Nike SB

Nike SB – short for "Skateboarding" – was officially founded in 2002 as a separate division within Nike, led by Sandy Bodecker. There had been an initial, not very successful attempt to enter the scene with "Nike Skateboarding" back in 1996, before the division was re-established in 2002. Instead of simply developing the best possible skate shoes, Bodecker and his team first tried to understand the entire scene – the shops, the spots, the people behind it. The very first Nike SB team consisted of Richard Mulder, Danny Supa, Gino Iannucci, and Reese Forbes.

The real breakthrough came in the early 2000s, when Paul Rodriguez, a true icon, joined the team, followed by a shoe line developed specifically for skaters with reinforced padding, Zoom Air cushioning, and more robust materials. In 2009, Nike SB released the Stefan Janoski, one of the brand's most influential signature shoes to date, and in 2011, Eric Koston, another scene legend, joined the team.

Characteristic of Nike SB to this day are the enormous variety of colorways for the Dunk Low and High, elaborate collaborations with other brands, artists, and local skate shops, as well as a technical construction that makes classic Nike silhouettes skateable – for example, through Zoom Air inserts, reinforced seams, and grippier soles. In addition to shoes, the product range also includes apparel that often incorporates graphics and cuts directly from skateboarding culture.

The Nike SB team has always been considered one of the strongest in the industry, bringing together diverse styles and generations of skaters under one roof.