Although he may have lost the rap beef of the year, Drake is still standing firm in music and fashion. He’s just announced his Oceania tour that’ll see the Toronto native dip his toes down under in Australia and New Zeland and is set to launch three colorways of his Nike Air Force 1 Low Certified Lover Boy, the original White pair and the two new Citron Tint and Palest Purple colors. On top of this, Drake’s NOCTA label with Nike is moving into the NCAA category, as USC and LSU have shared exclusive Nike NOCTA apparel on their social media pages.
Each school shared a different apparel item on its socials, with USC showcasing a Nike NOCTA hoodie and sweatpant combo and LSU sharing a track jacket and track pants combo. Both come in their respective schools' colors and are made with the same construction and materials as the latest Nike NOCTA release, comprising hoodies, jackets, and other outerwear items.
While most schools have historically been sponsored by sportswear brands like Nike, Jordan Brand, or adidas, recently, schools have aligned with sub-labels within these organizations. In 2023, Vanessa Bryant announced a handful of Nike Kobe schools, including USC, Kentucky, Oregon, Duke, LSU, and UCONN, which have since been given various Nike Kobe PEs. Alongside this, LeBron James has begun sponsoring schools, as seen with his FAMU deal, and adidas recently announced that Derrick Rose’s high school would become the first Rose school.
This first wave of Nike NOCTA NCAA apparel could begin a fruitful partnership between Drake's Nike label and various college athletics programs. Although many online have applauded these designs, the apparel will likely remain exclusive to the school and its student-athletes. Check below for some photos of apparel shared by USC and LSU, and download the Sole Retriever mobile app for more updates on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
