Basketball sneakers went from ubiquitous equipment to multibillion dollar industry during the 20th century. Shoe companies drove the market through player endorsements, but it was technological developments that advanced the shoe into the spotlight as an integral piece of the game.
Original Sneaker
The original sneakers were made for tennis, not basketball. Converse, a Massachusetts-based company, made its first tennis shoes 1912 and introduced its first basketball shoe, the All-Star, in 1917. Charles Taylor signed the first basketball endorsement deal in 1921, giving birth to the Chuck Taylor All-Star sneaker. Its original construction is not much different than its 2010 counterpart -- a canvas upper with a rubber sole.
Air
Nike changed the game with the 1982 release of the Air Force I. This was the first sneaker to encase an air pillow in the heel. A 2007 article in "The New York Times" celebrating the sneaker's silver anniversary described it as "a revolutionary technological innovation," stating that it was an immediate winner among basketball players and one of the first high-cost sneakers at $89.95. While players knew that air was in their sole, historical site Sneaker Files writes that it was not until the 1987-88 release of the Air Jordan III that the pocket was made visible in the sole.
Pump
Reebok's 1989 Pump took the air concept to a participatory level. Rather than include an air bladder in the sole, players could use a button on the top of the shoe's tongue to inflate cushions in the sneaker. According to Hoops Vibe, a basketball culture website, the company sold 20 million pairs of the Pump at a price tag of $170 each. The Pump faded away for more than 25 years, reappearing in the company's 2005 Above the Rim Pump model with an ankle-mounted pump.
Memory Foam
Much like mattresses and pillows, synthetic foam has found its way into shoe soles. Nike first used its Foamposite material in 1997, when according to Kicks On Fire, it was endorsed by former NBA player Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. The shoe made it back to market in fall 2010.
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