- Elite NBA trainer Chris Brickley has partnered with PUMA to release the All-Pro Nitro 2 “Race 2 Evolve,” his fourth sneaker collaboration with the brand.
- The performance basketball shoe is scheduled to launch worldwide on November 13, 2026, through PUMA.com and select athletic retailers.
- Inspired by automotive racing, the shoe features checkered flag graphics, reflective details, and custom “Brickley Design & Engineering” heel stamps.
- The release builds on Brickley's seven-year PUMA ambassadorship and complements his active corporate partnerships with BMW, BODYARMOR, Bose, and Wilson.
Elite basketball trainer Chris Brickley has partnered again with PUMA to introduce the All-Pro Nitro 2 “Race 2 Evolve”. Scheduled to drop on November 13, 2026, the performance model represents Brickley’s fourth sneaker project with the sportswear company and his second take on the All-Pro Nitro 2 silhouette.
The “Race 2 Evolve” theme translates Brickley’s training philosophy into an automotive racing design. In his gym sessions, Brickley teaches players that trial, error, and daily adjustments are essential steps toward mastery.
The shoe reflects this mindset with a dark navy and black patterned textile upper covered by grey overlays and reflective accents. A checkered flag graphic decorates one tongue, while standard PUMA branding marks the other.
Along the medial heel, a custom mechanic-style badge reads “Brickley Design & Engineering — Game Improvement Services,” sitting atop a speckled grey outsole.
Brickley joined PUMA in February 2019, becoming one of the first non-player skills coaches to land an endorsement deal with a major athletic footwear brand. Their partnership previously produced custom editions of the Puma Clyde Court, the original All-Pro Nitro in 2023, and the All-Pro Nitro 2 “Empire Legacy” in September 2025.
Beyond training superstars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, Brickley maintains an extensive endorsement portfolio, including partnerships with BMW, BODYARMOR, and Bose, along with an equipment advisory role with Wilson.
The drop adds to a busy 2026 hoops calendar for PUMA, following the debut of LaMelo Ball’s signature MB.06 “Shooting Star” and the brand’s “Tea Time” series, which featured key women’s basketball ambassadors including Kelsey Mitchell, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Flau’jae Johnson.
Takeaways
Chris Brickley’s ongoing run of footwear releases with PUMA illustrates how the boundaries of sports marketing continue to expand. For decades, performance footwear lines belonged solely to on-court superstars.
Brickley’s fourth sneaker proves that behind-the-scenes trainers hold measurable retail pull when they build genuine credibility with athletes and fans alike. Rather than treating him as a standard gear-tester, PUMA treats Brickley as an authentic design partner.
The automotive motif on the “Race 2 Evolve” also shows how brands can successfully ground lifestyle aesthetics in performance gear. By framing training as an engineering process of trial and fine-tuning, PUMA delivers a clear narrative that resonates with aspiring hoopers and sneaker collectors.
This strategy helps PUMA connect with grassroots basketball communities across multiple angles, from signature athletes to the coaches who train them.
Does Chris Brickley’s fourth PUMA sneaker prove that trainers can hold long-term commercial value comparable to NBA players? How does the motorsport-themed “Race 2 Evolve” compare to Brickley’s 2025 “Empire Legacy” design?
