7 Best Nike Basketball Shoes in 2024
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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 these basketball shoes in our lab, where we measured their outsole durability, flexibility, and heel counter stiffness, and we tested them on the courts. Thanks to this dual approach, we were able to select the cream of the crop for various categories.
How we test basketball shoes
If you would like to know what happens behind our comprehensive reviews and top-pick recommendations, read below:
- We buy all the shoes with our own money. We have no sponsorships or contracts with the brands. This allows us to publish bias-free, in-depth reviews.
- We play basketball in these shoes, both indoors and outdoors. The main features we observe and examine are grip, spring, lateral support, and lockdown.
- In our lab, we use a saw to cut the shoes in half and then other devices like callipers, durometers, a smoke machine and a force gauge to assign data points to different shoe features.
Best Nike basketball shoes overall
What makes it the best?
Choosing the best model overall is not an easy task, yet the LeBron 21 and its wonderful performance made it easy for us to give it the gold medal in this category. This shoe’s balanced features and fantastic playability work in harmony to make it a wonderful all-rounder.
We could feel its amazing durability not only during our rough games (in and outdoors) but also in our lab tests. We grabbed our Dremel and it could barely scratch the toebox (earning a 5/5 in durability) and the outsole (which ended up with a minimal dent of 0.5 mm according to our tread gauge). This is thanks to its high-quality materials, which make a very supportive structure. This translated into confidence and surefootedness in our wear tests, two key features for basketball.
The LB 21 also includes a Zoom Turbo unit in the forefoot and a Zoom Air unit in the heel of its Cushlon midsole. These technologies offer a mix of shock absorption, powerful toe-offs, and bounciness. Added to its low stack (at 26.6/22.4 mm according to our calliper), which offers a close-to-the-ground contact, this created a fantastic balance between shock absorption, response, and move control.
This model’s premium design offers an efficiently balanced cushioning system. But that can be easily seen in its skyrocketed price, which might be a drawback for budget-conscious hoopers.
Pros
- Wonderful performance overall
- Amazing cushioning technologies
- Nice bounce and shock absorption
- High-quality materials
- Great stability and supportive design
- Good twist resistance
- Effective grip
- Eye-catching style
Cons
- Not breathable
- Rough and long break-in period
- Pricey
Nike basketball shoes with the best traction
What makes it the best?
After hours and hours of testing the Nike KD 17 in our lab and on the court, our data and feet have reached an agreement: it's the Nike basketball pair with the best traction we’ve reviewed so far.
We found the wavy pattern of its outsole pretty grippy on every surface. We always try shoes on outdoor and indoor courts, and the KD 17 showed consistent traction on both! Even if the surface was dusty, this Nike pair bit like crazy. Consequently, cuts and layups were a piece of cake.
Its bottom demonstrated it's ready to last after its battle with our Dremel. What makes this shoe the best is that its incredible traction comes from a hard rubber compound. Our durometer returned 87.1 HC (a score higher than average), which means this shoe's outsole works like a strong armour!
What might not fit everyone is the narrow and stiff design it has. After our lab and wear tests, we don't believe it's suitable for wide feet.
Pros
- Wonderful support and foot containment
- Cushioned heel and snappy forefoot
- Very padded and comfortable
- Strong and consistent grip in every surface
- Way more breathable than average
- Okay to play streetball from time to time
- Nice court feel
- Toe-drag protection
Cons
- Not for wide feet
- Upper could be more durable
- Opening might be too wide
Nike basketball shoes with the best cushioning
What makes it the best?
The Nike G.T. Jump 2 made sure we learnt about its heavenly cushioning not only during our wear tests, but also in our lab. This hooper focuses on impact protection, soft landings, and even energy return. That's why it's got the crown among our Nike basketball shoes with the best cushioning.
At 35.6/29.2 mm, its heel and forefoot stacks are impressively high. Whenever we jumped, be it going for a rebound or even fadeaways, our landings felt effortless and stable. These Nikes took all the impact harshness thanks to their dynamic cushioning and dual-density foam, and we kept our balance thanks to the stability features we found once we cut the shoe in half.
Even before we took the G.T. Jump 2 to our lab, we already knew its midsole was the main character. We felt it was soft, stable, and responsive, which is an amazing yet uncommon combination. It features a generous amount of Nike React foam in the heel, which is 60% plusher than average (at 16.0 HA according to our durometer), accompanied by a firmer EVA foam (at 36.6 HA). The first one protected your joints from tough landings, and the second one made sure we didn't lose balance. The finishing touch is a full-length Zoom Air strobel, which makes its ride responsive.
We felt this model was made for centres, as it sacrifices court feel and weight to add shock absorption. We believe quick guards should go for a more agile pair.
Pros
- Extra powerful energy return
- Outstanding impact protection
- Dependable grip on clean courts
- Solid support and stability
- Very secure foothold
- Highly breathable upper
- Fits to a T
Cons
- Zero court feel
- Not for outdoor courts
- Heavier than average
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 calliper 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 calliper 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
- Very stable overall
- Great lockdown and containment
- Zoom Air unit in the forefoot
- Springy and bouncy
- Pretty good court feel on a low profile
- Feels speedy on foot
- Amazing grip
- Really versatile (positionless)
Cons
- Not the most supportive
- Outsole lacks durability
Nike basketball shoes with the best comfort
What makes it the best?
Our feet enjoyed the incredible comfort of the G.T. Hustle 3 right off the bat even before our lab results could verify it. When we cut it in half, we saw its generously padded interior and stunning midsole. So we needed no further evidence to declare this pair guilty of providing the best comfort among the Nike basketball shoes we’ve reviewed so far.
Its midsole offered us fantastic impact protection and bounce during our wear tests. When we took this pair to our lab and divided it into two halves, we could see it featured multiple Nike technologies. Its two Zoom Air units gave us incredibly soft landings after jumping, as well as energy return. And its soft foam translated into shock absorption and forgiving cushioning, which made the ride incredibly comfortable.
Apart from being padded all over, the G.T. Hustle 3 features an 8.2 mm insole, according to our calliper. It’s an incredible 44% thicker than average, levelling up its already cushioned and comfortable self.
But all these cloud-like features have a price. If you don't want to spend your savings on a new hooper, we believe you should go for something else.
Pros
- Full of Nike leading technologies
- Wonderful impact protection and bounce
- Great heel counter support
- Lightweight design
- Incredibly breathable
- Fantastic traction
- Good upper durability
- Generously padded interiors
- Pretty comfortable
Cons
- No ground feel
- Might feel unsafe for light players
- Expensive
Best Nike basketball shoes for outdoor courts
What makes it the best?
The Nike Cosmic Unity 3 is undoubtedly an outdoor-worthy shoe, so it easily takes the crown as the best for outdoors among Nike’s basketball shoes. The enhanced court feel and stability that the midsole afforded made our experience with it even better.
The outsole rubber registers a good 86.5 on the HC durometer when the average is only 81.5. This means that the rubber is hard and is able to withstand abrasion. True enough, the shoe easily endured the harshness of outdoor play during our actual game tests.
Many of us play as guards, and the court feel that this shoe delivered during our test games allowed us to be quicker on our feet. In the lab, our calliper showed that the stack height of this shoe is only 27.9 mm at the heel and 20.7 mm at the forefoot. These figures are 2.1 mm and 0.9 mm thinner than average. As a result, we felt much closer to the court surface while wearing this basketball shoe.
What made the experience better was the firmness of the tooling. Using our HA durometer, we learned that it is on the firmer side with a rating of 33.3 when the average is only 26.6. Aside from enhancing ground feel, the firm midsole also ensured stability.
The Cosmic Unity 3 is not a good pick for those who want a lot of tongue cushioning. The padding in this part of the shoe is only 4.9 mm thick, which makes it 4.5 mm thinner than average.
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
Best budget Nike basketball shoes
What makes it the best?
The Air Max Impact 4 is simply an amazing shoe. At £90 per pair, this model is way cheaper than average, which is priced as high as £140. Performance-wise, this basketball shoe delivers impressive lightness and flexibility. Yet, it doesn’t fall short when it comes to providing twist protection. Hence, it’s easy for us to declare this shoe as the best budget pick in Nike’s lineup.
At only 12.06 ounces or 342 grammes, this cheap basketball shoe is definitely a lot lighter than the typical hoop footwear (14.22 ounces or 403 grammes). When used on the court, these light kicks didn’t get in the way of our movements and strikes.
When it comes to flexibility, this shoe is not to be overlooked, either. Our digital force gauge in the lab showed that this shoe needs only 34.7N of force to be bent at 90 degrees. This number is significantly lower than the 40.9N required by a typical hoop shoe.
In spite of its lightness and flexibility, the Air Max Impact 4’s base never ran out of the needed rigidity to resist torsional twists. This shoe, instead, got a pretty high score of 4 out of 5 for torsional rigidity after we gave it a pretty good squeeze and twist in the lab.
The shoe’s stability, however, made us a little worried. Its platform, particularly the heel area, is way too narrow. The heel is only 82.5 mm wide when the average opens as much as 91.1 mm.
Pros
- Fantastic stability and support
- Quite springy
- Wide landing platform
- Incredible lock-in feel
- Pretty speedy on foot
- Great grip on any surface
- Super versatile (positionless)
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- Not for wide feet
- Not enough impact protection
- Not for streetball
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 fibres knit inside it for a more perfect balance of responsiveness and impact protection |
|
Lunarlon |
Special foam, bouncier and 30% lighter than phylon |
|
Vapormax |
Air packets that are put directly beneath known pressure points for a more targeted and efficient cushioning |
|
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 |
|
Battleknit |
Flyknit innovation for LeBron James that becomes increasingly stiff at the midfoot where stability is most needed |
|
Knitposite |
First used on LeBrons shoes, this is basically Flyknit infused with heat-moulded 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 trainers 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 colour. 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.