Nike is planning to rerelease its Air Bakin hoops shoe this year, as evidenced by the leaked images here.
According to leaker @Xcmade2 on Instagram, the 2026 “Varsity Red” Nike Air Bakin (style code: IQ5365-600) is slated to return to retailers sometime during the fall.
This iteration of the Air Bakin was popularized by Hall of Fame point guard Tim Hardaway during his time with the Miami Heat in the late ‘90s. During the model’s original release in 1997, the sneaker was met with controversy as some fans believed the heel’s flaming 'Air' logo resembled 'Allah’ in Arabic. This upcoming version features standard ‘Nike Air’ branding on the heel, the traditional black and red upper, as well as contrasting yellow shoelaces.
At the time of writing, specific release details for the “Varsity Red” Nike Air Bakin have yet to be announced by the brand. Check back soon for official updates.
UPDATE (09/02): Official images of the 2026 “Varsity Red” Air Bakin have loaded on the back end of Nike’s website. This year’s retro is currently scheduled to release on Sept. 29 for $170.
