The latest ‘Roswell Rayguns’ drop from Nike and Converse is out of this world

You know the Roswell Rayguns?

They’re the funkiest semi-professional basketball team you’ve probably never heard of.

According to the legend, the Rayguns were the worst team in the ABA back in 1975. But their tough season turned around when, strangely, a time-traveling spaceship arrived in Roswell.

On board was Dr. Funk and his team of all-stars, straight from the mid-2000s. They joined the team and the Rayguns took over the ABA. Dr. Funk’s crew sported futuristic Nike Dunks on their feet.

Not to ruin the illusion, but Dr. Funk may have looked familiar, like a high-flying Toronto Raptors superstar named Vince Carter. He and his time-traveling hoopers (Jermaine O’Neal, Paul Pierce, Baron Davis and Jerry Stackhouse) were part of a Nike ad campaign during the 2002 NBA playoffs.

Nike Shox and Zoom Turbines were the futuristic sneakers featured in the campaign, which also boasted a soundtrack by Bootsy Collins.

But a couple years later, the Swoosh paid tribute to the funkiest team in the universe with the release of the original Nike Dunk Low SB ‘Raygun’ in 2005 in black and white “home” and “away” colorways, distributed to the U.S. and Canada, and the rest of the world respectively.

The ‘Raygun’ theme returned in December of 2019 with two Dunk Low colorways that paid tribute to late Nike SB pioneer Sandy Bodecker, whose outfit of choice was often a tie-dye Rayguns hoodie.

Now, the Nike family is once again paying homage to that special ABA team with the release of a collection of classic basketball silhouettes arriving on 1/15.

The Air Force 1 Low, a shoe that changed the game long before some sneakerheads were even born, arrives with a predominantly white leather upper, black Swooshes and Raygun orange heel counters. Yellow stitching outlines the Swooshes and covers the heel tabs.

The Air Raid, a Tinker Hatfield design which originally released in 1992 with the express purpose of outdoor basketball wear, is a built-tough model that will turn heads in this colorway.

Orange straps for stability criss-cross a black-and-yellow upper, with white midsoles and laces turning up the brightness to 11.

You can also get your hands on two different classic Converse silhouettes in ‘Rayguns’ livery.

The All-Star boasts a crisp white upper with black lining and a toe guard in Roswell orange and yellow, as well as a raygun blast motif targeting the iconic Converse logo at the ankle.

For more pro hoops history, the blacked-out Pro Leather features orange and yellow stripes on the lateral side and basketball logos on the medial heels in colors reminiscent of Seattle Supersonics uniforms. The word ROSWELL adorns the heel tabs.

No matter which model you choose, there’s no denying both are absolutely out of this world.

Zap them up yourself when the Nike ‘Roswell Raygun’ collection releases at finishline.com on 1/15.

We’ve recently partnered with Afterpay, giving you the option to cop now and pay over time. Take advantage and build the closet of your dreams.