6 Best Adidas Basketball Shoes in 2024
Adidas is a trusted brand when it comes to sportswear. The Three Stripes’ basketball shoes and other apparel always go neck to neck with the competing Nike products. Basketball, on the other hand, is a recognized sport practically everywhere.
You might be one of the people now who are seeking which Adidas basketball is most appropriate for your requirements. If that is the case, we like to welcome you with a list of our chosen top picks!
Here, we showcase our best picks. They are a result of our extensive testing that was done both on the court and in our shoe lab. Standardized tests for breathability, durability, and flexibility added another layer of objectivity to our in-depth reviews.
How we test basketball shoes
One of our pet peeves here at RunRepeat is an ill-defined and unelaborated review, not to mention a biased one. Naturally, we try so hard to be far from what we hate. So here are the things we do in fulfilling a jam-packed, honest review:
- We check out the shoes out of our shopping carts by paying with our own cash.
- We play basketball using these Adidas basketball shoes. We use time and time again before we form our impressions.
- We perform various lab tests, which involve breaking the shoes into pieces. We measure their 30+ parameters and we compare the values to the averages.
Best Adidas basketball shoes overall
What makes it the best?
Adidas is a widely known brand, so making it as its top in any category is no small achievement. Among all the hoopers we’ve analyzed in our lab, the Harden Volume 8 has earned our gold medal as the best basketball shoe overall thanks to its fantastic playability and positionless design.
In our lab, we found out its breathability and toebox + heel padding durability are all really high, as the shoe scored a 4/5 on those 3 tests. During our wear tests, we realized its tough materials bent alongside our foot with no problem, so our transitions and fakes were always smooth. In fact, this Adidas pair didn’t even need a break-in period, proving it's comfortable from minute 1.
Apart from shielding the top of our feet, the Harden Vol 8 also protected our underfoot with its fantastic shock absorption and bounce. Its Jet Boost foam cushioned our harsh rebound landings and made sure we were pushed right back up with its springy nature.
Overall, we believe this hooper is a top performer, but its armor-like design has a price: it’s heavier weight!
Pros
- Excellent foot containment
- Crazy good traction
- Fantastic shock-absorption and bounce
- Feels very stable
- Incredibly comfortable from minute 1
- Supportive heel area
- Smooth heel-to-toe transitions
- Very easy to put on and off
Cons
- Not a fast shoe
- Not for wide feet
- Not for streetball
Adidas basketball shoes with the best comfort
What makes it the best?
The Adidas Dame 8 felt so comfortable that moment we stepped into it. The underfoot felt soft and was a total angel. This shoe also delivered so much stability that it greatly boosted our confidence. The shoe also delivered a solid protection against rollovers. These benefits erased all doubts that this is indeed the best shoe for comfort that Adidas has to offer.
Using our HA durometer in the lab, we learned that the midsole is way softer (20.3) than average (26.6). This meant that our foot got the pampering that it deserved during harsh landings and sharp cuts.
Using a caliper, we learned that the midsole platform is 119.0 mm wide at the forefoot while it’s 99.1 mm wide at the heel. These numbers add 5.7 mm and 8 mm to the average. The Dame 8 is really serious when it comes to stability.
We are glad that we never had to worry about ankle rolls while wearing the Adidas Dame 8. After testing its resistance through manual twists and other maneuvers in the lab, we gave this shoe a score of 4 out of 5 for rigidity. The rigid structure surely helped with stability.
The Adidas Dame 8 is unfortunately not the most flexible hoop shoe there is. Our assessments revealed that it needed 41.9N of force to bend at 90 degrees, making it slightly more resistant than the average shoe which only needed 40.9N.
Pros
- Good traction on clean courts
- Impact protection in the heel
- Forefoot responsiveness
- Secure lockdown
- Comfortable in-shoe feel
- Side-to-side stability
- Wide-foot friendly
- Okay for outdoor courts
Cons
- Dust magnet
- Fiddly heel lining
Adidas basketball shoes with the best stability
What makes it the best?
The Adidas Trae Young 3 was a shoe to remember as far as stability is concerned. It was so good that we now think that it’s the best among all other Adidas shoes in this aspect. Aside from stability, we were also impressed by the durability of its outsole and the softness of its midsole.
The shoe’s wide platform and rigid base worked together to deliver stability like no other. Our caliper in the lab measured the platform to be 122.2 mm (average is 113.8 mm) wide at the forefoot and 105.1 mm (average is 91.5 mm) wide at the heel. After giving it a good twist in the lab, we could only give this shoe a perfect 5 for torsional rigidity.
The outsole was definitely suitable for continued outdoor use. Our HC durometer gave it a rating of 88.0 when the average is only 81.7, which means that the outsole is hard and pretty resistant to abrasion. The results of our Dremel test on the outsole just confirmed its durability. Our high-pressure Dremel drilling only resulted in 0.7 mm of damage when the average could go as high as 1.1 mm.
Comfort was also a highlight of this shoe. We enjoyed a nice feeling underfoot because of the softness of the cushioning system, which our HA durometer pegged at 22.5 when the average is 26.4.
If there was something that we think needed to be improved, it would be the outsole’s grip. It was way too sensitive to dust, and there was a need to keep on wiping.
Pros
- Superb stability with Torsion System
- Reliable heel containment
- Balanced impact protection and court feel
- Incredible traction on indoor courts
- Amazingly durable outsole
- Comfortably padded interior
- Wide-foot friendly
- Removable insole
- Eye-catching clean design
Cons
- Quite heavy
- Upper lacks durability
- Poor grip on dusty courts
Adidas basketball shoes with the best support
What makes it the best?
The results of our wear and lab tests have proved that the D.O.N. Issue 5 is the Adidas pair with the best support. Not only does its design offer great stability and containment, it also bites the court wonderfully!
One of the key points of this hooper is the incredible support it provides on the midfoot, where the Three Stripes logo offered us a snug fit during our games. Additionally, it scored a perfect 5/5 on our torsional rigidity test, which means it was ready to protect your ankles from instability… and it did!
But that's not all. Its heel counter got a 3/5 on our stiffness test because we felt it was pliable only from the middle up. It features a solid TPU clip on the lower part that kept our Achilles in place, so we didn't even remember what heel slippage felt like. In our experience, this design allowed the shoe to be comfortable and offer a snug fit at the same time.
One thing that made us feel a bit concerned was the lack of durability of its outsole. We wouldn't use this Adidas to play streetball regularly, as the harshness of outdoor courts might end up destroying it sooner rather than later.
Pros
- Incredibly good traction
- Lots of stability and containment (extra midfoot support)
- Adapts to different playstyles
- Feels quick on foot
- Smooth heel-to-toe transitions
- Recycled upper (50%)
- On the affordable side
Cons
- Not responsive
- Outsole lacks durability
- Weird tongue design
Best budget Adidas basketball shoes
What makes it the best?
At $100 per pair (the average is $134), the Harden Stepback 3 from Adidas is surely not the cheapest out there. Still, we consider it as the most valuable budget pick among all shoes from the Three Stripes because of three things: (1) the amazing durability of its outsole, (2) effective impact protection, and (3) impressive stability.
The Dremel tests we did in the lab ended up like laughable jokes for the Harden Stepback 3’s outsole. Our Dremel drilling didn't even make a significant dent on it! The damage is only 0.2 mm deep, which is far better than the 1.1 mm of damage incurred by the typical hoop shoe.
When it comes to impact protection, this Harden shoe is not to be overlooked. Our feet were effectively kept free from pain during our games. Our lab assessments only confirmed the comfortable softness that we enjoyed on the court. Our HA durometer gave the midsole a rating of 21.6 when the average is as high as 26.6.
We attribute the stability that we enjoyed to this shoe’s amazingly wide platform. Using a caliper, we learned that the platform is 117.0 mm wide at the forefoot while it’s 96.4 wide at the heel. These numbers mean that, compared to the average, the platform is 3.7 mm and 5.3 mm wider.
Players who love well-ventilated shoes should stay away from the Harden Stepback 3, though. It only got a score of 2 over 5 in our in-lab breathability tests.
Pros
- Incredibly good traction
- A lot of court feel
- Accommodates orthotics
- Comfortable wraparound fit
- Sufficiently supportive
- Wide platform for stability
- Great for centres and guards
- Affordable
Cons
- A bit weighty
- Not the most breathable
- Poor upper durability
Adidas basketball shoes with the best value
What makes it the best?
Sold for only $95 a pair, the Dame Certified from Adidas is certainly one of the more affordable kicks out there (average price is $134). But the goodness that it offers does not stop at its price. This Adidas hoop shoe also delivers a lot of stability, support, and durability. Because of all these benefits, we consider this model as the Adidas shoe with the most value.
The shoe’s stability is ensured by its pretty wide platform. Our caliper measured its platform to be 120.1 mm wide at the forefoot when the average is only 114.0 mm. It is also a bit wider than the average at the heel, 95.6 mm vs 91.7. The extra space provides allowances for splays during harsh movements.
The lockdown is also worth noting. Its heel counter got a 4 out of 5 for stiffness. We felt its secure grasp around the rearfoot at all times.
Our Dremel in the lab was no match for the sturdiness of the Adidas Dame Certified. Its heel padding and upper materials got a perfect 5 and a 4 respectively for being so resistant to abrasion during our tests. We have no doubt that this shoe lasts long.
A serious letdown was the breathability of the upper. It only got a 1 out of 5 during our smoke test. And the toastiness that we had to endure during the test games was so real!
Pros
- Highly dependable grip
- Nice mix between court feel and impact protection
- High-quality materials
- Incredibly durable structure and outsole
- Great stability and ankle support
- Bounce midsole
- Comfortable and stylish
- For outdoor use
- Affordable
Cons
- Not breathable at all
- Not for those with wide feet
- Heel slippage
Adidas signature basketball shoes
Let’s face it: no matter how versatile a basketball shoe is claimed to be, it’s never bound to please everybody. There will always be cushioning that is too hard or a material too flimsy; it all depends on the wearer’s physique and style of play.
Good thing that Adidas has four signature athletes that buyers can easily compare their profiles and playstyles against. Simply put, if a buyer’s descriptions match that of say, James Harden, then Harden shoes are probably the ones for him.
James Harden |
Donovan Mitchell |
Damian Lillard |
Derrick Rose |
|
Profile |
6’5” 220 lbs Shooting/Point Guard |
6’3” 215 lbs Shooting Guard |
6’3” 195 lbs Point Guard |
6’3” 190 lbs Point Guard |
Playstyle |
focuses on quick footwork to trick defenders and create space |
similar to Dame’s and Wade’s shiftiness and drives. |
reliant on quick direction and speed changes and quick runs to the basket |
does a lot of jumps and on-court acrobatics |
All four of Adidas’s signature athletes are guards. Hence, their shoes are expected to pay particular focus on court feel and responsiveness to accommodate guards’ quick direction changes and sprints to the basket.
However, signature shoes for James Harden and Derrick Rose might be a bit friendlier to big men. Harden is himself a really big man, so it’s necessary to add a bit of cushion in the fray. Though Rose is relatively small, his acrobatics-infused jumpshots necessitate additional cushioning for more pronounced impact protection.
Adidas non-signature shoes: What are they good for?
Like Nike and Jordan, Adidas also resurrects old hoop shoes. One of the most notable is the Adidas Pro Model 2G. It is a reprise of a 2000s favorite, and its wearers include the then high school sensation LeBron James.
Aside from performance retros and sought-after basketball shoes for James Harden, Derrick Rose, Damian Lillard, and Donovan Mitchell, Adidas also has newly minted non-signature offers in its roster. They are often cheaper, so they are more appealing to a lot of buyers. Presented below are the two most noteworthy.
Adidas N3xt L3v3l
The N3XT L3V3L series is quite unique because of their laceless construction. Shoes from this line aim to be the most supportive without adding so much weight and bulk. The collection’s 2021 release features a data-driven Futurenatural construction to further ensure a secure and streamlined foot lockdown.
What sets the best Adidas basketball shoes apart
Adidas always gives Nike and other brands a run for their money because the Three Stripes take competition very seriously. Their product development labs are always busy producing shoe technologies that give Adidas hoop shoes their unique mark.
Cushioning technologies
Technology |
Description |
Adiprene |
Composed of specially developed EVA, Adiprene absorbs shock and provides sufficient energy return. |
Adiprene+ |
An enhanced version of Adiprene, Adiprene+ provides more energy rebound without sacrificing comfort. |
Boost |
Boost is made of thousands of expanded TPU particles. It provides energy return, comfort, durability, flexibility, and utility in a wide range of weather conditions. |
Bounce |
Bounce is firmer than Boost. It is infused with anti-collision protectors to maintain its integrity. |
Cloudfoam |
Cloudfoam is made of an EVA compound, making it plush and lightweight. It relieves pressure just like memory foam. |
Lightstrike |
Made of “super light” materials, Lighstrike aims to provide the perfect balance of impact protection and responsiveness. |
Upper technologies
Futurenatural |
Futurenatural is an innovative data-driven process that involves the production of a seamless one-piece upper for the best fit. This is first used on the Harden Vol. 5. |
Primeknit |
A Primeknit upper is purposefully knitted as a single piece to minimize stitching and gluing. It’s breathable and soft. |
Sprintframe |
Sprintframe is a light, supportive, and durable midfoot chassis. It is inspired by bridges’ ability to stably support massive weight. |
Sprintskin |
Made of durable synthetic, Sprintskin is designed to provide reinforcement and support for intense lateral movements. |
SprintWeb |
Sprintweb is a light, sturdy, and supportive structure used in the uppers of many Adidas performance models. |