7 Best Adidas Basketball Shoes in 2023

Dimitrije Curcic
Dimitrije Curcic on
7 Best Adidas Basketball Shoes in 2023
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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!

We got our hands on over 30 pairs of Adidas basketball and we played in each of them so we can really discern what each shoe features on and off the court. 

Best Adidas basketball shoes overall

What makes it the best?

Nimble guards and big players are going to have lots of fun playing in Adidas Harden Vol. 7 shoes. This basketball shoe's design effectively ensures control, energy return, and confidence. Hence, it does not come as a surprise that many players consider this one of the best shoes from Adidas in recent months.

Pros

  • Super amazing traction on dustless courts
  • Heel-to-toe transition is smooth
  • Well-pronounced court feel
  • Fairly dependable impact protection
  • Comfortable and supportive heel area
  • Very good overall containment
  • Laces offers exceptional lockdown
  • True-to-size fit
  • Easy to put on and take off

Cons

  • Ventilation has to be improved
  • Not the best for outdoor use
  • Shoe is on the heavier side
Full review of Adidas Harden Vol. 7

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Men
Women
Any color
Better Scarlet/Core Black/Better Scarlet (GW4464)

Adidas basketball shoes with the best cushioning

What makes it the best?

The Adidas Trae Young 2 is arguably better than the one that came before it, and this makes it a shoe that is definitely worth buying. Those who want to make the best out of their purchases are going to have fun with this, as well. Aside from being a performance beast on the court, this shoe also has the looks that make it suitable for casual use. When you get this, it's like getting two shoes for the price of one.

Pros

  • Amazing traction
  • Smooth heel-to-toe transition
  • Comfortable upper
  • Underfoot plushness
  • Energy return
  • Excellent support and lockdown
  • Feels light
  • Fashionable appearance

Cons

  • Seriously hard to put on
  • Not the best for outdoors
  • Not for wide-footers
Full review of Adidas Trae Young 2

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Unisex
Any color
Bliss Pink/Core Black/Pulse Magenta (IE1667)
Legend Ink/Cloud White/Pulse Blue (ID2210)
Pulse Lilac/Shadow Navy/Impact Orange (H06483)
Core Black/Core Black/Team Solar Green (H06473)
Core Black/Better Scarlet/Off White (IF2163)
Footwear White/Core Black (H06477)
Sky Rush/Almost Blue/Pulse Blue (H06479)
Dash Grey/Halo Silver/Matte Silver (HQ0997)
More colors

Adidas basketball shoes with the best comfort

Adidas Dame 8
90
Superb!

What makes it the best?

The Adidas Dame 8 is another shoe from the Damian Lillard series that delivers on aspects that matter. It is supportive, bouncy, light, and offers a decent amount of court feel. However, it has serious issues with traction on dusty courts, which some players may consider as a deal-breaker.

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
Full review of Adidas Dame 8

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Unisex
Any color
White/Vivid Red/Core Black (GY0384)
Yellow Tint/Glory Purple/Signal Green (GY0383)
Black/White/Grey (GY6461)
Black/Maroon/Gold (GW1816)
Grey Three/Red/Core Black (HR1558)
White/Black/Grey (GY6462)
Core Black/Grey Six/Panther Cyan (GW4336)
signal cyan/silver metallic/shock cyan (GY6465)
More colors

Best Adidas basketball shoes for guards

What makes it the best?

The Adidas D.O.N. Issue #4 is definitely not a disappointing shoe. It delivers comfort while allowing its wearer to gain more control over their movements as they sprint toward the basket. Money spent on this gets maximized, too, because it looks good and can definitely be worn for day-to-day activities.

Pros

  • A great overall performer
  • Excellent traction on clean courts
  • Smooth transitions
  • Wraps around comfortably
  • Dependable foot containment
  • True to size
  • Fairly long-lasting
  • OK for outdoors
  • Fashionable colorways

Cons

  • Midsole bottoms out quickly
  • Has to be broken in
  • Feels bulky
Full review of Adidas D.O.N. Issue #4

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Unisex
Any color
Ftwr White/Grey One/Grey Two (GY6509)
Core Black/Ftwr White/Carbon (GY6505)
Team Navy Blue/White/Black (GY6506)
Team Victory Red/Core Black (GX6886)
Black/Carbon/Grey (GY6511)
Dash Grey/Bliss Lilac/Grey (GY6502)
Purple Rush Off White Clear Aqua (HR0710)
Off White/Off White/Clear Brown (HR1783)
More colors

Best budget Adidas basketball shoes

What makes it the best?

The Adidas Harden Stepback 3 is good news to those who want to perform beastly on the courts without slashing their pockets too much. This shoe's got the chops needed for fast and decisive movements toward the basket, making it a good partner for players who want to take the offense to the next level. It is arguably one of the best picks in its price range.

Pros

  • Excellent bite on the court
  • A lot of court feel
  • Good energy return
  • Comfortable wraparound
  • Sufficiently supportive
  • Ergonomic design
  • Fast break-in
  • Value for money

Cons

  • Not for outdoor use
  • Dust-prone outsole
  • Cheap-feeling materials
Full review of Adidas Harden Stepback 3

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Unisex
Any color
Negbás Toqgri Carbon (GY6416)
Core Black/Cloud White/Core Black (GY8630)
Limmag Negbás Negbás (GZ7241)
Ftwbla Narhaz Tincru (GW4215)
Ecru Tint/Altered Amber/Magic Lime (GY6415)
Oxiver Narhaz Casbla (GZ7240)
Core Black/Gold Metallic/Core Black (GY8631)
Team Solar Yellow/Team Shock Pink/Core Black (GY8634)
Bliss Pink/Team Real Magenta/Clear Pink (GY6417)

Best Adidas basketball shoes for outdoor courts

What makes it the best?

With a grip that works well on any court condition, the Adidas Pro Model 2G is well-received by basketball players, especially those who play the guard positions. Many are happy that this updated pair looks and performs just as well as the original Adidas Pro Model. Fans are delighted that these retro basketball sneakers are a steal for their price.

Pros

  • Superb comfort on & off the court
  • Clean & classic look
  • Reliable traction
  • Great cushioning
  • Excellent lockdown
  • Good for casual wear
  • Great for guard positions

Cons

    • Needs break-in
    • Narrow toe box
Full review of Adidas Pro Model 2G

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Unisex
Any color
Cloud White/Core Black/Cloud White (EF9824)
Core Black/White/Core Black (FW3670)
White (FW4344)
Team Dark Green/Gold Metallic/Cloud White (FW3664)
Orange (FV8384)
Gold (FV8922)

Adidas basketball shoes with the best value

What makes it the best?

Damian Lillard finally has a budget signature shoe, and it's making really good impressions. Besides the obvious pull of its affordability, the shoe is also able to attract a considerable following because of its on-court fighting ability. Players cannot deny the ease, comfort, and boost in confidence that this shoe makes them experience when they are in action. Now, is this worth a try? Definitely!

Pros

  • Surely a bang for the buck
  • Highly dependable grip
  • Good blend of court feel and cushioning
  • Great ankle support
  • Nice overall stability
  • High levels of comfort
  • Good quality materials for the price
  • Fashionable looks

Cons

  • Not for those with wide feet
  • Still needs to be broken in
Full review of Adidas Dame Certified

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Unisex
Any color
Team Royal Blue Ftwr White Core Black (ID1811)
Better Scarlet Ftwr White Core Black (HR0728)
Court Green Core Black Ftwr White (ID1808)
Ftwbla Rojint Toqgri (GY8965)
Ftwr White Core Black Purple Rush (ID1810)
Crystal White/Team Dark Green/Team Collage Gold (HQ3885)
Rojo Rojbri Tmpwrd (GY2443)

Comparison of the 7 best Adidas basketball shoes

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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.

adidas-dame-7-profile-picture.jpg

Example: Adidas Dame 7 from the Damian Lilliard collection

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 Marquee Boost

The first Marquee Boost debuted in late 2018. It immediately became one of the most talked about mid-top basketball shoes because of its use of one of Adidas’s most prized technologies: Boost. 

Marquee Boost and its low-top version focus on balancing court feel and impact protection. The forefoot is made a little firmer to provide much needed response and court feel.  The good old plushness of Boost is retained in the rear area to provide ample cushioning for heel strikes.

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.

adidas-dame-7-ontop-view.jpg

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.

 

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. 
Author
Dimitrije Curcic
Dimitrije Curcic

Dimitrije Curcic has been playing basketball for over 22 years. Like Manu Ginobili, he’s a left-hander whose moves led him to a better career-shooting percentage than the Argentine himself. After playing professionally for 10 years, Dimitrije moved to coaching for two seasons before he became a basketball statistician for StatScore, and FanSided contributor for the San Antonio Spurs. Dimitrije loves to tell hoop stories through numbers and graphics and has been featured on Fansided, FiveThirtyEight, Eurohoops, and TalkBasket among the others.