When Michael Jordan entered the NBA, he already had a shoe deal in place. He wore Converse in college, at University of North Carolina, but was a big fan of Adidas. However, Adidas was not in a place to offer Michael Jordan the same deal Nike was able to give him ($500,000/year for his first 5 years in the league). So he ended up signing with Nike and not long after, created the iconic Air Jordan brand.
During the early 80’s, Nike changed the way sneakers were used in the NBA and was even banned from being worn in the league because of their shoe colors not matching the team uniforms. But that did not stop the Nike revolution and they paid the fine, made a commercial, and continued selling the Air Jordans at a rate that was never seen before. Nike was worth around $1 billion dollars in 1985 and $100 of it came from the Air Jordan franchise. In 2016, the Jordan brand reported a revenue of $2.8 billion.
Thanks to Nike and Michael Jordan, sneakers in the NBA have become their own fashion genre. Basketball sneakers have become so popular that people wear them without ever stepping foot on a basketball court, ever.
Some players can even end up signing a massive shoe endorsement deal without ever earning as much as an All-Star game appearance. “Big Country” Bryant Reeves (who actually had a deal with the same company, Warner Bros., that gave us Bugs Bunny and Wil E. Coyote), Bobby Hurley, John Wallace, Matthew Dellavedova, and Jimmer Fredette all had shoe endorsement deals and we all know about their NBA careers.
LaVar Ball continues to anger all of the wrong people around the world of basketball, with his ridiculous brand and antics. However he has given us an idea to create a list of the Coolest Basketball Sneakers of All-Time. Enjoy.
50) Hakeem The Dream
- Year: 1995
- Brand: Spalding
- Colors: Black/White/Red
- Made Famous By: Hakeem Olajuwon
49) Shox BB4
- Year: 2000
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/Silver/Lapis
- Made Famous By: Vince Carter
48) Big Fundamental
- Year: 2010
- Brand: adidas
- Colors: Black/Running White/Metallic Silver
- Made Famous By: Tim Duncan
47) Melo M10
- Year: 2014
- Brand: Jordan
- Colors: Dark Powder Blue/Team Orange
- Made Famous By: Carmelo Anthony
46) adiZero Rose 2
- Year: 2010
- Brand: adidas
- Colors: Black/Red/White
- Made Famous By: Derrick Rose
45) Answer IV
- Year: 2000
- Brand: Reebok
- Colors: Black/White
- Made Famous By: Allen Iverson
44) Jabbar Hi
- Year: 1971
- Brand: adidas
- Colors: Blue/White
- Made Famous By: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
43) Curry 2.5
- Year: 2016
- Brand: Under Armour
- Colors: Team Royal, Midnight Navy
- Made Famous By: Stephen Curry
42) Air Zoom Huarache 2K4
- Year: 2004
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Navy Blue/White
- Made Famous By: Kobe Bryant
41) Jordan 12 Retro “The Master”
- Year: 2016
- Brand: Jordan
- Colors: Black/White/Metallic Gold
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
40) Aero Jam
- Year: 1992
- Brand: Converse
- Colors: Black/White/Multi-Colored
- Made Famous By: Larry Johnson
39) Crazy 8 “University Red”
- Year: 2013
- Brand: adidas
- Colors: Red/White/Black
- Made Famous By: Damian Lillard
38) Jordan 11 Retro “Space Jam”
- Year: 2016
- Brand: Jordan
- Colors: Black/Concord White
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
37) Shaq Attaq
- Year: 1993
- Brand: Reebok
- Colors: White/Azure Steel/Black
- Made Famous By: Shaquille O’Neal
36) Air More Uptempo
- Year: 1996
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/White
- Made Famous By: Scottie Pippen
35) Answer I
- Year: 1997
- Brand: Reebok
- Colors: Black/White/Metallic Gold/Red
- Made Famous By: Allen Iverson
34) KB8
- Year: 1997
- Brand: adidas
- Colors: Black/White
- Made Famous By: Kobe Bryant
33) Air Penny I
- Year: 1995
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/Royal Blue/White
- Made Famous By: Penny Hardaway
32) Air Jordan XIII
- Year: 1997
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/Varsity Red
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
31) Zoom Flight V
- Year: 1997
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/White/Royal Blue
- Made Famous By: Jason Kidd
30) T-Mac 2
- Year: 2002
- Brand: adidas
- Colors: White/Royal Blue
- Made Famous By: Tracy McGrady
29) Puma Clyde’s
- Year: 1973
- Brand: Puma
- Colors: Royal Blue/White
- Made Famous By: Walt Frazier
28) Air Jordan IV
- Year: 1989
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Fire Red/White/Black
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
27) Air Garnett III
- Year: 1999
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: White/Black/Blue
- Made Famous By: Kevin Garnett
26) Air Max2 CB34
- Year: 1994
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/White/Purple
- Made Famous By: Charles Barkley
25) Kobe V
- Year: 2010
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Metallic Silver/Black Ice
- Made Famous By: Kobe Bryant
24) Flight ’98 “The Glove”
- Year: 1998
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/Red/White
- Made Famous By: Gary Payton
23) Air Max LeBron VII
- Year: 2009
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Team Red/Black/Metallic Silver
- Made Famous By: LeBron James
22) Shaqnosis
- Year: 1992
- Brand: Reebok
- Colors: White/Black
- Made Famous By: Shaquille O’Neal
21) D Rose 4.5
- Year: 2014
- Brand: adidas
- Colors: Clear Grey/Light Scarlet/Dark Onyx
- Made Famous By: Derrick Rose
20) Air Jordan XII
- Year: 1996
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: White/Black
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
19) Air Max Uptempo
- Year: 1995
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: White/Black
- Made Famous By: Scottie Pippen
18) Kamikaze II
- Year: 1995
- Brand: Reebok
- Colors: White/Black/Racing Green
- Made Famous By: Shawn Kemp
17) Air Zoom Generation
- Year: 2003
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/White/Varsity Crimson
- Made Famous By: LeBron James
16) Kobe IV
- Year: 2009
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/Concord Blue/Gold
- Made Famous By: Kobe Bryant
15) Flightposite II KG
- Year: 2000
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black
- Made Famous By: Kevin Garnett
14) Zoom KD 4 “Weatherman”
- Year: 2011
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Lush Green/Volt Black/Team Orange
- Made Famous By: Kevin Durant
13) Air Jordan I
- Year: 1985
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/Varsity Red
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
12) Pump
- Year: 1989
- Brand: Reebok
- Colors: White/Blue/Orange
- Made Famous By: Dominique Wilkins
11) Air Jordan VI
- Year: 1991
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: White/Fire Red
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
10) Kyrie 3
- Year: 2017
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: White/Chrome
- Made Famous By: Kyrie Irving
9) Air Foamposite I
- Year: 1997
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Dark Neon Royal/White/Black
- Made Famous By: Penny Hardaway
8) Kobe VIII
- Year: 2013
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Orange/Galaxy/White
- Made Famous By: Kobe Bryant
7) Air Jordan V
- Year: 1990
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: White/Fire Red
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
6) Question
- Year: 1996
- Brand: Reebok
- Colors: White/Red Pearl
- Made Famous By: Allen Iverson
5) Grant Hill’s
- Year: 1995
- Brand: FILA
- Colors: White/Royal Blue/Red
- Made Famous By: Grant Hill
4) LeBron VIII
- Year: 2010
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: Black/White/Red
- Made Famous By: LeBron James
3) Air Jordan XI
- Year: 1995
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: White/Black/Dark Concord
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
2) Weapon “Magic”
- Year: 1986
- Brand: Converse
- Colors: Purple/Gold/White
- Made Famous By: Magic Johnson
1) Air Jordan III
- Year: 1988
- Brand: Nike
- Colors: White/Cement Grey/Fire Red
- Made Famous By: Michael Jordan
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