adidas Unveils "Project R.A.P." and a Groundbreaking 3D-Printed Basketball Shoe

Summary

• adidas has officially introduced Project R.A.P. (Radical Athlete Perception), a cutting-edge new platform designed to create next-generation sports products through additive manufacturing
• Marking the first sports performance application of the new technology, the brand revealed an unnamed, fully 3D-printed basketball shoe
• The highly anticipated silhouette recently made its on-court debut on the feet of elite Kansas University guard Darryn Peterson and is slated to release in the coming months

adidas is officially taking performance footwear into the future. During a special Pro Day event hosted at the newly renovated Innovation Lab at its North America headquarters in Portland, the sportswear giant unveiled Project R.A.P. (Radical Athlete Perception). Serving as a massive leap forward for the brand’s ongoing 3D-printing efforts, the cutting-edge platform utilizes advanced additive manufacturing to completely redefine how athletes experience movement, support, and on-court performance.

To showcase the true potential of the new Project R.A.P. platform, adidas revealed its very first sports performance application: a fully 3D-printed basketball shoe. Built entirely around athlete movement and perception, the innovative silhouette is specifically designed to deliver a completely bespoke fit. By utilizing advanced 3D-printing techniques, the shoe’s internal structure can be perfectly tuned to provide highly specific, tailored levels of support, cushioning, and stiffness that traditional sneaker manufacturing methods simply cannot achieve.

While the futuristic sneaker was only just officially introduced, it has already been battle-tested on the biggest stage in college hoops. The 3D-printed model recently made its highly publicized on-court debut during the NCAA tournament, laced up by elite 5-star guard Darryn Peterson of the Kansas Jayhawks.

By bringing athletes and designers into the same space to test, learn, and iterate in real-time, adidas is proving that its massive investment in additive technology extends far beyond lifestyle and running models. While the basketball silhouette is the first to arrive, the brand also confirmed that a 3D-printed American football cleat utilizing the exact same Project R.A.P. platform is currently in development.

While an official name and retail price have not yet been announced, the 3D-printed adidas Project R.A.P. basketball shoe is expected to hit retail shelves in the coming months.