Who has the best shoes in the NBA? Ranking the freshest kicks in the NBA
Do basketball shoes make you play better? Sneakers are part of the essential tools of the trade since basketball players need them to run, stop, start and jump throughout a game. In addition, the players with the best shoes in the NBA gain significant popularity from fans and deals from sports apparel companies may come calling.
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So, who has the best basketball shoes in the NBA? Join us as we rank the NBA players with the freshest kicks.
It is obvious that the kicks you wear in basketball matter. Sports apparel companies such as Adidas, New Balance, Puma and Nike understand that basketball is a high-intensity game with explosive movements such as dunks. In addition, basketball shoes can negatively affect a player's performance if factors such as flexibility, stability, safety, ankle support, cushioning, traction and comfort are not considered.
The best NBA signature kicks in 2022
So, what shoes do most NBA players wear? What are some of the most common NBA shoes? According to Kixstats, NBA players' favourite shoes in the 2021-22 season include the Nike's Kobe 6, Kobe V, Air Zoom G.T Cut, PG 5, Kyrie 7, KD 14, Kyrie Low 4, Air Jordan 36, Zoom Freak 3, and Adidas' Dame 7 Extply.
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The 2021-22 season has seen the entry of new signature kicks by top NBA players. Let us find out what a signature shoe is.
NBA stars receive lucrative partnership deals from well-known sports gear brands to create, design and market sneakers.
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HoopsHype estimates that only 17 NBA players currently have signature deals with various brands. Each player receives an average of $5-15 million annually with bonuses and incentives. LeBron James is one of the NBA's best players, with the biggest shoe deal worth about $90 million.
So, who has the best signature shoes in the NBA? Here is a list of the freshest signature kicks in the 2021-22 NBA season.
10. Witness V by LeBron James
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Like Michael Jordan's Air Jordans, Lebron's kicks are some of the most popular NBA shoes. The Witness V sneaker features a high top that offers ample ankle support, cushioning and traction.
9. Freak 2 by Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis' signature sneaker deal with Nike includes the Zoom Freak 2, 3, 4, 5 and the Giannis Immortality shoes. According to stats by Kixstats, the Zoom Freak 3 is the fifth most popular shoe among centres in the NBA 2021-22 regular season.
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8. Curry 7 by Stephen Curry
The Curry 7 by UnderArmour is a low top with high cushioning and traction features perfect for a point guard. Despite this, Curry wore DEZ Customz's #RetireInequality shoes to the 2022 NBA Finals.
7. KD 13 by Kevin Durant
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The KD 13 is one of the best KD shoes of all time. The sneaker features full-length cushioning, extra forefoot room and a Zoom Air unit for jumping. The KD 14 features heavily on the top 10 players' sneaker choices for various positions.
6. Nike Kyrie Low 4 by Kyrie Irving
The Kyrie Low 4 is a popular and profitable low-top lightweight sneaker. So, why did Nike drop Kyrie? Amid speculations, ESPN revealed that doubts surrounding his future in the NBA gave the company cold feet.
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5. Harden Stepback by James Harden
Undeniably, Harden has one of the best shoes of all time in the NBA. But are Harden's Stepbacks good for playing? The lightweights are well-liked by players in almost all positions for their breathability, hard Bounce cushioning and a secure fit for running.
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4. Air Jordan 36 - Michael Jordan
Regarded as the most popular and perhaps the best basketball shoe in the world, Nike Air Jordan is a classic sneaker model that keeps improving. In the 2021-22 season, the Air Jordan 36 featured among the top 10 most worn shoes in the NBA, appearing 742 times in the regular season.
3. Kobe 5 & 6 - Kobe Bryant
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Over time, Nike's basketball shoes have become more famous because of Kobe's signature sneakers. Curious to know how many NBA players still wear Kobe's shoes? During the 2021-22 season, over 130 players wore the Kobe V while 145 players in different positions played in the Kobe VI model.
2. Nike Air Zoom G.T. Cut - Sabrina Ionescu
Which WNBA player has a signature shoe? The Air Zoom G.T Cut was designed especially for the WNBA's top point guard, Sabrina Ionescu. In addition, the sneaker's performance is undeniable since it ranks second among the best shoes in the NBA and the WNBA.
1. Nike PG 5 - Paul George
Since 2016, Nike and Paul George have partnered to release 6 PG signature kicks. The PG 5 ranks second to Nike Kobe 6 in popularity since the sneaker was worn by various players for an average of 32,000 minutes on the court in the 2021-22 regular season.
Popular NBA player's shoe list in 2022
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The sports apparel market is worth about $5 billion. Scroll down to discover the most sold basketball shoes in the world. Here is a summary of the top 20 most popular signature sneakers by NBA players in 2022.
| Player | Signature shoe |
| Trae Young | Adidas Trae Young 1 |
| Damian Lillard | Adidas Dame 8 |
| James Harden | Adidas Harden Vol. 6 |
| Donovan Mitchell | Adidas D.O.N. Issue #3 |
| Michael Jordan | Jordan XXXVI |
| Anthony Davis | Cosmic Unity 2 |
| LeBron James | LeBron 19 |
| Kevin Durant | KD 14 |
| Kahwi Leonard | New Balance KAWHI II |
| LaMelo Ball | Puma MB.01 |
| J. Cole | Puma RS-Dreamer |
| Damian Lillard | Adidas Dame 7 |
| Kobe Bryant | Kobe V |
| Michale Jordan | Air Jordan 36 |
| Kyrie Irving | Kyrie Low 4 |
| Paul George | PG 5 |
| Steph Curry | Under Armour Curry Flow 8 |
| Kyrie Irving | Kyrie 7 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Zoom Freak 3 |
| Sabrina Ionescu | Air Zoom G.T. Cut |
High-performance requirements and game-related injury prevention demand that basketball players have the proper gear. Players and companies such as Nike, Adidas, Puma and others invest significantly to release the best shoes in the NBA.
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