5 Best Expensive Basketball Shoes in 2023

Dimitrije Curcic
Dimitrije Curcic on
5 Best Expensive Basketball Shoes in 2023
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These are the pretty expensive basketball shoes worn by NBA Legends, past and present, as well as trendsetters. To justify their hefty price, these models are much better equipped when it comes to traction, cushioning, energy return, and other cutting-edge shoe technologies.

Top-of-the-line basketball kicks are usually signature releases from leading brands such as Nike, Jordan, Adidas, PUMA, and Under Armour. You’ll also find haute-couture collabs of celebrities and star athletes, making the products palatable to fans even with whooping price tags.

To help you in your search, we’ve tested and reviewed 10+ of the best expensive basketball sneakers out there. We discussed all the pairs on this list, looking over their style, off-the-court reputation, and, of course, on-court performance. Keep on reading to find out more.

Best expensive basketball shoes overall

Nike Lebron 20
94
Superb!

What makes it the best?

A shoe that costs around $200 per pair should consistently prevent twists, have an amazing grip, and be made of durable materials. We say the Nike LeBron 20 is the best shoe in the higher price range because it delivers all of the mentioned benefits.

We did manual bending and twisting of this shoe, and we concluded that it is perfectly on the stiff side. It got a 5 out of 5 from us as far as resistance to bending is concerned. On the court, this shoe was just so supportive and protective from twists our feet felt like they were some heavily guarded VIPs.

Hours of playing showed that the bite was quite consistent. Dust didn’t even have the chance to interfere with the shoe’s traction performance. Whether we wanted to quickly change directions or just execute a quick sidestep, we always got the grip that we needed.

Another good thing to point out about the outsole rubber is its hardness, which we measured in our lab using an HC durometer. The result that we got is 82.6, making the rubber of the LeBron 20 slightly harder than the average 80.3. This hardness gives the shoe more durability.

The upper materials did not disappoint. The Dremel test revealed that they are quite sturdy. A fastly rotating sandpaper tool was placed against the toe area for four seconds, and the generated friction did not even get through the first layer. With this amount of pressure, other shoes have already started to break. 

Regretfully, the upper sturdiness jeopardizes breathability. When we pumped smoke into the shoe, it did not escape through the upper as easily as we would have hoped. Hence, we recommend that players with sweaty feet stay away from the LeBron 20.

Pros

  • Amazing overall performance
  • Great traction
  • Tremendous impact protection
  • Pronounced court feel
  • Dependable bounciness
  • Comfortable upper
  • Incredible foot containment
  • Stylishly streamlined looks

Cons

  • Not for outdoors
  • Has to be broken in
Full review of Nike Lebron 20

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Unisex
Any color
White/Metallic Gold-black (DJ5423100)
Black/Black-university Red (DJ5423001)
Brown (DV9090200)
Orange (DJ5423800)
Silver (DJ5423002)
901 olive/brown-white (DV1193901)
Blue lightning/coconut milk/ir (DV1191400)
300 green apple/reflect silver/university red/bright crimson/blue chill (FJ4955300)
More colors

Expensive basketball shoes with the best fit adjustment

Nike Adapt BB
84
Good!

What makes it the best?

The Nike Adapt BB does not only impress aesthetically. It definitely stands out, performance-wise. It is amazing in so many ways, from the performance to the design. If you are a sneakerhead with a love for tech advancements, this shoe is a must for a solid performer on the court.

Pros

  • True to size
  • Nice fit
  • Supportive
  • Great traction
  • Amazing lace engine
  • Looks great
  • Comfortable

Cons

  • Little wobble
  • Narrow
Full review of Nike Adapt BB

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Men
Women
Any color
Dark Grey/Multi-Color (AO2582004)
Wolf Grey/Reflect Silver (AO2582002)
Black/White-Pure Platinum (AO2582001)
Multi-Color/Black-White (AO2582900)

Best expensive Kobe basketball shoes

Nike Kobe A.D. NXT
93
Superb!

What makes it the best?

After the disappointing release of the Kobe A.D., many are surprised by the Kobe A.D. NXT’s performance. Erasing the memory of its predecessor, the shoe holds its own on-court with its consistent traction, unique lacing system, and fantastic fit. It fixes most of the mishaps of the A.D. and even goes a step further by having new technologies.

Pros

  • Good traction
  • Breathable upper
  • Phenomenal fit
  • Quick, intuitive, secure lockdown
  • Minimal foot fatigue
  • Easy movement
  • Aesthetically beautiful

Cons

  • On the pricey range
  • Not for wide feet
  • Requires longer break-in period
Full review of Nike Kobe A.D. NXT

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Men
Women
Any color
Black/Metallic Silver-White (882049007)
Grey (882049002)
Green (916832710)
College Navy/Igloo (882049400)
Red (882049600)
White/Black (882049100)

Expensive basketball shoes with the best support

PUMA Dreamer 2
84
Good!

What makes it the best?

The PUMA Dreamer 2 has a revered spot in the basketball shoe market. It offers a really soft and breathable upper, making it suitable not only for in-game use but also for all-day utility at work or school. This PUMA basketball shoe also boasts commendable craftsmanship; its look is so seamless you would think it is much pricier than it really is! Its amazingly supportive fit is the final feature that makes it such a pleasure to wear.

Pros

  • Very comfortable upper
  • Amazing one-to-one fit
  • Great support and lockdown
  • Grip that works
  • Effective cushioning system
  • Nice craftsmanship
  • Neat design

Cons

  • Not for wide-footers
  • Hard to put on
Full review of PUMA Dreamer 2

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Men
Women

Expensive basketball shoes with the best impact protection

What makes it the best?

The Nike Air Zoom GT Jump really lives up to expectations. Heavier men who love lots of impact protection and bounce are happy with this one. Guards and smaller players may benefit more from other models in the GT series: the Run and the Cut.

Pros

  • Bounce and impact protection
  • Thin but durable upper
  • Consistent traction
  • Wraparound comfort
  • Supportive one-to-one fit
  • Effective support features

Cons

  • Needs break in
  • Heavy
  • High off the ground
  • Not for outdoors
Full review of Nike Air Zoom G.T. Jump

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Orange/Red/Black (CZ9907800)
001black/ghost-vapor green (CZ9907001)
500 dark raisin/photon dust/atomic (CZ9907500)
Vast grey/gunsmoke lemon wash (CZ9907002)
White/Red/University Blue (CZ9907100)
White/Black (CZ9907101)

Comparison of the 5 best expensive basketball shoes

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Best
CoreScore
Users rating
Experts
Best price
Ranking
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# of colorways

How we test basketball shoes

We choose our top picks based on categories that matter to you. The selection process is one of the most comprehensive in the industry. It involves rigorous testing of each pair of shoes inside our RunRepeat shoe lab. We further test the shoes on the court, indoor and outdoor.

This is how we approach it:

  • We buy all the expensive basketball shoes on this list from our own pocket. This eliminates any bias and ensures the objectivity of our reviews.
  • We cut the models into pieces for in-depth analysis. We closely check and examine the cushioning system, traction, ankle support, energy return, and many more.
  • We do plenty of wear tests on the court playing several games of hoops.
Author
Dimitrije Curcic
Dimitrije Curcic

Dimitrije Curcic has been playing basketball for over 22 years. Like Manu Ginobili, he’s a left-hander whose moves led him to a better career-shooting percentage than the Argentine himself. After playing professionally for 10 years, Dimitrije moved to coaching for two seasons before he became a basketball statistician for StatScore, and FanSided contributor for the San Antonio Spurs. Dimitrije loves to tell hoop stories through numbers and graphics and has been featured on Fansided, FiveThirtyEight, Eurohoops, and TalkBasket among the others.