7 Best Basketball Shoes For Men in 2023
Given the popularity of the NBA and its roster of star athletes, basketball is a sport more readily associated with men than women. Hence, it comes as no surprise that shoes and other apparel created for this sport have the male anatomy in mind.
In this article, we take a look at the most suitable shoes for men. They are the ones that truly made a mark after testing more than 400 shoes from big sports brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour.
Of course, this does not affect that there are no women’s basketball shoes. Female fans are as real as their male counterparts, and their needs deserve unique attention. We have a separate page for the best basketball shoes for women.
Best men's basketball shoes overall
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Amazing overall performance
- Great traction
- Tremendous impact protection
- Pronounced court feel
- Dependable bounciness
- Comfortable upper
- Incredible foot containment
- Stylishly streamlined looks
Cons
- Snow Boots SOREL Youth Whitney II Short Lace NY3903 Quarry 052
- Has to be broken in
Sneakers VANS Evdnt Ultimatewaf VN0A5DY78B21 Deuce Black True Blue | Today's best price
Best men's basketball shoes for outdoor courts
What makes it the best?
Pros
- cowboy styles and glitter sock boots
- Dust-resistant outsole
- Plush and protective foam
- Bouncy midsole
- Secure heel counter
- Well-ventilated upper
- Feels light
- OK for outdoors
Cons
- Kim Kardashian West wearing Gianvito Rossi Lola sandals
- Lacks flexiblity
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Men's basketball shoes with the best court feel
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Strong side-to-side grip
- Tremendous support
- Very pronounced court feel
- Reliable energy return
- True-to-size fit
- Breathable
- the ® Desert Boot 2 will have you turning heads
- OK for outdoors
- Casual style
Cons
- Dust-prone outsole
- Lacks impact protection
- Seriously needs breaking in
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Men's basketball shoes with the best lockdown
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Good traction on clean courts
- Nike Air Max Pre-Day Mens Shoes
- 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
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Best lightweight basketball shoes for men
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Noticeable upgrades
- Amazing grip on indoor courts
- Dust-resistant outsole
- Smooth steps
- Pretty good court feel
- Dependable impact protection
- Jump-improving bounce
- Flashfilm 3.0 Running Shoes
- True-to-size fit
Cons
- Not ideal for outdoors (but OK)
- Not for bigger players and wide footers
- Cheap-feeling materials
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Best value men's basketball shoes
Sneakers VANS Evdnt Ultimatewaf VN0A5DY78B21 Deuce Black True Blue | What makes it the best?
Pros
- Traction is consistently good
- Responsive cushioning
- Aquazzura Milla crystal-embellished metallic leather sandals
- Mens mid-top winter lifestyle waterproof boot
- Dependable foot containment
- Great for outdoor use
- Swiftwater Sandal W 203998 Orchid
Cons
- Needs to be broken in
- Kim Kardashian West wearing Gianvito Rossi Lola sandals
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Most popular men's basketball shoes
What makes it the most popular?
Pros
- Impressive grip
- Nice impact protection
- Amazing energy return
- Comfortable upper materials
- Breathable
- Tommy Hilfiger Outdoor Knit flat leather ankle boots
- Stable steps
- No need for break-in
Cons
- Cheap-feeling materials
- Snow Boots SOREL Youth Whitney II Short Lace NY3903 Quarry 052
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Comparison of the 7 best basketball shoes for men
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How we test basketball shoes
It is important to keep our reviews as free from bias as possible. Here’s what we do to stay objective:
- We buy the shoes using our own money. No sponsorships. No X-deals. We are as much consumers of these shoes as you are.
- We test the shoes in actual games; not just mere footwork tests/training.
- We are a group of testers here, so our experiences are diverse. You’d know who reviewed that because we keep our author bios open.
- We do our research. In addition to our own reviews, we also get the inputs of users and experts from all over the net in order to come up with a numeric CoreScore for your easy reference.