Closing out the 1994-1995 NBA season, Grant Hill had just received co-Rookie of the Year honors with Jason Kidd. The 2x NCAA champion, had also landed a huge partnership with Fila. “My first shoe, at one point I don’t know if the numbers are the same, but I think it was the highest selling debut signature shoe for an NBA player,” Hill said when he appeared on Sole Collector.
After receiving co-Rookie of the Year honors with Jason Kidd for the 1994-1995 NBA season, Hill landed a huge partnership with Fila. “My first shoe, at one point I don’t know if the numbers are the same, but I think it was the highest selling debut signature shoe for an NBA player,” Hill said.
A year later and Tupac Shakur would be seen rocking Jason Kidd’s second Fila sneaker. Releasing his Death Row records debut album ‘All Eyez On Me,’ Tupac was photographed for the insert of the album cover. In this particular photo placed in the middle of the CD booklet, Tupac is seen sitting on the concrete up against a vehicle rocking his Fila sneakers.
Honoring that moment in hip hop, Fila and the Tupac Estate have linked for a limited edition collection which includes original re-creations of iconic items from Fila’s archives and is inspired by pieces worn by the rap icon.
T-shirts, shorts, vests, camouflage jackets, bandanas and tracksuits are all part of the must have collection. Highlighting the collection, are two Grant Hill 2 low styles. The reissued Fila Grant Hill 2 worn by Tupac and special Grant Hill 2 Low x 2PAC in a brown and white colorway, with design touches such as paisley accents on the sock liners and Tupac’s signature on the quarter. Both footwear styles are packaged in custom shoe boxes featuring Tupac imagery and the bandana print.
Although Grant Hill never met Tupac he was indeed a fan. “I was a fan of his. Never really met him,” Hill Said. “You know Fila’s was very early 80s, late 90s urban America. It was a thing.
Shop the Tupac Fila collection here.