7 Best Adidas Basketball Shoes in 2025

Our wear and lab tests have showed us the Harden Vol. 9 deserves the throne as the best Adidas basketball shoes we've reviewed so far. This top performer offers wonderful support and cushioning in a pretty breathable and durable structure. Which, trust us, don’t usually come together!

During our games, our feet didn't sweat even if we had been playing for a while. We understood why when this Adidas pair got a fantastic 4/5 on our breathability test. This came as a very pleasant surprise, because its solid upper managed to score two wonderful 4/5 on our toebox and heel padding durability tests. Sturdiness and ventilation are often incompatible, but not here!

Underfoot, we enjoyed a comfortable and snappy Lightstrike foam that protected us from ground impacts. Our durometer returned a soft 21.0 HA when we analysed it, which works hand in hand with the structural shank we found at the midfoot.

Last but not least, even though we absolutely loved the traction levels and pattern of the Harden Vol. 9, we need to let you know that it didn't work well on dusty courts.

The Dame 9 has managed to climb up the ladder of all our Adidas basketball shoes and earn its rightful spot as the one with the best shock absorption. It wasn't only our wear tests that confirmed it, but also our lab analyses after cutting this shoe in half!

Even though, according to our calliper, its stack height is lower than average at 27.8/20.1 mm (heel and forefoot, respectively), we never thought it lacked cushioning. In fact, its Lighstrike foam felt pretty good underfoot. Our shock absorption test confirms this with an above-average 105 SA score, which means it's able to soften landings better. 

The impact protection of the Dame 9 worked in harmony with a midfoot shank that offered some extra structure. This piece and the high torsional rigidity (5/5) and heel counter stiffness (4/5) of the shoe added some very welcome surefootness to a soft ride.

Nevertheless, people looking for a nimble and quick hooper might be disappointed. When we put the Dame 9 on our scale, it returned 14.71 oz/417g, which is higher than average.

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 calliper 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.

We test every hooper for hours and hours not only in the lab, but also at the court! That’s why we can totally and absolutely assure you the D.O.N. Issue 6 is the basketball shoe with the best traction we’ve tested.

As a fellow hooper, you’ll definitely agree with us on this one: feeling safe and surefooted is crucial. And that was exactly how we felt with this Adidas on! Backdoor cuts, crossover steps, shot fakes… no matter how aggressive or daring we were with our moves, the Issue 6 had our backs. Its grip levels felt godlike, and our controlled traction test at the lab confirmed it. With an insanely high score of 0.99, it didn’t care if the court was dusty or brand new.

But Adidas knew we’d need a supportive structure to enjoy this shoe’s traction to the fullest. And it delivered! For a start, it features a fully gusseted tongue that kept our feet in place. But the thing is that it also has a really tough structure: it scored a 4/5 on our heel counter test and a perfect 5/5 on our torsional rigidity test. The containment we felt was just delightful, and the thought of twisting an ankle never crossed our minds!

The issue here (no pun intended) is that this grippy beast requires a break-in period before its tough structure warms up to you.

At £100 per pair (the average is £140), 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 calliper, 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.

Our wear and lab tests have reached an agreement: the Anthony Edwards 1 Low is the Adidas basketball shoe with the best value for money. After hours of research, we found out it comes with loads of advantages for a very fair price.

Its solid upper scored two wonderful 4/5 on our durability tests, and our Dremel had a hard time even with its outsole, which ended up with a dent of only 0.8 mm. In summary, this hooper is made to last! The best part is that this didn't completely jeopardise breathability, as the Anthony Edwads 1 managed to score 3/5 on our smoke test.

With a 5/5 on both our torsional rigidity and heel counter stiffness tests, this hooper reached a whole new level of containment. The midfoot shank we found on its dual-density cushioning also offered some extra structure. Our duromer confirmed it, as it returned 31.0 HA when we measured its Lightboost foam (heel) and 36 HA when we analysed the carrier Lightstrike, as both these readings are pretty firm.

Nevertheless, if you're looking for a nimble hooper, this ain't it. When we took this Adidas to our lab, our scale returned 15.77 oz/447g, which is higher than average.

Even though there are many casual pairs that show off their basketball looks, the Forum Low has made it all the way up to our top as the best off-court sneaker. Its retro look is ready not only to conquer everyone’s hearts, but also everyone's feet!

This Adidas ex-hooper has brought back the original silhouette from the 80s, keeping the old-school velcro strap that added extra points to our style and its overall support. In fact, it scored a 4/5 on both our torsional rigidity and heel counter stiffness tests, which makes it structured enough to feel surefooted but not to the point of making it uncomfortable. We validated this in our bend test when it emerged 21.9% more flexible than average, which makes it even more comfortable.

But that’s not all: this model also inherits the wonderful durability of its hardwood pals! It managed to get a 5/5 and a 4/5 on our toebox and heel padding durability tests, flaunting its real leather design, which is something we would have never guessed due to its affordable price tag.

Nevertheless, even though we found this Adidas pair really comfortable for our daily tasks, it’s heavier than average. At 16.40 oz/465g, it definitely doesn’t feel like a couple of feathers.