6 Best PUMA Basketball Shoes in 2023

Nike (together with its subsidiary Jordan) and Adidas have long been the most dominant players in the basketball shoe market. However, this did not stop PUMA from re-entering the game in 2018 after around twenty years of producing only lifestyle sneakers and running shoes among others.
PUMA's grand re-entry was with a rightful nod to its great basketball past. The company produced a new and aptly modernized version of the Clyde Court Disrupt, which of course was a direct pick from Clyde Frazier's arsenal.
Since then, PUMA has produced a handful of kicks, each with its own strength. However, not everyone has the time and the resources to figure out what pair is perfect for them and what is the best all things considered. So, we tested PUMA basketball shoes in actual games of hoops and in real-life tests in the lab to find which is the last shoe standing. We selected our top choices and listed them here in this article.
Best PUMA basketball shoes overall











































What makes it the best?
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.
Pros
- Awesome impact protection
- Top-notch ankle support
- Superior stability
- Excellent foot containment
- Reliable traction
- Comfortable in-shoe feel
- Durable construction
Cons
- Lacks energy return
- Not breathable
- Not perfect for outdoors
Today's best price








PUMA basketball shoes with the best cushioning




































What makes it the best?
Pros
- Excellent grip for quick movements
- Incredible bounce and impact protection
- Amazing in-shoe comfort
- Dependable foot containment
- Smooth ride
- True-to-size fit
- Pretty light
- Slender appearance
Cons
- Cheap materials and poor durability
- Dulled by dust
- Reduced court feel
- Lacks breathability
Today's best price








PUMA basketball shoes with the best support







































What makes it the best?
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.
Pros
- Great impact protection
- Good court feel
- Very comfortable step-in feel
- Effective grip (on clean courts)
- Breathable upper
- Dependable support and lockdown
- Durable materials
- Futuristic look
- Reasonable price
Cons
- Not for the outdoors
- Dust-sensitive outsole
- Heavier than average
Today's best price








Best budget PUMA basketball shoes




































What makes it the best?
Pros
- Pronounced court feel
- Amazing stability and support
- Secure lockdown
- Comfy in-shoe feel
- Great value for money
- True to size and fit
- Stylish for casual wear
Cons
- Heavier than average
- Lacks breathability
- Not much impact protection
Today's best price








PUMA basketball shoes with the best traction

What makes it the best?
Pros
- Pronounced court feel
- Amazing traction
- Insane lightness
- Nice bounce
- Grounded and stable
- Effective moisture-control
- Comfortable tongue
- Cushioned heel
- Very smooth heel-to-toe transition
- Aesthetically appealing
Cons
- Lacks forefoot cushion
- Narrow structure
- Needs break-in
Today's best price







PUMA basketball shoes with the best style

What makes it the best?
Pros
- All-day comfort
- Dependable grip
- Stylish appearance
- Sufficient lockdown
- Excellent stability
- Outdoor use
- Great court feel
Cons
- Heavier than most
- Not breathable
- Lacks impact protection and bounce
Today's best price








Comparison of the 6 best PUMA basketball shoes
+ + Add a product | + + Add a product | + + Add a product | + + Add a product | + + Add a product | + + Add a product | + + Add a product | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best | |||||||
CoreScore | |||||||
Users rating | |||||||
Experts | |||||||
Best price | |||||||
Ranking | |||||||
Popularity | |||||||
# of colorways |
How we test basketball shoes
Picking the best PUMA basketball shoes requires serious testing. For this reason, we take the liberty to do the dirty work while you sit back and read on. When testing for these basketball shoes, we always make sure that each PUMA shoe gets used in more than two games before a verdict or final assessment is made.
To further ensure the objectivity of our picks, we do the following:
- See to it that each product is bought using our own cash to avoid bias.
- Apart from taking the shoes to real games of basketball, and performing the typical and actual things we usually do inside the court, we also test them in our lab. We measure the 30+ parameters of the shoes and take note of all the results before we compare them to the average values. We even chop the shoes into pieces so we can take into account every element existing in them. Finally, we establish our conclusion regarding each parameter.