Nike To Release A “Shoe Dog” Cortez Pack Inspired By Phil Knight’s Memoir_Stroll and Speak Boldly

Nike founder Phil Knight’s best-selling “Shoe Dog” memoir chronicles the early days of the Swoosh Brand’s history in incredible detail — and now his company is paying tribute to both the book and its author with a brand-new three-pack of the Nike Cortez. Set to release in July, the collection consists of “White” “Varsity Red” and “Game Royal” colorways. Although images of the shoes are not yet available, the Cortez is a fitting tribute as it was one of Knight and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman’s earliest successes. It also provides one of the more humorous anecdotes in the story: the silhouette was originally supposed to be called the Aztec, but due to another brand’s “Azteca Gold” track spikes, the name was discarded. Bowerman then opted to christen it the Cortez instead, after the explorer who — in his own words — “kicked the s**t out of the Aztecs.” Ready yourself for the drop this July with a retail price of $120 USD, and be sure to check out our Sneaker Release Dates page for further info as it’s available.