All illustrations by Marcus Allen
The return of the NBA on Tuesday night was chicken soup for the basketball enthusiast’s soul. It meant a return to action after what’s been another entertaining free agency summer filled with moves and drama. As the new season kicks off, everyone will be watching how year one goes for LeBron James in Los Angeles, whether the Warriors can accomplish a three-peat, and who emerges as the new king of the Eastern Conference. However, many fans will tune in to a more detailed part of the sport: the footwear driving the play.
Nike and Jordan Brand have long been a juggernaut in outfitting the majority of the league’s players. This season brings new challengers as Puma revived its basketball division in a big way. Adidas may be set to bring Kanye West’s Yeezy line to the court. Under Armour just signed everyone’s favorite big man, Joel Embiid. China-based brands Anta and Li-Ning strengthened their respective positions with new signings. And, trendsetting outsiders like the Ball family’s Big Baller Brand, who just unveiled an affordable new model, should not be left out.
In short, there’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to basketball footwear. To narrow things down, here are a handful of key questions that will be answered through the course of the season.
Who'll be on court/off court sneaker champ?
P.J. Tucker has been the on-court king for some time now. It’s a fact his peers conceded last year by naming him no. 1 in the National Basketball Player’s Association end-of-season awards. Tucker’s unmatched arsenal saw him wear everything from ‘Cactus Jack’ Jordan IVs and Off-Whites, to vintage kicks and insane rare finds during the 2017-2018 campaign. The guy wore a whopping 22 different pairs in 17 games during last season’s playoffs. He’ll face competition this season from the likes of perennial challengers like LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Dame Lillard. They’re all guys with sig models who have designers crafting colorways at their whims. Then, there will always be younger guys like Kyle Kuzma, whose new deal with GOAT provides cheat code access to every shoe imaginable.
Things get even more interesting off the court. Cameras are now tuned in to see what the guys are wearing to the arena and to postgame press conferences. The players, in turn, have treated arena hallways like their personal catwalk. We’re talking expensive coats, sweatpants dripping in swag, dapper hats, and everyone seems to carry one of those tiny bags with who knows what inside.
When selecting who does it best, James’ name has to be mentioned as would James Harden, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade, to name a few. But make no mistake—Russell Westbrook is the guy when it comes to off-court styles. The Thunder guard is a fashion rebel who’s willing to take risks with his sartorial choices, whether it be donning sleeveless shirts, an array of sunglasses, and the tightest fitting pants known to man at times. When his playing days are over, don’t be surprised if Westbrook has built a fashion empire with his own clothing line called Honor the Gift.
Will a Yeezy basketball sneaker make it to the NBA?
Kanye West’s recent behavior may rankle the feathers of some music fans, but his Yeezy line by Adidas is as strong as ever in sales. Expect that shoe’s success to continue as West makes his first foray into the world of hoops. But it can only happen if the NBA allows.
After the pics of the shoe first surfaced, early reports indicated the league might not allow the first Yeezy basketball model on the court due to the reflective 3M heel panel. League rules state "shoes containing flashing lights or similar types of adornments (e,g., metallic or reflective) are not considered appropriate basketball footwear.” Kanye’s kicks would be sidelined if the NBA enforces the rule. Thankfully, initial reporting looks premature. It was later revealed Adidas hadn’t even submitted the shoes for approval at the time.
On Instagram, West claimed the shoe has been three years in the works and undergone hundreds of changes. It’s hard to imagine a company as big as Adidas would overlook such a familiar restriction during the course of all the other tweaks and changes. Chances are the brand has countless colorways and material finishes for the shoe beyond the version floating around social media. The non-seizure inducing iterations will likely be the ones worn by high profile endorsers like Donovan Mitchell, Kristaps Porzingis, Brandon Ingram, and others.
While the ban may not be true, imagine if it were. Kanye West’s first shoe banned by the NBA? Sounds similar to the narrative surrounding another storied sneaker franchise, doesn’t it?
What's going to happen to Puma?
It’s been a while since Puma was a player in the basketball world. However, the German-based company takes the court this season with a presence unseen since Walt “Clyde” Frazier’s suede kicks were commonplace in the courts and streets.
Puma started by signing Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley III, the first and second picks in 2018’s NBA draft class, along with two other first round picks, Michael Porter Jr. and Zhaire Smith. The company has nabbed DeMarcus Cousins, Michael Porter Jr., Rudy Gay, and rising star Terry Rozier to bolster the roster. The brand’s new model, the Clyde Court Disrupt, debuted in an eye-catching “Red Blast” colorway. Viewers will get a blistering dose of bright orange footwear with every clip shared on social media and nightly highlight reels featuring the aforementioned talent. Puma is banking on those images leaving fans asking which kicks the players are wearing.
The brand is experiencing a resurgence in relevance in recent years. It’s proven itself as player in the fashion world as a result of the dad shoe trend and the success of a handful of retro models. It’s also extended its visibility through partnerships with celebs like Rihanna, The Weeknd, Selena Gomez, and more. But if those namedrops don't work, Puma can always call on Jay-Z, who they hired as a creative consultant back in June.
Other brands can offer money, massive marketing machines, world-class design teams, and an archive of their favorite childhood sneakers. But only Puma has the advantage of having one of the greatest rappers of all-time in on pitch meetings to sway hoop stars to the brand. Ballers want to be rappers anyway, so why present players with the chance to side with the best to ever do it?
More than anything, what Puma can offer players is the chance to be a foundational piece in a new wave for the company—a place where players will stand out as one of a chosen few versus one in hundreds on competitors’ rosters.
When will Giannis Antetokounmpo debut his signature sneaker?
Back in December 2017, Nike CEO Mark Parker announced Giannis Antetokounmpo would be one of the next players blessed with a signature shoe. The 23-year-old proved himself worthy by dominating opponents all season and leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the playoffs. The timing is perfect for a new model inspired by the man affectionately known as the “Greek Freak.”
No official information has been released, yet we can surmise what to expect from the Greek Freak 1. Antetokounmpo has spent the majority of his career sporting Kobe models, including the Kobe AD Mid most recently. So it makes sense that early leaked images show his shoe as a lower-cut model bearing his GA logo and a reversed Swoosh. If Nike stays true to its recent introduction of signature lines, the Greek Freak 1 could enter at a lower retail price, positioning them in a similar starting point once held by early models for fellow Nike stars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and most recently, Paul George.
Antetokounmpo's shoes should be popular considering how his jersey is already one of the top sellers. With its knack for powerful marketing and storytelling, watching Nike attempt to transform the emerging star into an icon will be engaging to watch. With the East wide open, Antetokounmpo's team could be competing deep into the Playoffs sooner than anyone could have anticipated. The fact he will be doing it while wearing his own shoe is the stuff hoop dreams are made of.
How will players use the new NBA sneaker rules?
The NBA’s decision to allow players to wear sneakers of any color is a welcome one. In recent years, the league had gone lax on enforcing the previous rules requiring shoes to be majority black or white with a team accent color. But by completely doing away with the archaic approach, players and teams now can wear whatever colors they want on their feet. Expect to see wild color combos, customized pairs, and the full works by the time the season has run its course.
It all speaks to the larger trend. The NBA’s popularity continues to grow while the NFL is mired in controversy and the MLB remains stuck on traditions. We’re far removed from the days of former commissioner David Stern’s draconian dress code. In fact, the league has done an excellent job staying current by embracing social media better than competitors and allowing players to express themselves on social issues. Removing color restrictions is another example of the league trusting the players to be its best ambassadors. Basketball is a team sport driven by individual style and play. And part of that style extends all the way down the sneakers the players wear as an extension of their individuality. Expect to see players expressing themselves in a multitude of ways now since the restraints on what they wear have been removed.