Basketball ShoesLike a soldier s rifle is to a soldier, a pair of basketball shoes is the closest allies of a basketball player. They are sometimes referred to as sneakers or kicks. Seasoned veterans have tried on many different types of basketball shoes constructed and engineered with various technologies and have a good knowledge on most of the well-known brands. These players will keep narrowing their choices down until they eventually become a loyal fan of one favorite brand. At this point, they will keep experimenting with shoes of different types and styles within that particular brand until they find their perfect match in terms of style, shape, size, position of cushions in the lining and incorporated technologies. For beginners though, simplicity is beauty. Ideally, their first pair of basketball shoes should fit him like his second skin. In other words, comfort is the keyword. As a beginner get to know more about basketball shoes, they will discover their own likes and dislikes and buy a pair of basketball shoes according to their own play styles, peers opinions and possibly their basketball idols. In terms of efficiency, lighter shoes will make you feel quicker. But it doesn't necessarily make you faster or jump higher. Basketball shoes with low or no ankle padding allows free ankle movement and may give you greater maneuverability. These kinds of basketball shoes are well suited for Guards. In the contrary, basketball shoes with a hip-top design do protect your ankles to a greater extent, but it will restrain your movement in that you will feel a greater resistance when you bend your ankle. This type of basketball shoes protects centers and forwards who are constantly taking off to rebound or score and landing on the ground. Hence, if your position relies less on speed than a guard, I'd suggest high top sneakers to cover your ankle, but do not go as high as a normal high-top. This is a very popular style in college and pro hoops. Take good care of your shoes. Some players bring an extra pair to the court. They don't wear their basketball shoes anytime off the court and I think that's a good idea. With so many basketball shoes to choose from, you will be easily in the woods and have a hard time making up your mind. Don t worry. I am here to help do some match-making! Click on each individual brand for more information. The big daddy among all basketball shoes companies. Nike has dominated the basketball shoes market for more than two decades. Other than the already famous Air Jordan series that has officially left the Nike s big family, the swoosh has developed a plethora of design concepts such as Shox, Air Max, Zoom Air, AF1, Dunks, Flightposite. Their sponsor list is definitely star-studded with Lebron James of the Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, two of the most exciting players in the NBA. Nike just keeps making better basketball shoes and keeps getting stronger. Very few will argue if Michael Jordan is to be deified as the God of Basketball. He has revolutionized the game and so has his basketball shoes, the Air Jordan series, taken the basketball shoes market by storm. As most basketball players know, Ever since Nike signed a contract with Michael Jordan and its debut with the Air Jordan series, the swoosh has become a well-known symbol among the basketball shoes community. We can say that Air Jordan and Nike go hand-in-hand to make each other more famous. A lot of die hard Michael Jordan fans are exclusive collectors of this series. Adidas has been famous for making high quality soccer shoes. Nonetheless, the ever-expanding basketball shoes industry has caught Adidas's attention. The first pair of Adidas basketball shoes is a wolf in a sheep s clothing: It is essentially a pair of soccer shoes calling themselves basketball shoes. They have extremely low tops, flat flips, pointed tips, and an instep with very few ventilation holes. Ugly and Uncomfy they truly are. Learning from its failure, Adidas begin to research diligently and come up with innovative ideas in making better basketball shoes. Adidas s significant improvement in the designs and the looks of its basketball shoes and the inclusion of the Garnet and the TMac series into the brand manage to win the hearts of many customers in the basketball shoes market. Reebok was one of the first companies that ventured into basketball shoes industry. It has enjoyed a brief period of success before getting booted out of business by Nike. Now it has been revived as retro-fashion kicks back. Their classic pump system, dating back to the era of Doctor J, is back in stores. Most of the Reebok sneakers, however, are plain in color and lack specific lining and features to establish a character unique to Reebok basketball shoes. The sides tend to be a bit wider than the other brands and offer a better balance for low post players. Hence, it has a fair share of supporters in the basketball shoes market. Made famous by the infamous AND1 players like Hot sauce and the Professor, the And1 series has sustained in the market in the face of strong competitors like Nike and Adidas. It has incorporated Air Max and Zoom Air like concepts into the design of its basketball shoes. Not a bad choice of basketball shoes for beginners and intermediates if they fit well. Almost all of their shoes are high top and provide firm support for the ankle. Compared to the Nike and Adidas, the price tags on And1 basketball shoes are very wallet-friendly. The greatest downfall is the huge restriction on your ankle which may significantly decrease maneuverability. Actually not many people wear Converse basketball shoes to play basketball anymore. This is more like a casual wear for leisure walking nowadays. It was a famous wear a long time ago introduced into the market by Chuck Taylor. Having been the hoops icon of the early 1970s, Converse basketball shoes have become obsolete for quite a while and now they are trying to make a return! If you are shopping at your local store, keep these guidelines in mind.
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