Basketball Shoe Reviews

WearTesters Basketball Shoe Reviews are in-depth assessments and performance reviews of basketball shoes in real-world conditions (here you can check out our testing methodology). We evaluate fit, cushion, materials, traction, support, durability, pricing, and overall value.

You can check out our list of the best basketball shoes if you are looking for the best of the best or our best budget basketball shoe list if you want to get the most bang for your buck.

That being said, these are top 5 performance basketball shoes right now are:

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, and in fact the best basketball shoe from last year. 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. Read the full review. Price: $200

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Nike KD 17

Now, is it worth upgrading from the KD 16 to the Nike KD 17? Not really. If you already have a pair of 16 that are still in good condition or you can find the KD 16 on clearance, that will give you more bang for your buck. But, if you want to rock the “latest and greatest” on court, the KD 17 will be a great performance model. Read the full review. Price: $160

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Nike GT Jump 2

It’s nice to see the changes Nike made in this shoe. They have taken everything that was great in the first model and tweaked it to make the GT Jump 2 that much better as a performance basketball shoe. It also makes the Nike GT Jump 2 a more accessible model for the majority of basketball players out there who need the added reactiveness and stability.

The Nike GT Jump is a great hoop shoe, but it’s better suited for larger, heavier players, and the GT Jump 2 feels like a more well-balanced shoe, that a wider audience will enjoy. Read the full review.

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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 which is a top-tier 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, if you can get your hands on a pair. Read full review.

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. Read the full review.

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We also have lists of :

• The best outdoor basketball shoes
• The best basketball shoes by brand
• The best basketball shoes for wide feet
• The best basketball shoes for players with flat feet
• The best low tops
• The best high tops
• The most comfortable basketball shoes
• The best basketball shoes for ankle support
• The best retro basketball shoes