The new partnership with Nike has already outdone the previous link-up with rival sports brand Adidas. A greater focus on brick-based products will see two new LEGO® Nike sets released next month. One of those sets is another take on Nike’s popular Dunk footwear. Favoured by basketball players, Nike Dunk sneakers soon became popular with the skating community. This new set blends aspects of both communities and includes another brick-built Dunk, a unique minifigure and interesting play functions. Here’s a closer look at the LEGO Nike Dunk Trickshot set.
Product Details
Set Name: Nike Dunk Trickshot | Set Number: 43021 | Pieces: 454 | Theme: Nike
Number of Bags: Bags x 5 | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: Sheet x 1 | Characters: Basketball Player
RRP: £34.99/39.99€/$39.99/59.99AUD/49.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores & LEGO Online from September 1st
The first, and awkwardly named, LEGO X Nike Dunk set was created as a display piece. This set could be described as a smaller variant of its preceding bedfellow. Both sets include a brick-built Dunk shoe nestled within a striking blend of colours to create an abstract scene. The Dunk is where the build begins. It’s a much smaller version than the previous one; in fact, it’s similar in scale to the promotional Adidas sneaker set. The Dunk featured in set 43008 resembled a Dunk High, but this one is closer to the classic style Dunk. The white and red colouring of the Dunk helps it stand out from its surroundings, as does the way it’s mounted to the rest of the set, but more on that later. The sneaker includes several stickered pieces. These add details such as the iconic Nike swoosh logo on the sides of the shoe, plus on the rear wall of the sneaker and its tongue.
As mentioned, the Dunk is incorporated into the rest of the set via a Technic-heavy bracket. This causes the shoe to sit at a jaunty angle but also offers the ability to propel it towards the basketball net. Admittedly, it’s not an awfully exciting play feature, especially as you can’t make the minifigure dunk as a basket. You can, however, remove the Dunk completely and place the included basketball accessory on the lever mechanism. Hit it right, and you could sink a basket yourself. This is a little more exciting. The basketball element is the same element used for the B’Ball Head minifigure.
The rest of the set appears to be styled on a basketball court and skate park. The half-court includes a brick-built basket. This includes a similar basket element to the piece used in the LEGO Sports NBA set from the early 2000s. But it’s actually a more recent element, first used in 2014. The basketball net is mounted on a raised base, which has a hole in the middle of it. This is included to allow the tip of the sneaker to be tipped forward. Although much of its detailing is achieved with elements, it does include two large tile plates which have stickers applied to them. Due to being such large stickers, it is easy to get bubbles in them.
The set is finished off with a colour wave-like wall. This is decorated with various circular elements. Including two large printed round tiles. One is decorated to look like a Nike-branded basketball and includes the special LEGO brick Nike Swoosh logo. As these are so prominent, I’m glad they are printed.
The set includes a second Nike minifigure. Instead of a return for the new LEGO X Nike mascot, B’Ball Head, the minifigure is a hooded Nike fan. It’s billed as a Basketball Player, but it looks more like a skater ‘boi’ or girl, for that matter, as you have the option to use two different heads. Despite the set’s connection to footwear, it’s a shame the minifigure does not include print detail on its legs or, at the very least, use dual moulded legs.
It’s another interesting set, and it has a more favourable price point compared to the first LEGO Nike set. It may not be a set which will appeal to everyone, but LEGO sets now cover a wide range of interests and popular movies. Sport has been an underserved interest, and sets such as this are a decent way to cater for sports fans and those interested in the Nike brand. Whether it has a wider appeal, especially with some of the impressive sets on their way before Christmas, remains to be seen.
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This set was provided to BricksFanz by the LEGO Group for review purposes. The thoughts within this review are those of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Nike. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
