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Nike’s Latest Premium Sneaker Is a Sleek Samba Clone

Nike’s latest iteration of the Killshot 2 features a blacked-out look and vintage soccer details that further blur the line between homage and imitation.

Close-up of the heel area of a black sneaker with white stitching and a brown textured sole against a yellow background.Nike
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By Ben Bowers

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The Nike Killshot 2 has proven to be one of the most fascinating sneaker stories of the 21st century. When J. Crew revived the forgotten 1979 court shoe in 2009, it transformed from athletic obscurity into a menswear cult classic.

Over the years, Nike has steadily invested in the model, expanding colorways and materials, presumably, at least in part, in an attempt to chase the explosive success of the adidas Samba.

A close-up of the side of the Nike Killshot OG in Midnight Navy
The original Killshot was explicitly designed for racquetball and squash and featured a mixture of athletic and premium materials, including open mesh and suede overlays. Nike re-released a tribute to this shoe called the Killshot OG in 2020 which is shown above.
Nike

However, with the Killshot 2 Premium in Black/Sail/Baroque Brown/Black, images of which actually first surfaced online last fall, Nike’s imitation of the Samba is more brash than ever.

Black Adidas Samba leather sneaker with black sole and gold "SAMBA" text on the side.
Adidas recently embraced the old-school look of the extended tongue again with the introduction of the Samba Long Tongue collection in 2024.
Adidas

From the all-leather construction to the addition of a detachable fold-over tongue, initially designed for soccer (which is a particularly unusual detail for the Killshot, considering it was intended for racquetball), the resemblance to various revived, soccer-focused iterations of Adidas’s iconic Samba is uncanny.

The next evolution

Black leather Nike sneaker with white stitching, cream laces, and a brown textured sole.
The latest Killshot 2 Premium in Black/Sail/Baroque Brown/Black looks awfully similar to older, soccer focused versions of the Adidas Samba as well as at least one modern version of the relatively new Adidas Samba long tongue collection.
Nike

The most obvious detail separating the Killshot 2 Premium from other iterations is the detachable fold-over tongue.

Pair of black Nike sneakers with white laces and large black velcro straps featuring white Nike swooshes.
Including the long tongue is a strange choice for the Killshot line, given that the sneaker was initially designed for racquetball, not soccer.
Nike

This isn’t just a cosmetic flourish – at least in the case of the Samba, which was made for soccer; the extended tongue was initially engineered to protect laces while kicking the ball.

It’s a heritage detail that Adidas has revived and leaned into heavily in recent years with its introduction of the Longue Tongue collection back in 2024.

Close-up of a black Nike sneaker with white laces, white stitching, and a white Nike logo on the tongue.
The extended black leather tongue can be easily removed from the Killshot 2 Premium, which should be welcomed news to anyone who’s not a fan of that throwback look.
Nike

So it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to grasp why the feature has also migrated to the Killshot lineup.

Beyond the tongue, the Premium version also features more leather than the Killshot 2 leather. While the standard model features leather on the upper with a synthetic heel counter, the Premium edition boasts a full leather body from toe to heel.

Close-up of black and white sneaker heel with textured gum sole and partial "NIKE" logo on black leather.
The Killshot Leather 2 (shown above) features leather on the upper but a synthetic heel counter. The Killshot 2 Premium edition further upgrades the shoe with a full leather body, extending from toe to heel.
Nike

The result is a sneaker that arguably channels the Samba’s soccer-focused DNA more directly than any previous Killshot iteration before it.

Pricing and availability

Pair of black Nike sneakers with white "72" on left heel and white Nike swoosh on right heel, brown soles.
What the “72” on the heel refers to is a bit of mystery, given that the Killshot 2 didn’t launch that year. However, outlets like Sneaker News speculate that it’s related to Nike’s broader foray into soccer.
Nike

Despite its “premium” naming, this blacked-out version of the elevated Killshot 2 is now available at Nike.com for $110, which is just a $10 price premium over the standard Killshot 2 Leather at its full retail price.

It also happens to cost $10 less than the full retail price of the Samba Long Tongue – although it’s currently on sale for 40% off.

However, interested shoppers will need to sign up for a free Nike Member account to buy it.

Pair of black leather Nike sneakers with white laces, white stitching, and brown rubber soles.Nike

Nike Killshot 2 Premium (Black/Sail/Baroque Brown/Black)

About the Author: Ben Bowers is the Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer of Gear Patrol. Throughout his tenure in media, Ben has written and reported on everything from consumer tech to whiskey, watches, cars, camping, and personal style. These days, he gets to write less than he’d like to.

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