Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 Is All Heart & No Chill!
The Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 collection is here, and every year, it gets better and more different. For 21 years, Nike has handed the design keys to young patients from OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, and every release since 2004 has told a story and celebrated resilience and imagination. Of course, the 2026 release isn’t any less interesting! So, let’s meet our heroes and check out their designs right now. We promise you that each pair is as interesting as its owner!
What Is Nike Doernbecher Freestyle?
The Nike Doernbecher Freestyle program marks more than two decades of empowering kids through design. Each year, six patients get the chance to create their own sneaker with Nike’s design team, and every pair tells a unique story! The sneakers reflect the passions, journeys, and personalities of the young designers. And each year, the kicks, with their matching apparel, are auctioned and sold! The best part of the whole thing is that all profits go to support Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and the families it serves. So, that’s definitely a collection for a cause!
The Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 Sneakers & Their Designers
Expect this entire collection, where the heat of creativity meets the heart of purpose, to hit Nike SNKRS and select retailers worldwide on January 17, 2026. Here’s a deep look at each sneaker in the Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 collection and the kids behind the design!
1) Air Jordan 17 by Zach Rumbaugh
Zach’s Air Jordan 17 is a mechanical lover’s dream. Inspired by his passion for bikes and cars, his AJ17 features automotive details like chrome-like elements and glow-in-the-dark outsoles that mimic engine heat. The number “38” on the lace tag represents the days he spent in the hospital after cardiac arrest, and a subtle heart symbol honors his journey. And not to be dramatic, but everyone is eyeing this pair!
Retail: $230
Avg. Resale: $653
2) Nike V2K Run by Khovny Vignery
Khovny’s V2K Run is playful and expressive. She infused her love of drawing, dancing, and snakes into a mismatched, colorful pair with glitter, glow-in-the-dark details, a detachable charm bracelet, and even mini stuffed-animal accessories. Obviously, those ornamental touches reflect her boundless energy and joyful personality.
Retail: $130
Avg. Resale: N/A
3) Nike Air Force 1 ’07 by Oli Fasone-Lancaster
Oli brought foodie vibes to the Air Force 1 with this design. The inspiration behind the colorway is his favorite foods and his dream of becoming a chef! You see, this pair features tiny vegetable and utensil graphics, olive branches on the Swoosh, and a rainbow outsole. The latter is a symbol of hope he used to draw during treatment. Customized patches and insole food graphics make this an unforgettable pair.
Retail: $120
Avg. Resale: $190
4) Nike Air Max DN8 by Raegan Scheid
Raegan’s Air Max DN8 celebrates her love of softball and her triumphant return to the field after open-heart surgery (D1 baby!) The pink upper includes softball-inspired details like softball stitching in the Air bubbles, beach-inspired midsole art, and her own heart logo on the tongue. Throw in meaningful keychains like her dog “Blue,” and the date she returned to play, and this pair becomes a storyboard!
Retail: $210
Avg. Resale: $270
5) Nike Vomero Plus by Molly Bell
Molly’s Vomero Plus is all about nature and calm. This outdoors-inspired design features Oregon’s camas flowers and forest-like patterns on the upper. Moreover, it has brown dirt-masking soles for exploring, and an included field journal to match her theme. It’s a pair that Molly built for wanderers and dreamers like her!
Retail: $165
Avg. Resale: N/A
6) Nike Air Max Plus by Sergio Cano Marquez
Last but not least, Sergio’s Air Max Plus is pure imagination with a mismatched color palette. Each shoe tells a different story: the black shoe celebrates nighttime gaming and art with controller-like graphics. Meanwhile, the white shoe shows monster lizards eating pizza in a vibrant skyline, a nod to his favorite things! Glow-in-the-dark outsoles and a pixel-style “S” on the tongue finish the creative expression in the coolest way.
Retail: $180
Avg. Resale: $399
Why This Collection Always Goes Crazy
There is a reason Nike Doernbecher Freestyle sells out every year. These are real kids telling real stories through sneaker, not your average general release. And that narrative alone is powerful enough to get us on board! Add standout aesthetics and collectible-level detail, and you have a sneakerhead event to keep an eye out for. Past collections have also grown in value on the resale market, making them desirable for collectors and investors alike. And let’s be real here, who doesn’t want unique pairs in their sneaker collection?
How to Cop Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21
This drop isn’t easy to win manually for serious collectors and resellers alike. And automation tools like TSB can give you the boost you need on drop day. Now, this is the kind of limited release where automation levels the playing field! Now, knowing that you don’t wanna miss out on these babies, you know that you need all the help you can get. So, if you’re ready to take your shopping game to the next level, you gotta get your TSB key stat! Who knows? This could be your first step into becoming a sneaker reseller. See you around fam!