adidas unveils bespoke 3D printed basketball shoes for athletes

Mere weeks after officially dropping its 3D printed CLIMACOOL LACED sneaker for the consumer market, sportswear giant adidas has teased its use of 3D printing for performance footwear. As revealed in a release about its 2026 NFL Rookie Class, the company has created a 3D printed basketball shoe that can be tailored for fit, support, cushioning, and stiffness.

The 3D printed basketball shoe is part of adidas’ Project R.A.P. (Radical Athlete Perception), which is described as “a new platform for making sports products” through the use of 3D printing. The project, which was unveiled at the same time as the basketball shoes, aims to leverage 3D printing to make custom products for athletes.

The first product of Project R.A.P. is the basketball shoe, a fitting release in the context of the NCAA’s March Madness. In fact, the shoe has already been worn on the court by Darryn Peterson of the Kansas Jayhawks. The 19-year-old guard reportedly wore the distinctive laced 3D printed footwear at a game earlier this week.

We are also speculating about a pair of soccer cleats worn by Atletico Madrid attacker Ademola Lookman at a training session this week. While the cleats have no visible branding, they do bear an unmistakeable likeness to adidas’ CLIMACOOL uppers, with their gridded-lattice texture. Perhaps adidas is waiting for the next big soccer sporting event (i.e. The World Cup 2026) to officially unveil the shoe. Again, this is mere speculation, but we have reached out to the sportswear brand for more details.

What we know for sure is that basketball will not be the only sport targeted through the Project R.A.P. As adidas has said, there is also an American Football cleat in development, which is expected to become available to athletes later this year.

adidas’ 3D printed consumer shoes, the CLIMACOOL and newer CLIMACOOL LACED, are manufactured using digital light synthesis (DLS) and integrate a unique texture that enables 360° airflow. The shoes are also notable for their lightweight structure and supportive “second skin feel”.

“For me, I love a simple yet put together look—and comfort must be front of mind,” said WNBA player Kahleah Copper when the CLIMACOOL LACED was launched. “This new sneaker keeps it minimal and I just love the way it is the perfect foundation for any outfit. What’s even better is that they’re truly designed to breathe, with ventilation from all angles they give my feet so much added air when I walk—something I need more than ever after game-day!”