Basketball shoes and tennis shoes are both specialized athletic shoes. Basketball shoes are designed to give players support when running up and down the court. Players need to start and stop, jump quickly and accelerate. Tennis shoes must protect a players feet and ankles and provide stability so players don't roll their ankles.
Function
Basketball shoes need to help players start, stop and accelerate again as well as jump high in the air. Tennis shoes have to support players as they move from side-to-side on the court. Many of these side-to-side movements involve sliding in one direction or the other. To facilitate this sliding, the sole of the tennis shoes is relatively flat. The sole of the basketball shoe has grips that help players when they have to stop and then start up again.
Signficance
There is extra padding in tennis shoes, particularly toward the rear and sides of the shoe. Basketball shoes have extra support on the uppers that can help protect the foot if the player gets stepped on by another player.
Considerations
Basketball shoes are more functional than tennis shoes. You can wear them for a casual jog, to play a game of softball, soccer or touch football. Tennis shoes are not functional for any other sporting activity. They are built to allow the player to slide when he needs to and to go straight ahead or back. However, they don't have the soles to allow players to change directions with security.
Shock Absorbency
Tennis shoes are built to endure the shock of a player making sudden twists when he strikes the ball with a forehand, backhand or serve. They are quite durable and can last a long time. Basketball shoes are not as durable over the long term. Pro basketball players may wear a new pair of shoes every two or three games. Hall of Famer Michael Jordan changed shoes every game. In tennis, a player will wear the shoes that they are competing in until they wear out.
Fashion
If you want to make a fashion statement, look toward basketball shoes. The Air Jordan shoes produced by Nike have been a major fashion statement since the 1980s. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James also have shoes that have become popular daily footwear. While tennis shoes can be comfortable, they have not made the impact on the fashion world that basketball shoes make.
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