Newer NBA fans may think of Charles Barkley as the fun-loving Inside the NBA host, but back in his prime, the Chuckster was among the league’s best. He was chasing championships and winning MVPs, which made him one of the most famous athletes in the country. Nike capitalized on that by launching his own line of shoes, something the company now plans to revisit.
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Barkley’s best years were with the Phoenix Suns, where in 1993, he was officially crowned the league’s best player. It was also the year Nike decided to take advantage of the revenue Chuck was generating. For him, the year would have been complete had he won the championship, but sadly, he lost out to Michael Jordan‘s Chicago Bulls, losing 4-2 in the Finals.
Barkley’s superstar-worthy season put him on the map regardless. Soon after, Nike launched his first signature sneaker with the brand, the CB34, which was reportedly designed with help from Jordan’s designers.
Barkley’s sneaker was an instant hit. The midfoot strap provided extra support, while the sole design, inspired by Godzilla’s teeth, gave it a standout look on foot. The shoes were such a success that Nike brought them back multiple times, with restocks in 2004, 2020, and 2023. Now, however, the brand has gone above and beyond, ensuring that hardcore sneakerheads have a wide range of options to choose from.
First, they’re relaunching the Air Max 2 CB94s in a triple black colorway. This model is expected to hit stores, FootLocker, and select retailers in the spring of 2026. The Godzilla-inspired version of the CB34 is expected to launch around the holidays this year, with a more modern skateboard-esque upgrade being added, courtesy of NikeSB.
The relaunch of these colorways should come as no surprise, given the success that the Oregon-based brand had with the two Suns-inspired colorways of the CB94 they dropped earlier this year. Nike released two Phoenix Suns-inspired colorways of Barkley’s second signature shoe in May, named the “Suns” and the “Black Purple.”
The Suns’ colorway featured a white shoe with detailing in orange and purple, the three main colors that Barkley’s Suns donned in his time there. The Black Purple colorway, as the name suggests, consists of a largely black shoe, with detailing in purple and white.
With the success of Barkley’s signature line, both in the ’90s and over the past few years, it’s no surprise that Nike wants to launch another batch of the shoes to the most hardcore fans. If they do well (and history suggests that they will), then we could well see another relaunch in the coming years.
