Thursday, February 10th, 2011 at 12:17 pm  |  229 responses

Wanna Jump Higher?

Tell us what you’ll do with some added vertical and you could win a free pair of APL kicks.

Could you use a couple inches on your vertical leap? Trying to become a better shot blocker? Can you almost dunk, but just need a little help? We’ve got you covered.

This All-Star Weekend, Athletic Propulsion Labs will be releasing a new red colorway of their Concept 1s, pictured below, and SLAM is giving away a pair. The rules are simple: You think you deserve ‘em? Tell us why! Just drop a comment below explaining why you could use a few extra inches on your vertical leap, and APL will send the commenter with the best reason a pair of the jump-enhancing kicks, in your size. The sneakers say BANNED across the insole—and you should know why—and will only be released in very limited quantities. These retail at $300, so getting a pair for free should be pretty enticing.

So why do you need to jump higher? Check the pics of the kicks below, and comment away with your best answers. Good luck!



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  • http://bugmarley.com Leonel

    I need this because I can’t keep on playing basketball wearing an old pair of generic sneakers. And oh, Serge can have it if I win.

  • http://bugmarley.com Leonel

    Also, I need this to reach my dream of winning this shoe.

  • Jordan Kirby

    I need to get revenge on this dude who has been dunking on me for too long

  • http://Google.com Rich

    My game is so good it’s illegal, so why shouldn’t my shoes be the same ??

  • Sam

    Im a little guy who has worked hard to get some pretty sick hops, but the rim still evades me. My friends are dunking on me and I wanna show em’ up with some throw downs of my own. Maybe I’ll make varsity as a sophmore with their help. (not that I need any help.)

  • http://slamonline.com Jeremy Bauman

    I’m 5-11 and can shoot the ball, but I’ve never in my life touched a 10-foot rim in a legitimate manner. To be frank, it sucks.

  • Trevin

    Dear SLAM & APL,

    My school district is moving all the 9th graders from Jr High to High School starting next year. There will be 3x’s as much competition just to make the team now. I’m in 8th grade right now; age 13 and 6’2″ and I want to be the 1st Freshman in the history of the school district to play varsity basketball. I have got 8 months until tryouts and could sure use the help of these shoes… along with my strong work ethic to make my dream happen. Since my dad got laid off we just haven’t had the extra money to buy these even though I have wanted them for a long time. My immediate goal is to get a quadruple double in one game. I almost had it in my last game but I was 4 blocks and 4 steals short. Coach took me out for the last 8 minutes of the game because we were ahead by so much but I really wanted to stay in and get those last 4 of each to complete my 1st ever quadruple double. That is the closest I have come and I know these shoes will help me reach this goal as well. Please pick me! Thanks for taking the time to read my reasons why I could use a few extra inches on my vertical leap. I hope whoever you pick uses them everyday to improve their game…I know I would! Also, our school colors are blue and red so I would love the new red color you are coming out with. Thanks again!

  • David

    Here it goes
    Im 5 foot 9 about 2 inches from grabbing on to rim play ball at least 3 hrs a day
    School, aau, going into high school next year and with growing taller over summer and these shoes grabbing on and possibly even dunking freshman year would be amazing. basketball is all I do I’ve done jump soles ect and I’ve gained results but need that last little boost please slam help me out

  • zach c

    I go to a small school and play other small schools, so there is only like 2 people in the whole district that can dunk, and I can grab the rim, but haven’t been able to get much higher than that. So it would be great to bring some more dunks to the games in the area. Most of the rims in all the schools haven’t been dunked on for quite some time. And all I need is a few inches.

  • Blizzard Man

    Although I’m a pure shooter (make it snow!), I always have to cover my biggest friend when we play (he’s got 5 inches on me at least). Adding a couple more inches to my vert will let me contest more and even the playing field a little bit.

  • Joosh

    I can dunk a soccer ball, just not a basketball yet. I’ve already done jump manuel so these shoes would really help me with the last few inches I need.

  • Wendell Sweetland

    I am a 55 year old, who has been playing for 45 years. Have been able to dunk until recently. The extra inches the APLs will provide will be greatly appreciated. I WANT TO JAM AGAIN!

  • Jands

    Because I will re-introduce myself to every ring in the hood.

  • abdul

    Dear Slam, I really need those I used all the plyometrics shoes like jumpsoles and I only got 5 inches all toghether I can toch the middl e of the net at 5’3″ which is good but I want more I would love those shoes

  • Jens Christian Auken

    Dear Slam and APL,
    The last two years I have played on the U14 and U15 Danish national which has meant the world to me. People around me have started to become so athletic while my body hasn’t followed that development, my national team coaches have told me that my athletic abilities (or lack thereof) might keep me off the team this year which would mean that I would miss out on the European Championships, so I have been busting my ass off in the weight room but the inches haven’t really shown up, these shoes could be the difference!

  • ReoR

    Hi im 12 and 5’11 with shoes. I can touch close to the top of the net when I jump. My entire team is my age and i am the tallest by about 6 inches. We are playing against people in grade 9 and they tower over us all. We win but I want to be better at blocking shots. I already dominate the rebounds but blocking is my weak point. Thank you for reading this.

  • Josh

    Hi Slam
    I was reallly happy a few days ago at my elementary school beacuse I could finally touch the 8ft rim there but I can’t with a ball. So I was hoping with these shoes that I could be able to dunk the rim at school with a ball

  • 49

    why do i wanna dunk? i mean comeon, i wanna be part of that exclusive group of people who can actually fly, and those shoes will help me get there

  • Zoey Taylor

    “Why do you deserve these APL’s”

    Well I saved $310 (live in AK) and purchased the green and black APLs. After a very long wait I received them and was excited to wear them to my first high school game of the year. At least I was until I was told to remove them immediately or I would be ejected. Wonderful. I spent three hundred dollars for an amazing pair of shoes that have been banned by ASAA. I sent them back and had to wait well over a month for a refund, even after I had the receipt stating they had received my shipment return. So I believe after honestly buying a pair of APLs and being sadly dissapointed on having to return them, that I deserve a new pair to use in gym night and maybe even try to use in a game (black and green were noticeable) thank you for reading this. 

  • Mathew

    Dear SLAM I would love to win thease shoes i wish i could get insanly nice basketball shoes and my best frieand told me about the webstite and i saw the contest i could not aford thease but if i won them this would be the best thing ever i am a hugr basketball fan i can shoot dribble and pass but i cant jump high i have bin practicing but if i had thease shoes i could jump higher thanks and hopfully i could win

  • http://Slamonline Maxim Dickieson

    Dear SLAM, I am 5’6 and can touch backboard, with these shows I can finally be able dunk and my hard work will finally pay off.

  • http://phoenixtreasureemporium.ecrater.com Dhane Benjamin

    I would relive the past Back to the Future style. I’m 5’6″ 37 years old. Instead of just breaking ankles and splashing buckets, I’ll funky dunk NBA Jam Style!

  • Gezim Dauti

    I need these shoes to swagg on all the older guys at the courts,who think they can actually play. But not only that, I’ll look fresh in these amazing kicks while finally being able to dunk.

  • SoleMinded

    Well they said MJ could fly… I figure this is as close as I can get!

  • Brandon Muller

    Ok, so im not gonna lie, there are a lot more people that deserve this shoe more than me. I know there are other people that need the shoe just as much as me. But one reason I really need this shoe because my high school basketball team has the shortest and smallest team in the league and im the biggest one so I play center, im 5-11. I am about 2 inches away from touching rim. Its really hard on me because ive been working so hard on my legs almost every night for the past 3 or 4 months and i dont notice a difference in my verticle jump. My brother also plays high school basketball, but he’s on varsity and im on C team. My brother can dunk and ive always wanted to be like him because he is one of the best players in the state. I have a feeling he might make it to the NBA but I already know im not good enough, so i just wanna be the best I can be in high school. So that is why I want to stop dreaming and jump higher. Thank you, Slam.

  • Raymond Barnes

    Once these shoes have been received, I will get invited to the White House, play on the private court, and dunk on the President of the United States of America with two hands. The publicity will propel the success of the shoe to new heights. Then APL, myself and SLAM…will proudly pro-claim “yes we jam!”

  • http://thejumpmanual.com/ jump program

    I believe plyometrics is really effective for your goals of jumping higher. I am doing it also and within just two weeks of doing it I have seen a great improvements with my jump.

  • http://slamonline.com Ben Osborne

    Thanks for all the great entries. Closing comments now. Winner will be chosen and notified in the next day or two—hope you commented with a real email address!

  • http://slamonline.com/ Adam Figman

    Just want to give a big congrats to Thomas Litteer, whose comment up above was our winner. Enjoy them, man! Thanks to everyone who participated and to APL for the give-away.

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