THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOES OF ALL TIME – FIVE HOLY GRAILS
We did the TOP 10 best basketball shoes of 2016, we did the early list of best hoop shoes of 2017. So how about Best Basketball Shoes Of All Time, huh?
The most iconic models that forever changed the whole basketball shoe game. In 3… 2… 1…
Let‘s get it!
MY TOP 5
It really was one of the toughest decisions to make as a sneaker reviewer. I mean, to pick just 5 shoes out of this enormously huge list was like mission impossible. Although, there’s nothing impossible, so there are the 5 ultimate picks that I still enjoy playing in when I have a spare minute or two from doing sneaker reviews. And hey man, if I need a “mister reliable” for those clutch moments, one of these sneakers are always in my bag.
#1 PICK
AIR JORDAN XX9
Tech: ZOOM AIR, FLIGHT WEB, FLIGHTPLATE
Weight: 360 g. / 12.7 oz
Pros: WELL-BALANCED CUSHION SETUP | KILLER TRACTION | A1 COMFORT | SOLID SUPPORT | WIDE FOOT FRIENDLY
Cons: HIGH PRICE | NO FULL-LENGHT ZOOM AIR | NOT THE BEST VENTILATION
Best for: ALL POSITIONS
BD RATING: 9/10
PRICE NOW: $150 – $250
The first shoe that comes to my mind when talking about best of the best is none other than the Air Jordan XX9. I just can’t forget about these performance beasts – Court Kings is how I call them.
No Flyknit at that time, but the Performance Woven upper gives you that same sock like experience, while emphasizing support where you need it the most. The only reason why I can’t put this setup above Flyknit, is lack of ventilation. Your foot is not going to suffocate or something but, personally, it could be made a little bit better.
Of course, we can’t go further without mentioning the best ZOOM Air setup back in the days. Two ZOOM Air units in the forefoot area are always ready to give you the best possible performance – outstanding responsiveness for explosive guards and plenty of impact protection for a big man to dominate the paint.
And traction is just another aspect where the AJ XX9 really shines above them all. They got you covered no matter where you play. Clean or dirty courts, it doesn’t matter – no gimmicks, just pure grip.
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#2 PICK
NIKE KOBE 9 ELITE LOW
Tech: FLYKNIT, LUNARLON, FLYWIRE
Weight: 337 g. / 13.9 oz
Pros: IMPRESSIVE SUPPORT FOR A LOW TOP | KILLER TRACTION | WELL-BALANCED CUSHION | LIGHTWEIGHT UPPER
Cons: LACK OF VENTILATION | NOT SUITABLE FOR OUTDOORS DUE TO THIN RUBBER
Best for: GUARDS
BD RATING: 8.7/10
PRICE NOW: $220 – $500
Counting Kobe‘s last years in the league, his sneaker line just went on a next level by creating the Nike Kobe 9 – the most innovative basketball shoe back in 2014.
First time implementing Flyknit technology onto a basketball shoe was first glimpses of the successful run of Flyknit uppers. The Kobe 9 features Flyknit & Fuse combo, that‘s why they feel differently from that pure Flyknit experience that we‘re receiving right now. We came a long road, don‘t we?
Still, the upper is hella nice – soft & stretchy knit flexes with your foot no matter what kind of moves you‘re performing, while the fuse backing underneath and those nicely looking carbon fiber wings keep your foot from rolling over the footbed.
Full-length Lunar midsole is something that guards or lighter players will definitely enjoy playing when bigger players won’t be disappointed as well due to solid amount of impact protection, incredible court feel and lightning fast responsiveness for any type of player.
Lastly, the traction… Oh me, oh my… I don‘t know when we will receive this kind of traction again, but for now, the Kobe 9 just dominates in this area over any other shoe. Hey man, even those 24-hour courts isn‘t a problem for these bad boys and that‘s something special. It‘s like Kobe‘s career – INCREDIBLE.
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#3 PICK
ADIDAS D ROSE 6 PK
Tech: BOOST, Primeknit, StableFrame, TPU Cage
Weight: 462 g. / 16.3 oz
Pros: Bouncy Cushion | Superb Traction | Comfy Fit | Premium Materials
Cons: Material Durability | Slightly Heavy
Best for: ALL POSITIONS
BD RATING: 9.5/10
PRICE NOW: $80 – $140
The D Rose 6 was the greatest 2015 adidas HIT in the basketball shoe industry, no questions asked. They are still sitting in my TOP 10 list and have an important spot in my rotation – that says a lot about the shoe‘s performance.
First of all, the Rose 6 features BOOST cushion setup, and as we already know – BOOST is life. Incredible impact protection, great mobility, superb responsiveness and cloud-like ride for pretty much any type of player.
I mean, there is no need to describe every aspect of this sneaker. Why? Because the D Rose 6 has it all- TRACTION, CUSHION, MATERIALS, SUPPORT, FIT – EVERYTHING. If you’re looking for an all-around performer, you know what to do. Grab the adidas D Rose 6!
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#4 PICK
NIKE KD 9
Tech: FlyKnit, ZOOM AIR
Weight: 341 g. / 12.04 oz
Pros: Super Comfortable Fit | Premium Materials | Responsive & Bouncy Cushion Tooling | Solid Traction
Cons: Not Suitable for Outdoors | Minimalistic Support Setup
Best for: ALL POSITIONS
BD RATING: 8.5/10
PRICE NOW: $60 – $150
Nike did a significant job designing the KD 9’s. And even though they’re already a bit aged comparing how fast business goes in the sneaker world, they still deliver really solid performance & with the low price you can’t go wrong with these.
Articulated full-length ZOOM Air cushion setup is what any type of player will enjoy due to superb impact protection, lovely bouncy ride, striking responsiveness, and solid court feel. Also, Flyknit upper & support works together in tandem to ensure sock-like fit while keeping your foot locked-in no matter what. To finish things off, the honeycomb traction pattern is ready to grab anything you throw at it.
PERFORMANCE REVIEW KD 9 / KD 9 ELITE
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#5 PICK
ADIDAS CRAZY EXPLOSIVE 2017
Tech: BOOST, PRIMEKNIT
Weight: 394 g. / 13.89 oz
Pros: AMAZING BOOST CUSHIONING | BEASTLY TRACTION | SOCK LIKE FIT | ALL-AROUND SUPPORT
Cons: SOFT RUBBER | NOT SUITABLE FOR OUTDOORS
Best for: ALL POSITIONS
PRICE NOW: $150
BD RATING: 9.7/10
I’m felt in love with these… Looking from my perspective, the adidas Crazy Explosive Primeknit 2017 will be the best performer in 2017, hands down. Yes, it’s early to say anything because we have 4 months ahead, but I believe that any other upcoming sneaker is not going to uncrown this king soon.
I would HIGHLY recommend these for any type of player due to an impressive arsenal of tech & abilities that they can offer for each position. Flashy, quick guards? No problem. Super responsive BOOST cushion, killer traction, solid foot containment will let you do anything on court with confidence & efficiency. Maybe you’re a strong, big guy who dominates the post? Not a problem as well. Meanwhile, the enormous amount of impact protection & bouncy ride will let you snatch opponents shots and get back on the ground soft and easy, like putting your head on a pillow at night.
PERFORMANCE REVIEW
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HONORABLE MENTIONS
Hope you enjoyed my TOP 5 BEST BASKETBALL SHOES OF ALL TIME. Comment down below your ultimate TOP 5 list!
Hello,and congrats for the good work.What is the difference you can describe between the cushion setup of crazy explosive 2017 and air jordan xx9?
Thanks for the support bro!
I could get really deep telling you about each and every small detail and how it affects the performance of each cushion, but it would be so damn boring. So I’m gonna explain it to you in a simple way.
The AJ XX9 does feature the forefoot unlocked Zoom Air unit & simple foam in the heel for a well-balanced cushion setup. It wasn’t the most advanced tooling back then, but it did its job pretty damn impressive, giving you everything you would ever need from a cushion – striking responsiveness, low-profile ride & decent amount of impact protection in the back.
You can call the BOOST cushioning on the Crazy Explosive ’17 as a versatile setup as well, although, this one is way squashier in comparison of that Zoom Air & foam combo. So while guards and lighter players would enjoy the AJ XX9’s cushion more, this BOOST tooling caters towards bigger, more explosive players who need a ton of impact protection first and responsiveness second.
Yo Why Aren’t there any kyries man
The answer to your question is – CUSHION. The early models (1,2,3) had pretty much rock-solid midsoles, plus, material choices were not that great as well. Whereas the Kyrie 4 was probably the closest to making the list, unfortunately, traction wasn’t as aggressive as it used to be on the old ones. How about the Kyrie 5? Well, the cushion set-up was somewhere in the middle if comparing the whole Kyrie line, meanwhile, traction performed the same as on the 4s, which is good but not great.
THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOES OF ALL TIME FOR GUARDS. Now we’re talking.