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The World Cup is right around the corner and everyone’s suiting up, but leave it to Basketcase to show up differently. The Southern California-based label’s second proper collab with New Balance lands on the Gator Run, the vintage athletic turf shoe turned bold lifestyle model, with two colorways under the banner “The Alternates.”
If you’re not up on Basketcase yet, the label started as a t-shirt operation run through Instagram DMs before evolving into a full cut-and-sew brand with denim, outerwear, and a growing footwear footprint. Founder Zach Kinninger has been quietly building something worth paying attention to, and the brand’s relationship with New Balance — which kicked off formally with the 204L late last year — is already looking like one of the more compelling ongoing collaborations in the space.
The concept itself does a lot of the talking. This isn’t about the starters — it’s about the players on the roster who don’t fit the obvious mold but somehow still define the team. That energy translates directly into how these two Gator Runs look and feel.
The “Hacky” doesn’t whisper. Green shaggy suede takes over the overlays with a texture so overgrown it looks like it belongs on a field that never got a halftime break. Yellow nylon underneath gives it that classic kit energy, while the braided laces, gum outsole with its spiked tread, and those little pins on the side make sure it stays interesting at every angle.
Then there’s the “Maiden,” which takes the opposite route. Deep wine suede meets pale powder blue for something that reads more like a vintage kit found at the back of a locker room than anything off a current shelf. The same braided rope laces and pin details carry over, along with the Basketcase branding stitched across the heel.
The footwear is accompanied by a soccer-themed capsule that includes a co-branded green jersey and short set, a soccer ball, and a water bottle, all available at Basketcase’s pop-up in Los Angeles this weekend, open June 13-14 from 12-6pm at 668 S Catalina Street. These pieces are previewed in the accompanying “The Alternates” campaign, starring a cast of character archetypes including The Surfer, The Raver, The Muscle, The Skater, The Collector, The “Creative,” The Mother, The Student, the Yogi, and The Family.
The Basketcase x New Balance Gator Run “The Alternates” collection drops online on June 12th via basketcase.gallery, in-person at the Los Angeles pop-up June 13th and 14th, and globally on the New Balance website starting June 19th. Check out the pairs below.
Basketcase x New Balance Gator Run “Hacky”
Release Date: June 12, 2026 (Basketcase)
Release Date: June 19, 2026 (New Balance)
Price: $130 USD
Basketcase x New Balance Gator Run “Maiden”
Release Date: June 12, 2026 (Basketcase)
Release Date: June 19, 2026 (New Balance)
Price: $130 USD
