A lot of people choose their basketball shoes by brand. When talking about performance kicks, you will often hear things like “I’m a Nike person” or “I only rock J’s”, and even when there are better performance options out there, people will still stick to their brand.
In this sense, there’s still a lot of brand loyalty when it comes to basketball shoes. If a certain brand has served you well in the past, there’s a high probability that you will stick to that brand when choosing a sneaker to play in. Hell, I’ve even seen players who refuse to play with socks from a different brand than their sneakers.
And it is logical in a sense. Brands have proprietary features that might be similar to another brand, but they will never be exactly the same. Bounce (Adidas) might be similar to React (Nike) in some cases, but if Bounce is your favorite cushioning system, adidas is the only place you will find it.
And then there are the sizing issues. Brands use different lasts when building their shoes so no two brands will fit the same. When you find a brand that fits your foot perfectly, there is a large chance you are going to stick with that brand. This is even more of an issue if you have flat feet or wide feet.
Whatever the case may be, if you’re looking for the best basketball shoe of a particular brand, you are in the right place. We test hundreds of pairs each year from all types of brands, from the big players all the way down to boutique brands. So, with all this being said, let’s get to all the best basketball shoes by brand that are currently available:
Best Basketball Shoes By Brand Show
Last update 10.09.2024
Best Basketball Shoes By Brand
Nike
Nike LeBron 21
The Nike LeBron 21 promises to be a beast on court. It can be described as a remix of the Nike LeBron 20, and that shoe was amazing. Barring any unfortunate surprises, this will be one of the top models this year, one of the most versatile, and one of the most comfortable on court, as well as an attainable Kobe substitute. If Nike had been able to innovate a bit more, to push the envelope in terms of design, then we might have had an all-time great on our hands, but that’s a lot to ask for. And in all fairness, there’s little to complain about in the Nike LeBron 21. Read the full review. Price: $200
Jordan Brand
Jordan 38
This year’s Jordan Flagship model is a beast and a big improvement on the Jordan 37. The Jordan 38 is lightweight and nimble, with tons of ventilation, a great no-nonsense traction setup (which in this colorway is etched into a translucent rubber sole), and a very well-balanced layered cushioning system. This cushioning system combines a Phylon midsole, a full-length Zoom Air Strobel, and a slab of Cushlon 3.0 nestled between the outsole and the midsole. The shoe retails for $200 which is steep but the Jordan 38 will be one of the best shoes of the year. Price: $200. Read the full review.
Way of Wade
Way of Wade 11
The Way of Wade 11 is another impressive flagship model from Way of Wade and an improvement on an already great model in the Way of Wade 10. With the Way of Wade 11 you’ll be getting reliable traction with a unique, story-driven outsole design that promises to excel indoors. You’ll also get exceptional responsiveness and stability from the full-length Boom midsole and EVA foot frame carrier and a much-improved material setup. Stability and lockdown should also be great and that “customized” carbon fiber shank plate will be elite. This is the best-looking and feeling Way of Wade model to date. Read full review. Price: $225
Puma
Puma Stewie 2
The Puma Stewie 2 is Bianna Stewarts’ second signature, and simply put it is just a great all-around performance model (possibly the best of the 2023/24 sneaker season). The shoe boasts excellent indoor traction, a very well-balanced and bouncy cushioning system, and a very secure and natural falling build, making it easily Puma’s best-performance model right now. KEEP IN MIND that in the US the Stewie 2 comes in woman’s sizes, so if you want the correct men’s size you will need to go 1.5 sizes up (ie: 12M = 13.5W). Read the full review. Price: $125
Adidas
adidas AE 1
adidas has been having a bit of a resurgence in the performance basketball market. The Harden Vol 7 was fantastic, the Trae Young 3 was very solid, and now we have the AE 1, Anthony Edwards’ first signature shoe, and, it is a top-tier performance basketball shoe and one of the best first signature shoes we have ever seen. The AE 1 might end up being the best overall basketball shoe of 2024, but even if it doesn’t end up at that level, it’s an excellent basketball shoe and easily one of the best adidas basketball shoes you can buy. Read full review. Price $120.
Serious Player Only
Serious Player Only Player 1 Plus
The Player 1 was already a great hoop shoe and the Player 1 Plus takes things to another level. Everything has been refined and improved slightly in this version of the shoe: more versatile traction, better materials, and better fit. It’s just a better performance basketball shoe.
The biggest drawback of the Player 1 Plus is the price. $180 is, admittedly, steep. But you’re getting a ton of bang for your buck and really excellent traction. Read full review. Price: $180
New Balance
New Balance Fresh Foam BB V2
The New Balance Fresh Foam BB V2 just might be New Balance’s best basketball shoe to date. With this shoe, you’re getting elite traction that can handle outdoor play with ease, a thick plush cushioning system (that’s also ideal for outdoors), excellent materials and build, and this is completely subjective, one of the best-looking hoop shoes of the year. Read the full review.
Under Armour
Under Armour Curry 12
The Curry 12 is currently the best Curry basketball shoe hands down. With this shoe, you are getting everything you have come to know and love from Curry’s signature shoes with better cushioning and better traction. Under Armour was able to achieve this impressive result by paying attention to the actual science that goes into designing performance footwear and making a small adjustment.
But the story doesn’t end there. This small but critical change also makes this shoe accessible to a much wider audience than any other Curry of the past, as this shoe will suit the on-court requirements of a wider range of hoopers. Read the full review. Price: $140
Anta
Anta Kai 1
This is the ultimate Kyrie shoe. They are secure, agile, quick, and bouncy. This is a wonderful first signature for Kyrie with Anta, and, considering that they retail for just $125, they’re easily one of the best bang-for-your-buck performance models of the year. They take a bit to break in, and ventilation is an issue, but in general, these are great. These look good, play good, and are affordable. What else could you ask for. Read the full review. Price $125.
361º AG 4
361º AG 4
The 361 AG 4 has the potential to be one of the best hoop shoes of the year. If we get a version of the 361 AG 4 with improved torsional support and a price tag no higher than $115, it would be one of the best shoes of the year, and most likely, one of the biggest bangs for your buck. Read the full review. Price: $98
Li-Ning
Li-Ning Speed 8 Premium
The Li-Ning Speed 8 is Fred Van Vleet’s signature shoe with Li-Ning, and a great, guard-specific basketball shoe. Withe the Speed 8 you get excellent traction, and a nice reactive cushioning set-up. This is a great option if you are looking to try a neew brand of hoop shoes and you are looking for a guard specific shoe. Read full review. Price: $135
Brandblack
Brandblack Rare Metal 2
The Brandblack Rare Metal 2 is a deceptively great performance basketball shoe. It is very lightweight and very low cut but at the same time, it’s surprisingly supportive. The cushion is similarly deceptive and way more comfortable than you’d expect.
The shoe does take some time to break in, so take that into account, but when it does, you have a great on-court performer on your hands. The Rare Metal 2 also gets extra points for the unique design. Read full review. Price: $250
Converse
Converse All Star BB Trilliant CX
The All-Star Trilliant CX was a complete surprise. Some people may say it plays like a “Kobe” only because it’s a low-top, but this is a completely different animal. It really caters to players who play at a steady pace but can go quickly at a millisecond’s notice – just like Shai Gilgeous Alexander does. For its price range – for those that like court feel, sufficient ample feedback, and like smooth transitions – this is an absolute budget steal. Read full review. Price $120.
AND 1
AND1 Attack 3.0
The Attack 3.0 is a very nice, and very comfortable hoop shoe. Traction and cushioning are clearly the highlights of this model. If you’re a younger hooper looking for a great shoe from a different brand this is a great pick. Or if you are a long-time fan as we are, wondering if these pack a performance punch, rest assured that they do. A great performance model that is all around very comfortable. Read the full review. Price: $129
K8IROS (Spencer Dinwiddie Brand)
K8IROS Mark II
Overall, the K8IROS Mark II was a pleasant surprise. We weren’t expecting much from such a young and independent brand, but it turns out the shoe is solid in every area and pretty beastly. It’s very reminiscent of another great shoe, the Dame 2, but better.
The cushion is solid. Traction is really solid. The fit might be a bit weird for some with the whole size-only offerings. And support is solid as well. Read the full review. Price: $130
Crossover Culture
Crossover Culture Menace
The Crossover Culture Menace is one of the year’s biggest sleepers, and probably the best shoe from a brand you didn’t know. The traction on this shoe is awesome and the materials are also great. The upper combines quality leather and a synthetic rip stop, proving that these two types of materials can coexist and offer top-notch performance. The cushion is foam-based and it’s more on the responsive side, so if you like that type of setup, you will love these. Read the full review. Price: $52.98 $115
