As far as I knew, Rasheed Wallace(notes) was born with a pair of tiny Nike Air Force 1s on his feet and a headband on his head. So to say that I was surprised that Sheed was wearing a different shoe at the beginning of Monday night's Game 4 would be an understatement. You could describe my face as Irene Pollin-esque.Instead of his trademark AF1s, Wallace started the game wearing a pair of white Nike Zoom Sharkalaids, a hybrid sneaker worn by the likes of Deron Williams and Rudy Gay this season. According to Sole Collector's Nick DePaula, it was the first time in more than 10 years that Sheed had taken the court in anything but Nike's first air-soled basketball shoe. Truly the end of an era, people.
Apparently confused by the extra strap and comfortable padding, Sheed changed out of his newfangled shoes and back into some all-white Air Force 1s for the second half of the game. Changing shoes mid-game is the new trend in Boston, I guess.
Just to make sure people were aware that he was the same old Rasheed Wallace they'd always known and loved, Sheed made sure to get a technical foul in his AF1s. Such a thoughtful guy.
UPDATE: A Sole Collector commenter notes that Sheed wore the Nike Air Sensation for the first half of his first game with the Pistons. However, Wallace was disqualified at halftime because the league's paperwork was not completed. Ergo, the streak stands! Via Ball Don't Lie
