When it comes to celebrity fashion, Adam Sandler is nothing if not consistent. While Hollywood peers gravitate toward tailored tuxedos and luxury labels, Sandler doubles down on his trademark look—oversized basketball shorts, zip-up hoodies, and broken-in sneakers. Whether he’s on the red carpet or grabbing a coffee run, his outfits declare comfort over couture every single time. So it was no surprise that, during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, he stayed true to form. Clad in a loud Hawaiian shirt and Knicks-colored shorts, he chatted casually about Happy Gilmore 2—a quintessential Sandler moment.
Yet, despite the familiar chaos of his outfit, sneakerheads had their eyes elsewhere. What really made waves wasn’t the shirt or the shorts, but what was on his feet. Peeking out from beneath his hemline were icy-blue kicks that instantly set the sneaker world buzzing: the Nike Sabrina 3 “Blueprint,” the newest signature sneaker from New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu. And here’s the kicker: they hadn’t even dropped yet.
Sandler Debuts the Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint on Late Night TV
On July 23, just one night before the sneaker’s official release, Adam Sandler became the first celebrity to step out in the Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint. The bold blue colorway, accented with metallic gold Swooshes and Ionescu’s jersey number stamped on the heel, was impossible to miss. Designed with a mix of breathable mesh and reinforced nylon, the Blueprint certainly lives up to its name: a sneaker that feels like the foundation of both performance and personality.
But it isn’t just the striking look that’s turning heads. The Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint comes equipped with top-tier technology, featuring Cushlon 3.0 midsoles and Air Zoom units in the forefoot, typically reserved for Nike’s elite basketball and running lines. The result is a shoe engineered for athletes chasing peak performance…or, in Sandler’s case, for dominating a lunchtime pickup game in true comfort-first fashion.
Why the Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint Is Already a Legend
Only one shoe logged more NBA minutes last season than the Nike Sabrina 2—the legendary Nike Kobe 6 Protro. With a benchmark like that, expectations for the third iteration were nothing short of sky-high. Thankfully, the Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint doesn’t just meet those standards. It raises them. Design, tech, storytelling, and wearability all come together in a way that feels both fresh and inevitable.
The silhouette builds on the strengths of its predecessors while introducing sharper details. Most notably, the Sabrina 3 debuts enhanced lockdown support through cables that tunnel neatly through pleated sections at the midfoot, creating a snug and stable fit. Around the collar and toe, gradient embroidery adds a personal touch, a subtle nod to Ionescu’s Romanian heritage woven directly into the sneaker’s DNA.
Traction also gets a meaningful update. Nike replaces the herringbone tread of earlier models with a concentric “S” pattern, a deliberate choice that provides multidirectional grip. It’s a small but impactful shift, engineered for the unpredictable footwork and split-second pivots that define elite playmakers.
A Unisex Legacy Continues to Grow
The debut of the Nike Sabrina 1 in 2023 was more than just a sneaker drop. It was history. Sabrina Ionescu became the first women’s basketball player to receive a unisex signature line from Nike. That first release set the tone, the Sabrina 2 expanded the vision with kids’ sizing and broader appeal, and now the Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint takes the story to its next chapter.
Some details remain constant, grounding the line in legacy. The lowercase “i,” Ionescu’s quiet signature, still sits proudly on the heel. On the Sabrina 3, it goes a step further, carved into the outsole itself. Small design choices like this transform a performance shoe into something more—a marker of culture and identity.
As lead designer Ben Nethongkome explains: “The Sabrina 3 builds on the consistency we’ve established with Sabrina’s first two signature silhouettes while evolving the look and feel of the shoe to match her needs on the court and further reflect her personal story and style.” It’s a balancing act, innovation with respect for heritage, and the Sabrina 3 nails it.
Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint: Where Style Meets Performance
Priced at $135, the Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint delivers elite-level performance without shutting out everyday athletes. From high school gyms to pro arenas, it’s a shoe built to meet the demands of serious hoopers while staying within reach. Adding to its cultural momentum are unexpected co-signs—like Adam Sandler, Hollywood’s most dedicated pickup baller—whose love for the silhouette only amplifies its crossover appeal.
The Blueprint is just the opening colorway in what promises to be a stacked lineup this season, yet it’s already shaping up as a defining release. As Ionescu continues to carve her place in basketball history, her signature line is doing the same in sneaker culture, bridging women’s sports, performance innovation, and mainstream hype in a way few ever have.
Why the Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint Deserves the Hype
Whether you’re lacing up for a game or stepping onto a late-night set like Sandler, the Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint delivers on all fronts—performance, comfort, and style, anchored by the heritage of Sabrina Ionescu’s growing legacy. It’s no surprise this release is already being hailed as one of Nike’s most anticipated drops of the year.
And with Adam Sandler rocking them on The Tonight Show, the moment has officially arrived. The Nike Sabrina 3 Blueprint was released on July 24 and is available now at Nike.com and select retailers. If history is any guide, pairs won’t sit for long.
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Featured image: NBC/Getty Images
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