7 Best Low Top Basketball Shoes in 2025

The LeBron series went from high-top to low-top silhouettes back in the 20th edition and never looked back! And the trend continues with the Nike LeBron 23, whose stellar performance earns it the title of the best low-top basketball shoe today!

As the brand’s flagship signature shoe, it is equipped with Nike’s most advanced ZoomX foam, which elevates shock absorption to an above-average 112 SA in the heel. Our lab tests also reflected the LeBron 23's explosive nature, with exceptionally high energy-return readings of 70.4% in the heel and 72.1% in the forefoot! This is the shoe for bigs who value jump-ready cushioning.

The stability and ankle support of this Nike LeBron shoe are equally impressive. Its sturdy LJ-Crown-shaped sidewalls work together with the internal carbon-fiber shank to create the most twist-proof construction for high-intensity play. Our manual tests confirmed its unyielding nature, with 5/5 for torsional rigidity and 5/5 for heel counter stiffness.

The LeBron 23’s sticky outsole traction also made us feel like kings of the hardwood with its high friction coefficient of 0.77. It helped us ace all the backdoor cuts, eurosteps, and hard stops!

It is also one of the hardest-wearing low-tops we’ve tested, showing the highest durability results in our Dremel tests.

So if you can forgive this Nike shoe’s eye-watering price and rather hefty weight (15.5 oz/439g), you are in for a treat!

Playtesting the Nike KD 18, we immediately noticed its sticky outsole, which also returned an exceptionally high friction coefficient of 0.89 in our lab tests! So without hesitation, we claimed it as a low-top basketball shoe with the best traction.

And although we lab-tested it on professional hardwood, we also found its sturdy tread pattern to be quite effective on the blacktop!

Our surefootedness is further enhanced by this Nike shoe’s broad surface area, which reaches above-average 116.0 mm in the forefoot. This reliable outrigger, paired with the shoe’s high torsional rigidity and secure lockdown, makes cuts, euro steps, and other lateral moves feel well supported.

But while we think that grip is the most standout feature of this low-top shoe, its charged Air Zoom cushioning is a positive surprise as well! Generating 10% more rebound than the average hoop shoe, the KD 18 showed an impressive energy return of 72.7% courtesy of a massive Air Zoom unit in the ball of the foot area!

And the full-length Air Zoom strobel also helped to raise this Nike shoe’s shock absorption well above the average at 115 SA in the heel and 90 SA in the forefoot. That’s plenty of impact protection to keep us going all four quarters without any joint pain!

There is a good reason the Nike G.T. Cut 3 Turbo has the word ‘Turbo’ in its name. Experiencing the shoe’s unmatched explosiveness in our own tests, we recorded an unbelievably high energy return in both the heel (71.5%) and the forefoot (83.2%)! And that makes this low-top Nike shoe our ultimate choice for the best energy return!

The shoe gives us that extra lift for all jump shots, layups, and full-court sprints, courtesy of the advanced ZoomX foam and a carbon-infused Turbo Plate.

The latter also makes this low-top Nike shoe quite torsionally rigid (5/5) and works with its supportive midsole cup and sturdy heel counter to prevent the foot from wobbling or collapsing.

But the experience wouldn’t be complete without the G.T. Cut 3 Turbo’s grippy outsole. The shoe never lets our feet slip, thanks to its very high friction coefficient of 0.81. That’s elite-level traction!

And the best part? We can enjoy all of these features in a lightweight package! This low-top shoe weighs well below the average at 12.6 oz/357g.

The level of impact protection the Jordan Zion 4 offers for its low stack height (only 25.2/18.7 mm) is pure magic! Showing some of the highest readings in both the heel (113 SA) and the forefoot (93 SA), this is our ultimate low-top basketball shoe with the best shock absorption.

In addition to making the Zion 4 so well-cushioned, its full-length Air Zoom strobel and Cushlon 3.0 also make for a rather propulsive mix. Our lab tests showed above-average energy return of 63.5% and 71.8% in the heel and forefoot, respectively.

This low-top shoe further makes a positive impression with a solid traction score of 0.71. We found its grip to be well-balanced, holding fast to hardwood on hard cuts and stops while allowing some give for pivoting and sliding.

The only problem is that we think players with broad feet will not enjoy the critically narrow toebox of this low-top Jordan.

Inspired by the legendary low-top Kobe shoes, the Nike Sabrina 3 remains our best lightweight low-top basketball shoe!

Even though it’s technically not the lightest hoop shoe in our lab, its minimal build, grounded platform, and pliability make it feel super light and nimble on the foot. And speaking of flexibility, we found that the Sabrina 3 requires 30% less force to bend by 30 degrees (15.5N) than an average hoop shoe.

We also experienced a more pronounced court feel and only decent shock absorption in this low-top shoe with a stack height of only 26.1/20.6 mm.

But the responsive nature of its full-length Cushlon 3.0 foam and a small Air Zoom unit helps to keep the ride quite charged. We recorded above-average energy return of 60.9% in its heel and 70.9% in the forefoot.

It’s a fast and inherently stable Nike kick that moves effortlessly with our feet.

Positioned as a shoe for the blacktop, the Jordan Luka .77 successfully proved its competence in our demanding lab tests, earning the title of the best low-top basketball shoe for outdoor courts!

First and foremost, it showed fantastic abrasion resistance in our Dremel tests! The damage to its outsole was so small that it set a new record: only 0.4 mm of dent depth! Pair that with the shoe’s flat and thick treadlines, and we’ve got a lasting outsole for the rigors of concrete and asphalt!

Not to mention the shoe’s synthetic leather upper, which resisted our sandpaper with flying colors, and the inner mesh that showed no signs of wear and tear! 

The outsole traction of this low-top shoe was a pleasant surprise as well. Measuring its friction coefficient at 0.83, we couldn’t believe how sticky this Jordan gets on both blacktop and hardwood!

And let’s not forget the Luka .77’s and amazingly light weight of only 12.3 oz (349g)!

While its cushioning took a hit, falling below the category average, we see a ton of value in this low-top shoe’s affordable, beginner-friendly price point.

Priced below $100, the Nike Giannis Immortality 4’s stunning value per dollar makes it the best budget low-top basketball shoe on our roster!

Packing a moderately soft Renew foam for midsole cushioning, this Nike shoe showed a solid shock absorption in the heel (101 SA) and even exceeded the average in the forefoot (87 SA)! That’s a truly impressive impact protection at this price point!

Not to mention the shoe’s strong outsole bite, which generated a friction coefficient of as much as 0.74! A result we normally see in hoop shoes that cost twice as much!

Another standout feature is the Giannis Immortality 4’s confidence-boosting stability courtesy of some of the broadest midsoles we’ve seen in a basketball shoe! Measuring 124.5 mm in the forefoot and 97.3 mm in the heel, that huge surface area pairs with the shoe’s stiff midfoot shank and tall sculpted heel counter to cement the foot in place!

And here is the cherry on top: this budget-friendly low-top Nike shoe weighs only 12.6 oz (356g)!