Best Nike Basketball Shoes

This hub lists 35 shoes, all from Nike. Listed weights run from 12.4 oz (Nike Kobe 4 Protro) to 17.8 oz (Nike Shox BB4), averaging 14.4 oz. Heel-to-toe drops range from 7 to 10 mm.

By cut height there are 12 low-cut, 19 mid-cut, and 4 high-cut; by manufacturer price band 5 budget, 18 mid, and 12 premium. 6 of the 35 carry an outdoor rating; the rest are indoor shoes. On fit, Nike Cosmic Unity 3 and Nike Air Max Impact 4 are listed as wide, while Nike Kyrie Infinity, Nike Sabrina 2, and Nike Sabrina 1 are listed as narrow; everything else is standard width.

25 models here are signature shoes and 10 are non-signature or team models. Signature status says nothing about fit, so compare on weight, cut and cushioning rather than on the name on the tongue. In this hub the 12 low-cut models average 13.3 oz against 15.0 oz for the 23 mid and high cuts, so the low-tops are the lighter group.

By our position classification the roster covers shooting guards (16), small forwards (15), power forwards (12), point guards (6), centers (4).

If you play mostly outdoors, start with the 6 outdoor-rated models — indoor outsoles are generally softer rubber and wear faster on asphalt.