When we talk about budget basketball shoes or cheap basketball shoes, a common misconception is that they are worse on-court performers than their signature or flagship counterparts. But even though brands need to reduce costs to make their basketball shoes cheaper, therefore packing less valuable tech and materials into these types of shoes, there are still excellent performance basketball shoes among them.
Best Budget Basketball Shoes Show
Why are these the best budget basketball shoes of 2025?
Admittedly, when we are talking about cheap hoop shoes, things get a little more hit or miss, but there are still plenty of great basketball shoes out there in this category. In fact, we see budget basketball shoes make our overall best basketball shoes list all the time, you just have to do a little more digging. Fortunately, here at Weartesters we test hundreds of basketball shoes every year on court, so all the hard work is already done and all that is left is to find the best cheap basketball shoe for you.
Here you will find the best budget basketball shoes currently on the market, but we also have lists of the best value basketball shoes and the best basketball shoe deals.
Last updated 04.16.2025
Best Budget Basketball Shoes Overall
361 DVD 3
The 361 DVD 3 is a super solid performance mode that offers one of the more unique rides on-court you can experience in 2025. If you’re looking for an affordable, high-performance basketball shoe that checks almost every box, this model should be on your short list, especially for indoor hoopers. From a pure value-for-performance standpoint, the DVD 3 punches way above its weight. Read full review. Price: $120
Nike Giannis Immortality 4
The Nike Giannis Immortality 4 is a very solid shoe in general, and it is all the more attractive considering that it retails for just $85 — which is as inexpensive as it gets for a modern hoop shoe. Traction is great and pretty durable outdoors, cushioning is solid, and lockdown is excellent. The biggest drawbacks of the Immortality 4 are the cheap materials and the fact that it is so similar to the Immortality 3. Read the full review. Price $85.
Nike GT Cut Academy
The Nike GT Cut Academy is a very solid budget option from Nike. It’s nothing like the flagship model it emulates, the Nike GT Cut 3, but it’s a very decent basketball shoe nonetheless. If you consider its price it might even be a better performance model than the GT Cut 3. What you are going to get with the GT Cut Academy is a guard-style shoe with great grippy traction, a very well-balanced cushioning system, and a basic but effective all-around build. Read the full review. Price: $95
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Jordan Heir
The Nike Giannis Immortality 4 is a very solid shoe in general, and it is all the more attractive considering that it retails for just $85 — which is as inexpensive as it gets for a modern hoop shoe. Traction is great and pretty durable outdoors, cushioning is solid, and lockdown is excellent. The biggest drawbacks of the Immortality 4 are the cheap materials and the fact that it is so similar to the Immortality 3. Read the full review. Price $85.
Nike LeBron Witness 8
he Nike LeBron Witness 8 is a big improvement on the Witness 7. It’s a much more low-to-the-ground, responsive, and secure feeling shoe on court thanks to the improved containment and the switch in the cushioning system. As far as budget shoes go it’s one of the more solid options, but also one of the more expensive ones. Read full review. Price $110.
Nike Member Exclusive: sign in and use code EXTRA25 for an extra 25% off.
Shaq Raq
This shoe retails for just $45. 45$!! Overall, the Shaq Raq is an impressive basketball shoe for its price. It offers solid traction, comfortable cushioning, durable materials, and adequate support. While it lacks some of the high-tech features found in more expensive models, it performs well for players who need an affordable, functional option.
The shoe is particularly well-suited for outdoor play due to its durable outsole, but it also performs adequately on indoor courts. The combination of EVA cushioning and durable materials ensures that the shoe can handle the rigors of basketball without wearing down quickly, even in tougher conditions. For players on a budget or those who need a reliable backup pair of shoes, the Shaq Raq is an excellent option. Read full review. Price $45.
Converse All-Star BB Trilliant CX
Converse has been a low-key sleeper in terms of basketball performance ever since their acquisition from the Swoosh. This doesn’t mean they are out of the game, they’re just finding their way. With its lone All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander budding and blooming, it’s safe to say the brand is in good hands with the League Fits legend. 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. The $120 price point is decent for smooth-riding shoes. Read the full review. Price $130.
Way of Wade Flash
The Wade Flash should be a solid on-court performer. This model doesn’t feature anything groundbreaking, or particularly exciting, but everything it does feature will work well on court, especially for smaller and more nimble hoopers. There’s also the very reasonable price tag of $99. At that price point, this model becomes all the more attractive and offers a good amount of bang for your buck. If you’re looking for a good, low-profile, and reactive budget basketball shoe that can handle outdoor play, this will be a great option. Read the full review. Price: $99
Puma Scoot Zero
The Puma Scoot Zero is just a solid basketball shoe with no bells or whistles. This is slightly disappointing if you are looking at the Scoot Zero as the “first signature shoe for an exciting new NBA prospect”. If we look at these shoes as one of Puma’s budget basketball shoes for the 2023-24 season, then they’re much more impressive. Either way, the Scoot Zero promises to be a dependable on-court performance basketball shoe and a good start to what will hopefully be another great signature line to keep an eye on. Read full review. Price $100.
adidas Dame Certified
The adidas Dame Certified is Damian Lillard’s budget model for the year, a very solid performance basketball shoe overall. The Dame Certified features full-length Bounce cushioning which is on the reactive side, great durable traction, and a highly functional upper built with nice cheap layered materials. All of this for just $100, making this a great budget basketball shoe from adidas. Read the full review. Price: $95
Best Budget Basketball Shoes for Outdoors
Way of Wade Flash
The Wade Flash should be a solid on-court performer and it is designed to work well outdoors. Read the full review. Price: $99
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