​the​ ​mix.

FunFact:​ ​Grant​ ​Hill​ ​granted​ ​Tupac​ ​with​ ​these​ ​specific​ ​pair​ ​personally​ ​for​ ​his​ ​All​ ​Eyez​ ​Me​ ​Album booklet.

Most​ ​recently​ ​the​ ​exact​ ​pair​ ​Grant​ ​Hill​ ​wore​ ​in​ ​the​ ​1996​ ​Olympics​ ​were​ ​inducted​ ​and​ ​held​ ​on display​ ​in​ ​Toronto​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Bata​ ​Shoe​ ​Museum​ ​in​ ​2013. You​ ​can​ ​find​ ​the​ ​Fila​ ​96​ ​being​ ​retro’d​ ​and​ ​released​ ​at​ ​a​ ​store​ ​near​ ​you.

Written By “Supa”