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.
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.
To that end, we have made several lists to help you find the best affordable basketball shoes out there that fit your playing style. 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. Here we will be looking at shoes that were released as budget basketball shoes, in our value list you may find more expensive models that offer a ton of bang for your buck, and on our deals page, you can find great shoes that are now on sale. you can also check out Weartesters en Español Top Picks here.
Last updated 07.24.2024
Best Budget Basketball Shoes Show
Best Budget Basketball Shoes 2024 Overall
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is the best budget basketball shoe on the market today. The cushion provides the biggest bang for your buck. They’re incredibly soft and comfortable for what is most likely Phylon. Add that to a soft upper that needs no break-in time and you have a great-feeling shoe. Support is terrific with two outriggers and the fit is wide-foot friendly. There’s no other shoe under $100 that performs this well, this consistently. If you enjoyed the Nike Air Max Impact 3, you will love this model. The best cheap basketball shoe hands down. Read the full review. Price: $90
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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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Nike Giannis Immortality 3
In a world where signature basketball shoes will run you no less than $160, and can’t even be used outdoors, it’s refreshing to see a shoe like the Immortality 3. This is a very solid performance basketball shoe, that will hold up well outdoors for just $90. Now, there is nothing I would call elite on the Giannis Immortality 3 but it is a very versatile and well-rounded basketball shoe indeed. Read full review. Price $90.
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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
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.
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Nike Precision 6
The Nike Precision 6 is another budget model that isn’t too popular but performs pretty well for its price point. The Phylon used here is decent. It isn’t anything crazy, but it should get the job done, especially outdoors. The real highlight of the shoe is the traction. The bite was really good and Nike did a great job of not messing up the herringbone and used the right rubber compound. The Precision 6 for sure isn’t going to blow you away, but it’s a decent option. Read the full review. Price: $75
Nike Renew Elevate 3
The Nike Renew Elevate 3 made some aesthetic improvements from the previous model. The cushion is Nike’s takedown version of React called Renew. The implementation is different here because the main Renew foam is only 3/4 length, thickest in the heel, and the rest of the midsole is regular EVA. As far as fit is concerned, we advise that you try this in-store in both your true size and half a size down. Fit is critical in getting the proper support. Price: $80
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 2024 for Outdoors
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is again our top pick, even for playing outdoors. The cushion setup is the main reason. The cushy set-up will keep you playing pain-free outdoors for hours.
The upper is soft but resilient, and the shoe’s outsoles grip well and will withstand the rigors of outdoor play. On top of that, the support is great so it is a no-brainer pick for the top budget outdoor shoe available. Read the full review. Price: $90
Nike Giannis Immortality 3
The Immortality 3 makes another appearance on our list. As we mentioned it it a solid performance model that will hold up well to the rigors of outdoor play. Read full review. Price $90.
Thinking of a shoe we should add to the best budget basketball shoes list? Comment below or message us on Instagram or Twitter.
