Top 10 Most Important Basketball Sneakers in NBA History

If there is one basketball shoe that represents the 21st century, it would definitely be the Nike Hyperdunk. Released in 2008, the model was the first basketball shoe to use the new Flywire and Lunar Foam technologies. It was also one of the lightest basketball shoes on the market, weighing under 400 grams (or 13 ounces). The shoes were designed by Eric Avar, with the model based on the famous Nike Mag from the movie “Back To The Future 2”.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the model was the official shoe for athletes represented by Nike Basketball. Even though the model was worn by dozens of players during the prestigious event, the Nike Hyperdunk was popularized by Kobe Bryant together with the rest of the Team USA national squad (a generation that also carries the nickname “The Redeem Team”). As shown in the documentary of the same name, the team would not have won without Kobe Bryant, who secured the victory for the national team while wearing the Nike Hyperdunk.

Currently, Nike no longer produces the Hyperdunk model. The last Nike Hyperdunk color schemes were released in 2017. Virgil Abloh also collaborated on an Off-White x Nike Hyperdunk. There were rumors that Nike might start producing the model again. However, the brand has not confirmed these rumors. If you want to buy a pair, we recommend looking on the secondary market, on resell platforms such as StockX or GOAT.

The famous Superstar is one of the oldest sports shoe models still in production today, more than 50 years after its debut. The Adidas Superstar has been manufactured by Adidas since 1969, as the successor to the Supergrip model. At that time, the most popular basketball sneakers were made by Converse. In the early ’70s, many professional basketball players were wearing the Adidas Superstar – players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Irvine, and Rick Barry.

The model reached Europe (more precisely, Germany) much later, even though it was produced by a European brand. More specifically, the basketball shoes were only introduced to the European market in 1972. In the late ’70s, the model was adapted for the American market. The result was the Adidas Superstar 80s Shelltoe. The model’s popularity skyrocketed once the group Run DMC released the famous rap track “My Adidas”. Unfortunately, in 2002 Jam Master Jay (the group’s DJ) passed away. Adidas launched the Adidas JMJ Ultrastar in his honor. After the model sold out, Adidas donated all the profits to the artist’s foundation.

Throughout the ’90s, the silhouette also became very popular for skateboarding. Athletes such as Kareem Campbell, Keith Hufnagel (founder of the HUF brand), and Carlos Kenner wore the Adidas Superstar. During the 2000s, the brand collaborated with many artists on this legendary silhouette. Brands and retailers such as Nigo, BAPE, Pharrell Williams, Undefeated, Neighborhood, and many others had the chance to write new chapters in the model’s long history.

Today, no one wears this model on the basketball court anymore. However, the Adidas Superstar still ranks among the brand’s best-selling models. It shares the top of the sales charts with the legendary Stan Smith tennis shoe and the classic Samba.

In the late ’90s, many professional players had contracts with footwear brands, but very few of them had their own signature shoe. Released in 1996, the Reebok Question was Allen Iverson’s first signature basketball sneaker. Coming straight out of college from the Georgetown Hoyas, the athlete had his own signature sneaker at just 21 years old.

His debut in the footwear industry would go on to change the trajectory of the company that had bet on him. In his rookie season, he wore the pair during the famous crossover against Michael Jordan. The moment went down in professional basketball history, and the popularity of both Allen Iverson and his basketball shoes grew almost instantly.

Today, the Reebok Question is the brand’s best-selling basketball sneaker. The company has produced hundreds of different colors so far, releasing new colorways every year. The model is available at Reebok Basketball partner stores as well as on the Reebok website. If you are looking for Reebok sneakers, check out the list of all sneaker stores in Romania.

Released in 2009, Kobe Bryant’s fourth Nike signature model was set to be the most technologically advanced product to date. At the same time, the pair was not as high as the previous models. The Kobe 4 uses Zoom Air, Lunar Foam and Flywire technology.

Kobe Bryant wore the Nike Kobe 4 throughout the 2009 season. The basketball footwear industry changed after that season, realizing that lower-cut shoes can perform just as well on the court if they are designed correctly.

Today, the Nike Kobe 4 is considered one of the most popular Kobe Bryant models. Nike occasionally releases limited anniversary editions and new "color schemes", but all of them are produced in limited quantities. Most of the time, releases sell out within minutes and reach resell prices on the secondary market. See all the Nike Kobe 4 Protro models released recently.

Also known as the model that saved the Air Jordan brand and Nike’s overall direction, the Air Jordan 3 was released in 1989, during Michael Jordan’s third NBA season. The pair was designed by Tinker Hatfield, using the famous “Elephant Print” for the first time.

Michael Jordan’s first signature model was a guaranteed success, but the second model was not as popular. On top of that, during his second season the athlete injured his left foot in a game (while wearing the Air Jordan 1), forcing him to miss 64 games. Jordan was unhappy with his relationship with Nike and was considering signing with Adidas when his contract expired. Tinker Hatfield’s design convinced him to stay with Nike, cementing the Jordan brand.

The Air Jordan 3 is the first sneaker to use the Jumpman logo. The pair was originally supposed to feature a Nike Swoosh logo on the side, but Tinker Hatfield dropped the idea at the last moment. According to an ESPN interview, he added the Nike Air logo on the heel to satisfy the marketing department, knowing they would not be happy about the missing Swoosh logo.

Today, the Air Jordan 3 is one of the most popular Jordan models. The brand releases new color schemes every season, as well as original colorways. The model is also frequently used for collaborations with artists such as A Ma Maniere, J Balvin, and many others.

The oldest shoe on this list is the famous Converse Chuck Taylor, a model originally released in 1917 (and later in 1922 in the All-Star version). The model enjoyed several decades of popularity, dominating the footwear industry between 1960 and 1980.

The version we know today appeared in 1922, when Chuck Taylor asked the company to produce a more flexible shoe that offered him more support. Chuck was working as a salesman for the company and was also a semi-professional basketball player. The brand complied and implemented the requested changes, also adding the athlete’s signature on a circular patch at the ankle. This is how the model received the name Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star.

By 1960, the company already controlled almost 80% of the footwear market, but the shoe’s popularity declined during the ’70s. At the beginning of 1980, the model had one last moment in the spotlight, returning to the basketball court in a retro version.

Today, the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star is no longer worn on the basketball court. However, it is one of the most popular lifestyle models, produced in thousands of colors and materials. The pair remains the best-selling product of the Converse company.

After two years of research and development (and a collaboration with Daewoo), Nike finally managed to produce the Foamposite model in 1997. The model was designed by Eric Avar for Scottie Pippen. Despite this, the shoe became famous on the court largely thanks to Penny Hardaway.

The first time Penny Hardaway saw the model, it was hidden in Eric Avar’s bag during a meeting with the Nike designer. When the athlete asked what that shoe was and the designer pulled it out of the bag, Penny immediately said he wanted to wear it. Even though the shoes were supposed to be worn by Scottie Pippen, neither of them was the first to lace them up. Mike Bibby beat them both to it, being the first to wear the new model.

Today, the pair is no longer seen on the basketball court. Nike Basketball occasionally releases limited edition Nike Foamposite pairs. The model is also used by the brand for collaborations with artists or special projects.

The Air Force 1 was the first shoe to use Nike Air technology. Designed by Bruce Kilgore and released in 1982, it is the predecessor of the Nike Dunk and Air Jordan 1. Together, these three models revolutionized the footwear industry. The brand’s popularity was driven by these three models, quickly becoming the most popular basketball sneaker brand.

When the shoe launched in 1982, Nike signed 6 NBA players to wear the new model. These 6 players were Moses Malone (from the Philadelphia 76ers), Michael Cooper (from the L.A. Lakers), Bobby Jones (from the Philadelphia 76ers), Calvin Natt (from the Portland Trail Blazers), Mychal Thompson (from the Portland Trail Blazers), and Jamal Wilkes (from the L.A. Lakers).

Throughout the 1980s, many professional players wore the Air Force 1 and helped Nike grow the model’s popularity. However, the pair was not an instant success. Just two years after its release, the brand wanted to stop producing this model. When fans heard they would no longer find the shoe in stores, they started buying every pair they could find. This behavior was especially visible on the East Coast, where the shoe was already very popular, ultimately saving the model.

Today, the Air Force 1 is one of Nike’s best-selling products. The brand releases hundreds of new colors and limited editions every year. The brand also frequently launches collaborations with artists on this model. Although the Air Force 1 is no longer seen on the basketball court, the company releases hundreds of new color schemes every year for all ages.

The story of Michael Jordan’s first signature model is quite complicated. The Air Jordan 1 made its market debut in 1985. At that time, Nike did not have a strong presence in basketball. Financially, the company had planned to sell 3 million dollars’ worth of Jordan products in the first 3 years. The brand actually recorded 126 million dollars in sales in the first year.

The Air Jordan 1 basketball shoes debuted with many of the features found on today’s Nike performance sneakers. They had a compressed air cushion, extra ankle support, and last but not least, a durable overlay in the toe area. The shoe was designed by Peter Moore. The same designer is also responsible for the famous Nike Dunk silhouette, which also appeared in 1985.

The first color scheme that comes to mind for fans is definitely the famous "Black and Red" colorway (nicknamed "Bred" or "Banned"). This colorway is known for the story from the beginning of Michael Jordan’s career. Apparently, the pair was banned by the NBA, because the rules stated that players had to wear basketball shoes in their team’s colors. The official colors of the Chicago Bulls were red and white.

In fact, the shoes were never actually banned by the NBA. In reality, Michael Jordan was fined 5,000 dollars for every game in which he wore them. The athlete continued to wear these colors during games. Nike paid the fine on the player’s behalf every time. The company used this opportunity to create one of the most important marketing campaigns in the sports industry. This marketing move propelled the brand, turning Jordan into a cultural icon.

The most important spot in this ranking is taken by the Air Jordan 11. Released in 1995, the model is considered the best basketball sneaker design in history.

Tinker Hatfield mentions that the model came very close to never being released. Michael Jordan was no longer playing basketball at that time, and his return to the NBA was not guaranteed. However, the designer continued to work on the new AJ11. His persistence was rewarded, because when the athlete returned to the NBA, Jordan immediately laced up the new model. The Chicago Bulls finished the season with 72 wins and 10 losses, and Jordan was named MVP.

Today, the Air Jordan 11 is a very important model for Nike. The company releases an anniversary pair every Winter, with total stock of over 1 million units. Usually, the color scheme released is an OG Colorway worn by Michael Jordan.