Nike Drake Sneaker History: OVO Jordans, Unreleased PEs, and NOCTA Drops
The Nike Drake footwear partnership spans over a decade of limited October’s Very Own (OVO) Jordan releases. It also includes rare player-exclusive samples and the NOCTA signature sub-label. Tracing the history of these collabs shows why collectors ask whether something new is cooking in Beaverton. From $225 retail OVO Air Jordan 12s trading above $1,000 to $30K auction samples, the catalog bridges hip-hop and court heritage.
- OVO Jordan Era (2015 to 2018): Public OVO Air Jordan 10, 12, and 8 releases featured white or black leather with metallic gold accents, led by the 2016 OVO Jordan 12 White ($225 retail, $1,000+ resale).
- Unreleased Sample Grails: Rare player exclusives include the 1-of-1 Jordan 6 Low Hot 100s, 2001-inspired OVO Jordan 11 Snakeskin samples, and the 1989-based OVO Jordan 4 Splatter ($30K at Sotheby’s in 2020).
- 2018 Adidas Detour: In 2018, contract talks with Adidas stalled amid the Pusha T “The Story of Adidon” feud, later confirmed by Pharrell Williams in 2020.
- NOCTA Launch (2020 to 2022+): Re-signing with the Swoosh yielded the NOCTA sub-brand in December 2020, producing the Hot Step Air Terra, 2022 Certified Lover Boy AF1, and Zoom Flight 95-inspired Glide.
Which Unreleased Nike Drake OVO Jordan Samples Are Most Valuable?
After officially signing with Air Jordan in December 2013, the Toronto artist received dozens of player-exclusive samples. Most of those friends-and-family editions never reached retail shelves. One famous pair is the 1-of-1 Air Jordan 6 Low Hot 100s from 2016. That custom shoe celebrated the album Views topping the Billboard Top 200 chart.
Equally coveted are the pink and grey OVO Jordan 11 Snakeskin samples. Those designs nodded directly to classic 2001 Jordan 11 Low Snakeskin releases. Even rarer is the OVO Air Jordan 4 Retro Splatter, built from an unreleased 1989 original sample blueprint. Gold OVO owl emblems sit hidden behind the molded heel tabs on that pair. A size 11 Splatter pair sold for $30K at a 2020 Sotheby’s auction reported by Complex.
Which OVO Air Jordan Collabs Released to the Public Since 2015?
Every OVO Jordan collaboration that released to the general public starting in 2015 followed a signature color palette. Each design paired white or black stingray and tumbled leather with metallic gold owl branding. The retail rollout began with the Air Jordan 10 OVO in Summit White (September 2015, $225 retail). A matching Black colorway ($225 retail) followed in February 2016 with gold-flecked translucent outsoles.
The flagship public drop arrived in October 2016 with the OVO Air Jordan 12 Retro White (SKU 873864-102). That pair retailed at $225 across SNKRS and OVO flagship boutiques. Collectors learning how to become a sneaker reseller after the 2021 boom note that deadstock pairs average over $1,000 on StockX. A Black OVO Jordan 12 ($225 retail) dropped in 2017, and dual OVO Jordan 8s ($225 retail) launched in 2018.
| OVO or NOCTA Release | Release Year | Retail Price | Secondary Market Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| OVO Air Jordan 4 Splatter Sample | 1989 / 2020 Auction | Unreleased PE | $30K ($30,000 Sotheby’s sale) |
| OVO Air Jordan 10 White / Black | 2015 / 2016 | $225 | $450 to $650 average ask |
| OVO Air Jordan 12 White (873864-102) | 2016 | $225 | $1,000+ average resale price |
| NOCTA Hot Step Air Terra / CLB AF1 | 2022 | $180 / $160 | $210 to $260 average ask |
What Happened During the 2018 Adidas Rumors and Pusha T Feud?
In early 2018, industry reports indicated that the Toronto artist was preparing to leave Beaverton for Adidas. He reportedly sought broader creative control beyond intermittent Jordan retro colorways. Photographers spotted him wearing Adidas Ultra Boosts and Yeezy boots in public appearances during spring 2018. Behind the scenes, Adidas designers were developing a rollout campaign tentatively tied to his son’s name.
In May 2018, rival rapper Pusha T released the diss track “The Story of Adidon.” The lyrics publicly mentioned the artist’s young son Adonis and mocked the pending Adidas press run. During a December 2020 interview on Drink Champs, Pharrell Williams confirmed that the 2018 Adidas negotiations had been real. After those talks collapsed, the artist renegotiated a comprehensive sub-label contract with the Swoosh.
How Did the 2020 NOCTA Sub-Label Expand the Partnership?
The renegotiated contract culminated in December 2020 with the launch of NOCTA, a dedicated signature sub-brand. The name references the artist’s nocturnal creative process in the recording studio. According to the official Nike News NOCTA announcement, the label builds functional uniform apparel and technical footwear for “people on the move.” Early 2020 and 2021 apparel capsules featured goose-down puffer jackets, fleece tracksuits, and tactical vests.
Footwear under the sub-label debuted in March 2022 with the NOCTA Hot Step Air Terra ($180 retail). It blended 1990s turf-trainer panels with exposed heel Air and G-Tek traction. Later in 2022, the artist debuted the Drake Air Force 1 Certified Lover Boy (“Love You Forever,” $160 retail). He also wore courtside samples of the NOCTA Glide ($160 retail), inspired by the 1995 Air Zoom Flight 95.
How Do CLB Air Force 1 and OVO Resale Prices Compare After Fees?
Secondary market valuations divide the catalog into high-ceiling OVO Jordan retros and higher-volume NOCTA lifestyle releases. Because the 2016 OVO Jordan 12 White dropped in tight boutique quantities at $225 retail, pairs trade near $1,000. That figure represents a 344% gross markup over retail MSRP. Conversely, the 2022 NOCTA Certified Lover Boy low-top updated classic Air Force 1 history at $160 retail and trades near $220.
Scarcity separates the two eras: 2016 OVO Jordans act as $1,000+ trophy retros, whereas 2022 NOCTA releases operate as $160 to $180 daily street uniforms.
Sellers listing either era on secondary exchanges must deduct platform commissions to find their true net payout. According to GOAT seller fee schedules, accounts in good standing pay a 9.5% base commission. Sellers also pay a regional seller fee and a 2.9% cash-out fee. Selling a $1,000 OVO Jordan 12 deducts $95 in base commission, leaving roughly $878 net after cash-out fees.
| Collaboration Model | Original Retail MSRP | Average Resale Price | Net Payout After 9.5% GOAT Base Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 OVO Air Jordan 12 White | $225 | $1,000 | $905.00 (before $5+ seller/cash-out fee) |
| 2018 OVO Air Jordan 8 White | $225 | $420 | $380.10 (before seller/cash-out fee) |
| 2022 NOCTA Hot Step Air Terra | $180 | $230 | $208.15 (before seller/cash-out fee) |
| 2022 NOCTA AF1 Low CLB White | $160 | $220 | $199.10 (before seller/cash-out fee) |
How Can Collectors Secure Limited NOCTA and OVO Drops at Retail?
Acquiring new NOCTA capsules at their $160 to $180 retail prices requires monitoring staggered two-day launch windows. Capsules typically drop first at midnight Eastern on the Shopify-powered NOCTA.com webstore. Wider stock then launches 24 to 48 hours later via 10-minute draws on SNKRS. Because both release channels sell out of popular colorways within minutes, buyers prepare both Shopify and SNKRS workflows.
Collectors who follow a structured sneaker bot setup guide configure low-latency residential proxies and separate billing profiles before midnight drops. Running multi-module automation software lets buyers target NOCTA.com Shopify queues and morning SNKRS draws from one dashboard. Pre-testing proxy pools prevents unexpected queue bans during midnight capsule drops. Users comparing established checkout platforms regularly evaluate Valor AIO, Cybersole, Stellar AIO, and NikeShoeBot across both release channels.
What Changes Did the Certified Lover Boy Low-Top Make to the Standard 1982 Mold?
The 2022 Certified Lover Boy edition replaced standard pebbled leather with upgraded tumbled calfskin. It also swapped the traditional “AIR” midsole embossing for cursive “Love You Forever” script, replaced the outsole stars with miniature molded hearts, and included blue alphabet lace beads.
How Does the NOCTA Glide Differ from the 1995 Air Zoom Flight 95?
The NOCTA Glide retains the four sculpted carbon-look “bug-eye” midsole pods from Jason Kidd’s 1995 basketball shoe. However, it adds a breathable mesh upper with woven textile overlays, G-Tek outsole traction pods, custom “NIKE” eyelet lettering, and metallic lace dubraes.
