7 Best Nike Basketball Shoes in 2023
When it comes to sports footwear, Nike leads. This holds true even in performance basketball where the brand and its subsidiary Jordan hold more than 80% of the market. This makes quite an extensive range to choose from.
Some models come with extra cushioning, some have outstanding grip, and some provide the most secure lockdown around your ankle. On top of that, you can also find those all-around performers that successfully blend all of the above. We are aware that this is a tedious process of choosing.
To help you find the right option, we have tested and reviewed over 100 basketball shoes. We don't stop there because we also selected the cream of the crop for various categories.
Best Nike basketball shoes overall
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Top-notch traction
- Lightest LeBron shoe (as of 2023)
- Nice bounce in the forefoot
- A fine balance of court feel and impact protection
- Effective foot containment
- Very comfortable wraparound feel
- Quality materials
- Standout design and colors
Cons
- Surprisingly not for wide feet
- Still kinda expensive
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Nike basketball shoes with the best traction
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Consistent grip on different surfaces
- Dust-resistant outsole
- Plush and protective foam
- Bouncy midsole
- Secure heel counter
- Well-ventilated upper
- Feels light
- OK for outdoors
Cons
- Not for wide-footers
- Lacks flexiblity
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Nike basketball shoes with the best cushioning
What makes it the best?
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
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Best lightweight Nike basketball shoes
What makes it the best?
A stand-out aspect of the Nike Zoom Freak 4 is its stability, which it provides without needing a higher collar. Besides the anti-wobble structure, this shoe also boasts pronounced court feel at the forefoot. And the Freak 4 delivered all this without adding so much to its weight. Because of all these benefits, we consider this shoe the most valuable lightweight shoe out of all Nike basketball releases.
In the lab, our caliper showed that the platform is 115.7 mm wide at the forefoot. This adds 3.1 mm more width to the average, giving the shoe a lot of extra room to stably hold the foot.
Our caliper measurements also showed that the forefoot is 8.3 mm lower than the heel. Because of this setup, our heel strikes were a lot easier to execute. We also got to feel the court more through the forefoot, which in turn made us quicker on our feet.
The weight of the Nike Zoom Freak 4 is 12.3 oz or 348g. This is 1.4 ounces lighter than the average, which currently stands at 13.7 oz or 387g. Because of its lightness, we became even more agile as we drove toward the basket.
In spite of all the goodness, we still cannot recommend this shoe to ballers who want to feel a lot of plushness underfoot. As per our HA durometer, the softness (27.0) of the midsole does not fall far from the average (27.9). This means that the impact protection that this shoe can give is decent at best.
Pros
- Noticeable upgrades
- Amazing grip on indoor courts
- Dust-resistant outsole
- Smooth steps
- Pretty good court feel
- Dependable impact protection
- Jump-improving bounce
- Reliably supportive structure
- True-to-size fit
Cons
- Not ideal for outdoors (but OK)
- Not for bigger players and wide footers
- Cheap-feeling materials
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Nike basketball shoes with the best comfort
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Highly effective traction
- Impressive impact protection
- Optimum comfort
- Breathable upper
- Reliable heel lockdown
- Good lateral stability
- Great outdoor option
- Fashionable design
Cons
- Lacks court feel
- Poor upper durability
- No outriggers on the sole
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Best Nike basketball shoes for outdoor courts
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Perfect for outdoor courts
- Outstandingly durable
- One of the most stable shoes
- Wide platform
- Very secure lockdown
- Reliable traction on all courts
- Breathable enough
- Sustainable materials
Cons
- Firm sole with poor impact protection
- Heavier than average
- Break-in needed
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Best budget Nike basketball shoes
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Traction is consistently good
- Responsive cushioning
- Decent impact protection
- Comfortable and well-ventilated upper
- Dependable foot containment
- Great for outdoor use
- Value for money
Cons
- Needs to be broken in
- Not for wide-footers
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Comparison of the 7 best Nike basketball shoes
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What sets the best Nike basketball shoes apart
Nike dominates the basketball market definitely not by chance. It offers a good deal of innovations that help with performance on the hard court.
Many of the proprietary technologies featured in Nike basketball shoes debuted in running shoes.
|
Technology |
Description |
|
|
Cushion |
Air |
Polyurethane pouch filled with dense gases, achieves that feeling of comfortably ‘walking on air’ |
|
Zoom Air |
Air unit with tightly stretched tensile fibers knit inside it for a more perfect balance of responsiveness and impact protection |
|
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Lunarlon |
Special foam, bouncier and 30% lighter than phylon |
|
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Vapormax |
Air packets that are put directly beneath known pressure points for a more targeted and efficient cushioning |
|
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React |
Special lab-produced foam that is both soft and responsive |
|
|
Upper |
Flywire |
Suspension-cables-like wires on both sides, cradling the foot and holding it securely in place especially during motion |
|
Flyknit |
Digitally engineered knit that is light, form-fitting, and seamless |
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Battleknit |
Flyknit innovation for LeBron James that becomes increasingly stiff at the midfoot where stability is most needed |
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Knitposite |
First used on LeBrons shoes, this is basically Flyknit infused with heat-molded yarn that makes it more durable and supportive |
Beyond technologies: Other factors to consider
Apart from technologies, other factors play important roles in ensuring your enjoyment of Nike basketball shoes
Playing style
Expectedly, many of the top Nike basketball shoes are from signature lines dedicated to some of NBA’s most prolific players like guard Paul George and power forward Kevin Durant. This should make choosing the right shoe easier. Shoes from signature lines are sensitive not only to the star player’s personal preferences but also their playing positions.
According to Basketball Reference, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James are versatile players who can handle almost all playing positions. We can expect their shoes to be as flexible as they are.
Style and aesthetics
Nike basketball shoes are as pretty as they are high-performing. They will be of use even when you are off the court.
Low or high, know what you want. High-top basketball sneakers are espoused by players like LeBron James. Low-top basketball shoes are worn by many of Nike’s NBA stars, the most prominent of which being Kobe Bryant. Wanting one collar length over the other is just a matter of preference.
Know your color. Nike basketball shoes are available in thousands of colorways. Many of them commemorate important events or holidays such as Black History, Christmas, Easter, and the NBA Championships. There are also colorways that reference the lives and careers of their signature athletes.
To know more about the general steps to consider when buying basketball shoes, read our detailed buying guide.
Indoor or outdoor? The sturdiness test
The basketball shoe industry in general is largely driven by the NBA. With this, Nike releases basketball shoes that are deliberately for indoor hooping on a well-kept hard court.
You need to know how to assess a shoe’s outdoor playability before you use it on asphalt or any other type of outdoor court. Here’s how you can assess the shoe:
Get the best Nike basketball shoes for less
The top Nike basketball shoes are going to be even greater if they are NOT expensive.
Non-signature models are not expensive simply because no big names are attached to them.
The price of older models are deliberately brought down in clearance sales. Remember, the presence of a newer option does not automatically make older models less effective. They still have the technologies that make them desirable.
Even within signature lines, Nike develops takedown models to appeal to a wider audience. These basketball shoes are cheaper because they use non-premium materials. LeBron’s Witness line and Kyrie Irving’s Flytrap series are examples of takedown signature releases from Nike.
How we test basketball shoes
Coming up with unrivaled Nike basketball shoes in their own respective categories is not an easy task. We say this because we actually do the whole procedure for every shoe we tested. If you like to know what happens behind our comprehensive reviews and recommendations, read below:
- We acquire the basketball shoes from Nike that we want to test. We value objectivity more than anything so we are very stern about this.
- We play basketball in these shoes, both indoors and outdoors. The main features we observe and examine are grip, spring, lateral support, and lockdown, among others.
- We conduct different tests in our lab that measure different aspects of the shoes. We also tear the shoes apart and look into all its components.
