With Dwyane Wade making the switch within the Nike, Inc. portfolio this past July from Converse to Jordan Brand, it left behind a sudden vacuum in WADE-branded Converse product, including the WADE 5 Signature Shoe and WADE Team Lines. The strategy shift seems to have come from above, and as we noted in our Nike Q1 Earnings Conf Call post a few weeks back, Nike CEO Mark Parker emphasized a “complete offense” in relation to its basketball business with a 3-tiered tactic involving Converse, Nike, and Jordan Brand – each allowing the consumer an access point into the overall Nike umbrella. The goal obviously would be to keep Converse at the entry level $80-and-under category, Nike hitting all ranges, and Jordan Brand blowing out the upper end, with what we can assume to be a high price point “Jordan Flash” shoe in the near future and Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul products filling out a similar space underneath. With all that said, will the Converse WADE 5 eventually release in a stripped down and de-badged form? Converse has said they are still weighing their options with the shoe. For now, you can check out images of what the WADE 5 could have been. Continue reading for more photos.

Images via HoopChina