Whether you play basketball recreationally with friends or you're on a competitive team, you know the importance of having the right shoes to help improve your game. Choosing your basketball shoes from among the most popular shoe brands helps to ensure that you get a quality shoe. Many of the top brands use professional basketball players to help them design and promote a basketball shoe. While a new pair may not help you play like your basketball idol, knowing what brand you like the best can help you feel comfortable in your new kicks.
Nike
Nike is a top shoe brand, reporting over $19 billion in sales for 2010 according to the Nike online portfolio, but it wasn't always as successful. In 1984, a struggling Nike contracted Michael Jordan to help design and endorse a new shoe for the company. Jordan's deal cost Nike $2.5 million plus royalties, but the bright red and black shoes were a success on the court. In 2001, Nike released the Shox line which promised to help cushion the impact from running and jumping on the court. Shox became one of Nike's bestselling shoes.
Reebok
Reebok shoes were traditionally worn for tennis and running until 1989, when Reebok introduced the pump shoe as part of its line. The basketball-shaped dome on the tongue of the shoe could be compressed on order to create a snugger fit around the ankle. Today, Reebok relies on big-name endorsement deals with players like Allen Iverson and Yao Ming to bolster a brand that has experienced a decrease in sales to the tune of 17 percent since 2005, according to Reuters.com. Duke player John Wall signed a $25 million deal with Reebok in 2010 before he was drafted by the Washington Wizards. Wall endorsed the brand's new Reebok ZigTech Slash technology, notes "Dime" magazine, meant to combat the high sales of Nike Shox.
Adidas
Adidas shoes are usually associated with the game of soccer, but when Kobe Bryant signed with the shoe giant and endorsed his first shoe, the KB8, it launched Adidas back onto the basketball court, notes the Bleacher Report. The KB8 is one of the few high top sneakers that Adidas actively sold and marketed toward basketball players. In general, Adidas offers shoes that are ideal for speed players who require a light shoe. Most Adidas basketball shoes are a low to mid-rise top.
Converse
You can't talk about basketball shoes without mentioning Chuck Taylors. The Kicks Guide website notes that over 500 million pairs of the canvas-topped, rubber-soled shoe have been sold worldwide, and up until 1960, they were the shoe most used to play the game of basketball. While you likely won't see a professional basketball player wearing Chucks on the court today, Converse still offers a line of classic high top sneakers for athletic game play. Best for power players, they offer ample ankle support.
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