Image via Complex Original
17.
March Madness has been a big deal since forever, for as long as grown men have bet money and shed tears over undergrads shooting a ball into a hoop. But with the growth of internet visibility, the growing volumes of money being poured into the tournament, and ever-more accessible methods of obtaining custom gear, it’s also become prime watching ground for sneakerheads who only wish Nike, adidas, et al would drop a custom release just for them and their squad.
Now that we're down to the Final Four, we take a look back from the start of the tourney and ranked the best sneaker moments and uniform pairings from this year’s March Madness. Here is Power Ranking the Best Sneakers in the Sweet Sixteen.
16.Utah
Sneaker: Under Armour Curry One
Highlighting your school colors through your shoelaces is a strong, strong move. Jakob Poeltl’s gunmental Under Armour Curry Ones are a strong platform to execute it on.
15.Wisconsin
Sneaker: adidas D Rose 5 Boost
Not much to say about these white and space gray D Rose 5 Boosts except, cool look. Those look great for playing ball in, keep it coming.
14.NC State
Sneaker: adidas D Rose Englewood III
We get that players want to choose and customize their own shoes. Personal flair, and all that. But having everyone wear the right, dope sneaker—in this case, adidas’ D Rose Englewood III—gives your whole squad some real crew love vibes when they’re cutting down the nets, you know?
13.Notre Dame
Sneaker: Under Armour Clutchfit Drive Low
Yes to matching Irish green shoes and socks masquerading as hi-tops. That lousy football team of theirs can only dream of having ensembles this fire.
12.UCLA
Sneaker: adidas Crazy Light Boost
Not the best team by Bruins standards, as UCLA has needed some serious bracket luck to get this far, but Tony Parker’s tasteful use of complementary colors on his adidas Crazy Light Boosts is still a top seed in our book.
11.Louisville
Sneaker: adidas D Lillard 1
Is it a coincidence that Terry Rozier, the Cardinals’ clutchest player of the tourney so far, is wearing a pair of D Lillards? Yes, probably. But just try it and prove it. You can’t.
10.Arizona
Sneaker: LeBron 12
Brandon Ashley is still making his way back from last year’s season-ending ligament injury, which makes the ankle-supporting cyborg shoe that is the LeBron 12 a perfect fit. They don’t come with booster rockets in the sole, though, no matter how much we keep asking.
9.Oklahoma
Sneaker: LeBron 12
To the surprise of no one, LeBron’s latest signatures are a popular choice at the tourney, which means it’s all about how you spec them out. Isaiah Cousins’s inverted red-and-white pair is a good showing.
8.Duke
Sneaker: Nike Kyrie 1
Why don’t more sneakers employ shark teeth, like a bunch of badass B-29s? If we had our way, Matt Jones’s Blue Devil Kyrie 1s would kick off the trend in earnest.
7.Michigan State
Sneaker: LeBron 12
Holy hell, look at the gold on Lourawls Nairn’s LeBrons. Did the Spartans have a thing for gold? Who cares, be right back, gotta hop on Nike iD real quick.
6.Kentucky
Sneaker: Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low
It only makes sense that the most dominant team in college hoops this year is rocking the freshest gear. Trey Lyles’s Kobe 9 “Beethovens” have the austere color scheme to go with their minimalist profile.
5.West Virginia
Sneaker: Air Jordan VII
Poor Mountaineers done got lapped by Kentucky last week—a score of 78-39 should qualify for a mercy killing—but we’ll remember Billy Dee Williams’ Jordan VIIs…and his awesome, awesome name.
4.Gonzaga
Sneaker: Nike Kobe 9 Elite
While the idea of a wire-knit high-top sneaker might’ve irked some at first, there’s no doubting the strut the Kobes strike on the court. And black-and-white mesh uppers always get us, on or off the hardwood.
3.UNC
Sneaker: Air Jordan XX9 (Custom)
Repping your school on the court with custom Jordan XX9s made by Nike will never not be cool. Though, presumably the real Jordan would shit talk everyone with something about the unsurpassable legacy he left at UNC and everyone would be too scared to pick up a basketball ever again.
2.Xavier
Sneaker: Nike Kobe 9 Elite
More Kobes, no complaining here. If only the guy they’re named after could stay on the court in them, we’d have a 100% ringing endorsement here.
1.Wichita State
Sneaker: Air Jordan XI
The Shockers got…well, you know…by Notre Dame in the round of 16, but through no fault of Fred VanVleet’s Jordan XIs, whose colorway happens to remind us of the other MJ at the same time.