The game of basketball is an art, and so are the shoes that hit the hardwood each night. Designed for athletes like Rasheed Wallace and Scottie Pippen, Nike Basketball shoes have helped players make history. Many of these shoes have been Sportswear icons, thanks to widespread adoption and advances in footwear technology. In celebration of this legacy and the NBA Playoffs, Nike, Converse and Jordan are releasing the Art of a Champion collection—16 shoes for the 16 total wins it takes to earn an NBA title. 16 artists have created original art pieces to commemorate each shoe and the players who have worn them. Below, four artists explain the artwork that they made for CT16 Nike Sportswear footwear.

Rasheed Wallace's dominant play during Game 4 of the NBA Finals helped secure a long-awaited title for the Pistons. Illustrator Dexter Maurer's tribute to Wallace and the Air Force 1 High includes his infamous championship belt and a lie detector, referring to Wallace's well-known line, "Ball don't lie!" "I wanted to illustrate the notion of altitude, referencing the Air Force 1 High and giving weightlessness to the visual", says Maurer. "I was inspired by '80s advertising illustrations and Dutch Masters paintings".

In Game 2 of the 1993 NBA Finals, Scottie Pippen became the 12th basketball player in history to earn a triple-double during a finals game, helping the Bulls gain a 2-0 lead. Illustrator Andrew Archer honours Pippen's historic play and his Air Maestro II with Trifecta, a piece that includes Pippen's championship rings and three ice cream scoops. "I watched hours of Scottie Pippen highlights for inspiration", says Archer. "I wanted the artwork to have a special, insider feel. Pippen was ahead of his time".

During the 1983 NBA Finals, Moses Malone had a bold prediction that his team, the Sixers, would win "Fo' Fo' Fo'", or rather, that they'd sweep each round. It took the Sixers five games to win their third NBA Championship, so Malone changed it to "Fo' Fi' Fo'". Artist Ori Toor's tribute to Malone, as one of the "original six" to wear the Air Force 1 Low, includes a lock referencing his tight defence skills. "I was inspired by the muted colours of old pictures from the '70s and '80s", says Toor. "I wanted to capture a feeling of encapsulated memories and achievements, including the trophy and diploma".

Inspired by the glory of being an NBA Champion, and the 24K, gold-plated Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy that comes with it, the Air Force 270 'Gold Standard' symbolises greatness. "My main inspiration for Gold Standard was the moment when a team wins and holds up the trophy", says digital artist Thomas Traum. "It's about that split second of celebration and reaching the pinnacle of life-long dream".