Quick Facts
- The Nike Air Max 2 CB 94 Black Varsity Royal is coming back for the first time since 2004
- The upper is done primarily in black with blue used on the base layer
- The Nike Air Max 2 CB 94 Black Varsity Royal will be released August 14, 2026
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Charles Barkley has remade himself for a new generation of basketball fans as one of the funniest commentators to ever speak into a microphone, playing off Shaq, Kenny, and Ernie to create the tragically cancelled Inside the NBA, the best pre-game, post-game, and halftime broadcast crew the sport has ever seen. Before he was famous for roasting and being roasted between quarters, Chuck was the Round Mound of Rebound, one of the NBA’s greatest and most intimidating forwards ever, with one of Nike’s best signature sneaker lines.
Adding Air Max units into the heels of bulky ‘90s basketball shoes, the CB line was the peak of performance technology at the time, and continues to stand the test of time. Coming back next year for the first time since 2004, the Nike Air Max 2 CB 94 Black Varsity Royal is a classic mix of black and blue with white accents on the high-top Air Max hoop shoe. Mixing black nubuck and tumbled blue leather across the upper all the way to the ankle, the white midsole brightens up the shoe at the bottom.
We haven’t seen any official pictures of the upcoming retro pair, but the color combo remains the same, so we should see a blue logo embroidered on the tongue and a blue tint added to the Air Max unit in the heel. The Air Max 2 CB 94 is one of, if not the most popular, Barkley signature shoes, and Nike has continually released retros of the model, including a duo of Suns-themed colorways in black and white that dropped earlier this year.
The Nike Air Max 2 CB 94 Black Varsity Royal will be released August 14, 2026 through Nike and select retailers in-store and online. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is set at $160. To keep up with all the latest NBA signature retros, download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com
