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Ahead of Gilas’ upcoming FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers window, Adidas reveals an Anthony Edwards sneaker colorway that pays homage to the Philippines.
Being a country where basketball is pretty much a religion, the Philippines’ love for the sport has long been recognized. Over the years, this recognition has led to artistic collaborations, with performance sneakers acting as a canvas.
For this year, we’re getting a new addition to that list, with Adidas Philippines unveiling the “Magpakitang Gilas” colorway of Anthony Edwards’ AE 2 signature model.
“Built by tradition, molded by hoops. From barangay courts to packed leagues, lace up in the Anthony Edwards 2 “’Magpakitang Gilas‘ and show your pride,” Adidas’ announcement read.
The Philippines-inspired colorway comes in a blue base, with red accents complementing the silhouette — a clear reference to the country’s flag. The collar and outsole meanwhile, features a blue-to-white gradient, while the tongue area features what seems to be yellow stitching.
Edwards’ logo has also been replaced by a unique insignia inspired by the flag’s three stars and sun, while the mesh sides have been updated to include a unique woven pattern.
Part of a Growing List
As mentioned, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Philippine-inspired sneaker colorway. Within adidas alone, local artist Juanito “Quiccs” Maiquez cooked up the Manila Heritage Harden Vol. 5s in 2021, before teaming up with Kevin Quiambao to release the neon-themed “KQ63” last year. Jalen Green, meanwhile, was also given a Philippine flag-inspired colorway of the Adidas BYW in 2023.
Throughout the 2026 NBA Playoffs, San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper rocked a special pair of Nike GT Cuts in collaboration with basketball specialty store Titan. “Daybreak”, one of three designs from that partnership, is inspired by a sunrise over his mother’s native province of Bataan.
Local artist Chi Loyzaga-Gibbs in 2022 paid tribute to her grandfather, Caloy Loyzaga, through an Air Jordan 2 design also in collaboration with Titan. If we’ll go back to 2014, then we have Kobe Bryant’s tsinelas-inspired Kobe 9 EMs that recently received the Protro treatment last year.
Now, which basketball shoe will be next to receive a Philippines-inspired design?
Banner images from Adidas on Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Adidas AE 2 ‘Magpakitang Gilas’ is a Philippines-inspired colorway of Anthony Edwards’ second signature shoe, released by Adidas Philippines. It features a blue base with red accents, a blue-to-white gradient, and a flag-inspired insignia replacing Edwards’ standard logo.
“Magpakitang Gilas” is a Filipino phrase meaning to show skill, swiftness, or brilliance — a call to demonstrate athletic excellence. The phrase is commonly associated with Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippine national basketball team.
Previous Philippine-inspired basketball sneakers include the Adidas Harden Vol. 5 by artist Quiccs (2021), the Adidas BYW Jalen Green colorway (2023), the Nike GT Cut “Daybreak” by Dylan Harper x Titan, and the Air Jordan 2 tribute by Chi Loyzaga-Gibbs in collaboration with Titan (2022).
Gilas Pilipinas is set to compete in an upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers window, the event that the Adidas AE 2 ‘Magpakitang Gilas’ colorway was announced ahead of. Specific dates are subject to the official FIBA schedule.
Anthony Edwards is an NBA player for the Minnesota Timberwolves and an Adidas signature athlete. The AE 2 is his second signature model. Adidas Philippines selected the AE 2 silhouette for the ‘Magpakitang Gilas’ colorway to coincide with Gilas Pilipinas’ FIBA Qualifiers campaign.