We’ve all been there: you’re at the gym and want to play basketball. But then you realize you don’t have the right shoes for it. Or maybe you just don’t know what kind of shoes will help you play better.
Well, we’re here to help. In this blog post, we’ll tell you about the best shoes for indoor basketball and how to choose them!
Best Shoes For Indoor Basketball
The Best Basketball Shoes to Dominate the Court
Basketball is one of the most popular sports for both serious athletes and casual sports enthusiasts alike. Whether you’re looking to play competitively, join a recreational sports league or simply play some pickup basketball with your friend, it’s very important to choose the right basketball sneakers before you hit the court. Basketball is a sport of footwork and the shoes you wear have a massive impact on both your safety and performance on the court. The best basketball shoe for you will vary based on your position, play style and budget preferences.
In this guide, we’ll tell you exactly what you need to look for and share our favorite picks.
Best Basketball Shoes for Guards: Puma Fusion Nitro Basketball Shoes
Key Features
- Built with Puma’s NITRO FOAM–which is engineered to provide superior responsiveness and cushioning as you play–these shoes are comfortable, without decreasing your stability or foot control.
- Puma’s FUZIONFIT adaptive compression band provides extra lockdown support around the midfoot, keeping your foot securely locked in place while changing direction quickly–essential for any guard.
- The outer sole is coated in durable rubber, providing extra protection against both indoor and outdoor surfaces. These shoes are built to last.
Pros:
- The FUZIONFIT compression band keeps your foot securely in place, minimizing side-to-side movement within the shoe. This is essential for all positions, but for guards in particular.
- The durable outer sole will hold up well even with outdoor use, so these shoes should last a long time compared to thinner, smaller models.
- The low-top design provides maximum ankle mobility and responsiveness, making this a perfect choice for point guards and shooting guards.
Cons:
- Power forwards, centers or those who prefer more ankle support may not like the low-cut design.
- The shoes are only available in men’s sizing and while women can order 1.5 sizes down, there isn’t an option specifically designed for women.
Best Basketball Shoes for Flat Feet: adidas Dame 8
Key Features
- Damian Lillard’s signature sneaker is made in part with recycled materials, so adidas had sustainability in mind when creating these.
- The mid-cut design and cushioning made these a comfortable fit for those with flat feet, who need some extra cushioning to minimize foot pain.
Pros:
- adidas’ Bounce Pro midsole is designed to provide a comfortable, yet responsive shoe that can be worn by any player on the court.
- adidas uses recycled materials in part of the shoe.
- At the time of writing, these are Lillard’s newest model of shoe, which means they come in a wide variety of colors with more color options being released throughout the year.
Cons:
- The shoes are quite cushioned, so if you prefer a less-cushioned shoe that’s a bit more responsive, you may need a lighter option.
- Some reviews said the traction may suffer a bit when playing outdoors, so these are best for those who primarily play on indoor courts.
Best Basketball Shoes for Ankle Support: New Balance Two WXY V2
Key Features
- High-top heels and New Balance’s ABZORB cushioning provide a secure, cushioned fit for any player. Those who want the most ankle support possible will love the high-cut design, which will help keep your ankle securely locked in place.
- The sole features FuelCell foam, which claims to deliver a “propulsive feel to help drive you forward.” This is the same technology New Balance developed for their line of running shoes and many reviewers enjoy the feeling while running up the court.
- The upper portion of the shoe is designed with a breathable Fit Weave Lite, designed to stretch and move with your body.
Pros:
- The high cut and Fit Weave Lite provide ankle stability, without being too restrictive.
- The shoes are specifically designed to have maximum shock absorption and cushioning, to keep you comfortable and supported on any surface.
- Available in both men’s and women’s designs, these shoes come in a wide variety of colors to match any preference.
Cons:
- The shoes are wide and cushiony, so if you prefer a lighter, smaller shoe, this may not be the best choice for you.
- Some reviews said the traction may suffer a bit when playing outdoors, so these are best for those who primarily play on indoor courts.
Best Cheap Basketball Shoes: Reebok More Buckets Basketball Shoes
Key Features
- At only $75, these shoes aren’t the flashiest, but they’re well-designed and will keep your feet safe and secure while playing basketball.
- The mid-cut design makes them versatile enough for any player and any position. They aren’t designed to specialize in one style of play.
Pros:
- The mid-cut is can be used for any style of play.
- Reviewers say they are lightweight and comfortable with good traction, perfect for indoor courts.
- At only $75, this is a great deal for basketball shoes.
- The retro design is simple and timeless, perfect for basketball players of any age.
Cons:
- The shoes only come in three colors and all of them are white with a splash of color. These shoes would be tough to keep clean if you’re regularly playing outdoor games.
- If you prefer a low-cut shoe, you may find the mid-cut to be a little too restrictive.
Best Low Top Basketball Shoe: Under Armour UA Flow FUTR X 2
Key Features
- Specifically designed for maximum mobility, agility and support while changing directions, these low-top shoes are a great pick for any point guards, shooting guards and small forwards who value speed over stability.
- The UA Flow outsole is designed to help you “feel” the court better, especially when quickly changing directions and speeds.
- The cushioning is rubber-free to keep the shoe as light as possible.
Pros:
- The mid-cut is a good choice for any style of play.
- Extremely lightweight, high-traction rubber outside is designed to support players who utilize speed and agility.
- The upper portion is made with a mesh design that allows maximum airflow to keep you comfortable during long games.
Cons:
- The low-cut design may not provide enough support for those who need more stability or have a history of ankle issues.
- No dedicated mid-foot support means that you may experience less stability when performing quick lateral movements, especially if you’re used to the extra midfoot support provided by other models.
Best Basketball Shoes for Wide Feet: Nike Cosmic Unity 2
Key Features
- The Cosmic Unity 2 features a full-length Zoom Strobel, which sits between your foot and the bottom cushioning, providing improved stability and minimizing foot fatigue. If your foot was directly on the cushioned sole, the stabilizer muscles would constantly be working to keep you balanced. The Zoom Stroble provides stability, without taking away from the shock absorption.
- The mid-cut design provides adequate support for any position, with comfortable padding and lightweight material that won’t weigh you down.
- The shoe isn’t too constrictive, so even those with wider feet should be able to comfortably wear the Cosmic Unity 2s for an extended period of time.
Pros:
- The full-length Zoom Strobel is designed to prevent foot fatigue.
- The sole provides a mix of cushion and traction, with a durable rubber outsole that works equally well indoors and outdoors.
Cons:
- The shoe only comes in two colors.
- The thinner outsole means these shoes are lighter, but may wear out faster, especially if you’re playing outdoors.
Best Basketball Shoes for Jumping: APL Concept X
Key Features
- The APL Concept X is a premium shoe, designed for maximum shock absorption and cushioning for those who want to maximize their vertical jump, particularly those who play in the post and are constantly fighting for rebounds.
- These shoes have a high-cut design to provide extra ankle support, which is essential when you’re jumping and may land at awkward angles.
- The sole contains a full-length carbon fiber plate that sits on top of 10 coiled springs, designed to provide the maximum cushion when jumping and landing.
Pros:
- Despite having a high-cut and carbon fiber sole, this shoe is designed to be incredibly lightweight, allowing you to jump as high as possible with a comfortable landing.
- The shoes feature APL Exolock technology, which is designed to allow the user to tighten every part of the shoe exactly to their personal preference, giving you the exact support and stability you prefer.
Cons:
- At $400, these are among the most expensive basketball shoes on the market.
- Some reviewers say the Exolock design means they can be difficult to take on and off in the beginning, until you learn how to configure it perfectly to your foot.
- The lightweight, thin design is meant to provide mobility without weighing you down, but if you’re playing outdoors, this may cause your shoes to wear out faster.
How Do I Choose the Best Basketball Shoes for Me?
There are two main things to consider when choosing basketball shoes. First, what sort of feet do you have? And do you have any limitations?
If you have flat feet, you may need additional support. Those with wide feet may need to avoid specific shoes and brands and if you have a history of ankle or foot injuries, you may want to choose a more supportive, high-top shoe.
The second thing to consider is the position you’ll be playing. If you’re playing casual pick-up games, a versatile shoe is best. However, if you’re part of a team and always play the same position, a shoe designed specifically for your position may give you a slight advantage.
Use the following points to help you decide or you can use players’ signature shoes. An agile player like Stephen Curry generally has low-top shoes, whereas a larger player like LeBron James might require more supportive shoes. As basketball shoes are often named after players, that may help you choose based on your position and play style.
What to Look for in Basketball Shoes
Stability
The first thing you want to look at is stability, mainly around the ankle and foot. Gone are the days of playing in old-school Converse sneakers, as today’s shoes are built for support. Nearly all basketball shoes are designed to provide traction with both cement and hardwood floors, so you don’t need to worry much about the sole, but the rest of the shoe will vary.
Low-top shoes, which provide less ankle support, often allow more mobility and slightly quicker movement. If you’re a guard or small forward, you need to be quick, agile and able to change directions as fast as possible. Lighter shoes with less ankle restriction will be a great fit.
For power forwards and centers, who spend more time playing under the basket, you’ll be jumping more, getting pushed around and wanting a bit more stability. High-top and mid-top basketball shoes provide a bit more support and will probably be a better fit.
Cushioning
When it comes to cushioning, some shoes are quite padded, providing a significant amount of cushioning, while others tend to be slightly less cushioned.
This mostly boils down to personal preference, but the position you play may impact your decision. If you’re a power forward or center, you likely have a bigger frame and more bodyweight, so you may benefit from heavily-cushioned shoes.
Guards or those who are smaller, may not require as much cushioning, as there’s less impact with each step. Light to moderate cushioning is probably best for agility players.
Support
The support of your shoe, particularly around the ankle, is also very important and this is where you’ll see the most variance among basketball shoes. Basketball is a game of quick movements, with a lot of starting, stopping and changing directions.
Proper support helps minimize the risk of ankle injury due to changing direction too fast, stepping on someone’s foot or jumping and landing wrong.
If you’re a power forward or center, a larger individual or have a history of ankle injuries, we suggest choosing a high-top model with plenty of foot and ankle support. If you’re a smaller person, play a guard position or don’t mind having less support, low-top shoes will be a great choice.
Most basketball shoes are designed with plenty of support around the foot, as manufacturers know that basketball requires a lot of lateral movement, so you should really only need to worry about ankle support. Non-basketball shoes may not provide enough mid-foot support to keep you from sliding around, but most basketball shoes should offer plenty of foot support.
Cost
Finally, the cost is important to consider before you start shopping, as the cost can become quite high, especially when choosing player model shoes.
If you are working with a tighter budget, don’t worry–there are some fantastic options that will still get the job done. You certainly don’t need the newest model or the latest shoe from your favorite player.
And if you do like purchasing player series shoes, you can always try older models. For example, Kyrie Low 3s are sure to be cheaper than Kyrie Low 5s and still provide a high-quality shoe.
How to Break in Basketball Shoes
Because basketball shoes are very supportive and tend to be snug-fitting around the foot and ankle, it’s essential to break them in before wearing them for hours at a time. Give yourself at least 1-2 weeks to break in a pair of new shoes before wearing them to a competitive event or extended practice.
Try wearing them for about 10 minutes per day of light activity. After the first three to five days, increase to 20 minutes per day for a few days, then 30 minutes per day and so on. Skipping this phase and wearing brand-new shoes for a game, is a great way to cause rubbing, irritation and blisters.
