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Does the NBA playoffs make you want to go back to the court? It might be time to do a shoe update.
Your basketball shoes may be playing well, playing well. The wrong footwear can cause slips, severe and even injuries, while the best basketball shoes can use your game style to provide balanced support, traction and responsiveness.
If your basketball shoes haven't been delivered recently - or you just want to improve the game - read on. Below, we have a summary of some of the best basketball shoes for some of the best basketball shoes we buy now, including picks that choose different positions, foot shapes and styles.
This is our choice for the best men's basketball shoes of 2025. We create this list by putting on dozens of shoes and having friends wear the same shoes to provide feedback. After reviewing the shoes ourselves, we looked at the experiences of other users and chose only shoes with good customer reviews that were stocked (writing) at trusted online retailers.
Editing selection
LeBron James' latest Nike sneakers - The LeBron 22 - We think of as the Tomahawk Grand Slam of the shoes. The shoes are very stiff and responsive, but comfortable enough to be used for hours of use. This is largely thanks to many Nike technologies, including the air zoom unit on the heel and forefoot.
One of the other best basketball shoes we used is the AE 1 from Adidas and Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards. We only used it a few times, but our initial impression was very good. The AE 1 is one of the clumsiest shoes we've ever played with, thanks to their wavy herringbone patterned outsole. The only possible shutdown for some people might be the futuristic design, but we think it looks exciting on most other basketball shoes.
Best for arch support
Hoopers' general complaint is the lack of Arch support. If you're struggling with this, pick up these Nike KD18s. Kevin Durant's shoes are designed to stay comfortable during long practice for back-to-back pickup games and feature a supportive sole and plush, balanced cushioning. This added filler weighs a little more, but for some, it's a worthwhile trade-off.
Budget selection
The Skechers entered the basketball shoe game last year, but they nailed it. Footwear giant Our favorite product is the SKX Float, a stable and fast shoe that can be used in all courts. On top of that, it's worth $140.
Best for point guard
If you're looking for a pair of quick kicks, check out these Nike Sabrina 2s. The Sabrina Ionescu's shoes feature excellent all-around performance, with an advanced curb system, an air zoom unit for the forefoot and Cushlon foam filling. They are also very lightweight, with Nike's modified herringbone traction mode being perfect for quick cuts and directional changes.
Best for wide feet
Hoops with wide feet are sometimes limited, or they have to size and handle the extra toe chamber. If you have this problem, consider using these hardened rolls. 7s. After searching for the internet and talking to broad friends, these shoes are the best basketball shoes for broad feet. Apart from being able to accommodate for wide feet, the Harden 7s is a gripping, high-performance shoe, and we love the futuristic look, too.
Not sure how to choose the right basketball shoes? Here are a few things to consider when shopping.
Location:Point and Shoot Guards usually require brisk, faster shoes that won't fall behind when players fly to the basketball or pull up in three games. On the other hand, centers and power forwards often look for high-tops with extra support to help with fast, small-directional changes (such as forgery). Of course, some shoes offer all of the above, but it's best to consider your play style and typical location before shopping.
fit: Basketball shoes should fit very well, but you also need to consider pairs of socks (if you do) and swelling of your feet. Usually, there should be half an inch to an inch of space on the top of the shoe.
style: It's no shame to want to look good on the court; feeling confident is a good way to play better. Be sure to choose the shoes or colors you like to see when you are laces.
We created this roundup by wearing dozens of pairs of basketball shoes, not only documenting how they played in the game, but also how they were dressed and how our feet felt the next day. After selecting our favorites, we poured comments from experts and real customers for comparison. Once you reach the finalists, we make sure they are available at a trusted retailer (at the time of writing) and have at least an average customer rating of 3.7/5 stars.