6 Best PUMA Basketball Shoes in 2023

We judged the Puma MB.02 as the best among all Puma basketball shoes and even some Nike and Adidas products. We reached this conclusion after being impressed by this shoe’s amazing cushioning, impressive flexibility, and dependable twist protection.

Upon wearing it, we immediately felt amazing underfoot softness. Our lab assessments confirmed what we initially felt. We found  that the midsole tooling is indeed on the softer side, registering only 22.4 on the HA durometer when the average could go as high as 27.9. 

During sharp turns and cuts, we appreciated how the shoe catches up with our movements. And this holds true even at awkward angles! After doing the flexibility assessment in the lab, it all made sense. We learned through our digital gauge that this shoe only needed 32.2N of force to bend at 90 degrees. This number is far lower than the 41.9N that a typical shoe would need.

The base of the shoe was pleasantly resistant to twists, and it gave us the confidence to run faster and be more aggressive in our games. We manually twisted this shoe in the lab, and it got a solid 4 out of 5 for torsional rigidity.

Our hearts dropped when we realized that the shoe also heated up as the games intensified. There was just not much ventilation. True enough, this shoe only got a 2 out of 5 after we conducted our breathability smoke test on it.

The PUMA TRC Blaze Court is like a friend who looks small and fragile but is actually a skilled fighter. This shoe's very unassuming slender build and very minimal looks actually hide tremendous potential. It is a pleasure to play in, especially for athletes who like to explosively sprint their way to the basket. If it wasn't for its frail outsole and upper, the TRC Blaze Court would've made it to our top charts.

Among all the lightweight Puma shoes that we tried, it is the Rise Nitro that made the most lasting impact. Its brilliance came from its pretty wide heel platform and pretty clever upper structure, which contributed a lot to lockdown and stability. We also appreciated its unparalleled flexibility, which made it easier for our feet to flex naturally. That this shoe does not make it difficult for wide-footers to wear it is another huge plus. 

The shoe’s wide platform, especially around the heel area erased all worries regarding wobbliness. The caliper measured the heel to be 95.1 mm wide when the average is only 87.0 mm. That’s 8.1 mm worth of extra space! Aside from the laces, the upper is also equipped with something similar to athletic tape, and it wrapped around our feet well. The laces-and-tape combo effectively enhanced the shoe’s stability and lockdown.

Our jaws dropped when we learned just how flexible the Rise Nitro is. Our force gauge reported that this shoe needed only 8.8N of force to bend at 90 degrees, which is way way lower than the 22.5N that a typical trainer would need. 

The wide-footers among us are happy that the toebox is 7.4 mm wider than average. For a chance, those with wide feet won't have to make size adjustments so they can get the fit that works best for them.

We did the Dremel test on the Rise Nitro’s upper. Unfortunately, the results weren’t as good as hoped. The damage after twelve seconds of drilling was already enough to cast doubts on this shoe’s longevity, especially when used frequently.

For its modest price point, the PUMA Court Rider offers quite a few benefits. We didn't expect much from this budget-friendly shoe and yet it surprised us on many fronts. With its notable court feel and responsiveness, we believe that this shoe will suit agile guards the best.

Since the Clyde Court Disrupt, PUMA Hoops's Clyde line has been dishing out alternatives to the usually pricier and more popular Adidas and Nike kicks that flood the market. The PUMA Clyde All-Pro is assessed to be even better than, or at least comparable to, the Nike Kobe 9, which critics say is among the greatest basketball shoes. The All-Pro's bad points are either easy to remedy or there just because of a personal preference.

The RS Dreamer is borne out of the collaboration between musician J. Cole and PUMA, and it's a success. The features added to the shoe work together to deliver comfort, support, and overall good performance on the court. The shoe's agreeable aesthetics add to its value. It's safe to say that the PUMA RS Dreamer is a must-buy item!