Things have been heating up lately in the skate world after Lord Williams, formerly known as Stevie Williams, called out Nike SB and Eric Koston for allegedly stealing his slogan “Run, Skate, Chill” and biting his style.
Plenty of skaters have come out to support Lord Williams, including skater rapper Rainz Cash, who’s been vocal about backing the DGK boss.
But now, one of the original legends has spoken up and he’s not siding with Lord Williams.
Henry Sanchez, a pioneer of technical street skating in the early 90s and one of the most respected names in the game, stepped in with a clear message.
“The Nike SB Air Max 95 is Koston's shoe. Stop hating,” Sanchez said.
He didn’t stop there. Sanchez also pointed out that other skaters like Lavar McBride and Spencer Fujimoto were wearing that style back in the day too, but made it clear that Koston made the shoe his own.
According to Sanchez, the claim that Nike and Koston are biting from Lord Williams is off base.
To give more context, Sanchez compared the situation to what’s happening in women’s basketball right now, mentioning the rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
It’s not just about the actual moves being made, but who’s getting the spotlight and how people choose to frame the narrative.
Sanchez’s comment carries weight because he was around when this all went down the first time. He saw who was wearing what and who was setting the tone. This isn’t just a hot take from the sidelines.
It’s someone who helped shape the very culture being debated.
It’s not about discrediting Lord Williams or downplaying his impact. The former AYC head honcho changed the game in major ways, built a brand, opened doors, and deserves respect for everything he’s done.
But Sanchez ain't playing around and the credit has to go both ways. And in his view, Koston earned the connection to that shoe long before this new argument ever surfaced.