PUMA Gives the Ralph Sampson Mid and Low Furry Animal Print Detailing

PUMA‘s classic Ralph Sampson model is enjoying a second life as clean casual silhouettes, so both the Ralph Sampson Low and Ralph Sampson Mid have surfaced in furry animal-printed makeups dubbed the “Wild Pack.” One of the greatest collegiate basketball players of all time and the No. 1 overall pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, the 7’4” Sampson was one of PUMA’s biggest — both literally and figuratively — endorsers ever, so this new duo presents an unquestionably bold look.

Although both the Low and the Mid feature shaggy pony hair detailing, it’s utilized in a different fashion on each. The Low uses crisp white leather as a base, then applies a mix of bone and black pony hair on its Formstripe for a zebra-style print. Sampson’s signature appears directly above in gold foil. The Mid mixes murky black leathers and suedes, and relegates the pony hair to its collar, where it’s dressed in a brown and black leopard print. Gold PUMA branding on the midfoot adds extra flair.

Both pairs are then completed by a white midsole, gold leaping cat on the heels and white “Design Puma Germany” hits on their respective tongue tags. With their wild stylings, they’re certainly a fitting follow-up to Chinatown Market‘s duo of takes on the Ralph Sampson Low that released this past July.

Each is available now at retailers like atmos. The Low is priced at ¥12,000 JPY (approx. $110 USD), while the Mid retails for ¥14,800 JPY (approx. $136 USD).

Elsewhere, PUMA also recently teamed with New York-based Russian artist JAHNKOY for a full capsule collection of folk art-inspired shoes and apparel.