The 25 Best NBA Sneaker Debuts

A first impression is everything. When NBA players lace up their kicks for the first time millions of people are watching their every move. The NBA season kicks off today and with numerous lottery picks signing deals with Jordan Brand, Nike, adidas, and Under Armour, the class of 2012 appears to be one of the more marketable groups in recent years. It’s rare to see a player with their own shoe or or a neck-breaking shoe out of the gate when companies have agendas and are trying to build. We decided to showcase The 25 Best NBA Sneaker Debuts in league history—let us know which player came correct from the jump.

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Player: Courtney Lee

Year: 2008

Lee has a rep for wearing Jordan IIIs on the floor, but in his first game in the NBA he rocked the groundbreaking new Flywire infused Hyperdunks that helped lead The Redeem Team to gold in Spain.

Player: Steve Nash

Year: 1996

The Flight '96s were perfect for Nash's game—low, quick, and responsive. They helped him push through his first contest and prove that the kid from Canada that didn't pick up a basketball until he was in junior high had a future in the league.

Player: Jerry Stackhouse

Year: 1995

Being a lottery pick is no easy task, from Jerry's expression it looks like his first game didn't go as planned. Stackhouse did get to lace up in his NBA debut donning his own signature shoe, not even Hill can say the same.

Player: Kawhi Leonard

Year: 2011

Leonard was known for rocking major heat at San Diego State. When he made the Spurs rotation he didn't slow down at all, hitting his first NBA game in the gun pewter look of the classic Nike Foams.

Player: Brandon Jennings

Year: 2009

Brandon Jennings hasn't done anything quite conventional, whether it was leaving Compton to play high school hoops at Oak Hill, skipping Arizona to play in Rome, or passing up on bigger name sneaker companies to help build Under Armour's basketball division. Each choice may have been questioned, but from the first minute Jennings stepped on the floor in his "Black Ice" Micro Gs he has killed any concern from his critics.

Player: Kevin Durant

Year: 2007

Even though he wasn't picked first overall, nothing was going to stop Durant from cementing himself as a premier player in the NBA. Ever since he put on that jersey for the first time with his player edition Nike Vis Air Sweets, he has been one of the toughest mismatches in the NBA. The KD signature series bodies these joints any day but it's important to see where the kid they doubted because he couldn't bench 185 pounds started. Not every player gets superstar treatment from sneaker companies from the jump off.

Player: Rajon Rondo

Year: 2006

Rondo has impressed the masses during his brief tenure in the NBA but his NBA debut sneaker selection might low-key rank in his top ten accomplishments. Props on the white and green Reebok Questions to kick off the career.

Player: Magic Johnson

Year: 1979

Fresh off his epic face-off in the ’79 NCAA national title game, Earvin re-upped his Magic by dropping 26 points in his Converse Pro Leathers beginning the hybrid point forward position and Showtime Laker show in the Coliseum at the same damn time.

Player: Oscar Robertson

Year: 1965

It's almost impossible to talk about basketball sneakers without honoring Chuck Taylor's. 52 years after their original release they were still getting love by almost every player in the game. Think we will be able to say the same about any other shoe, even Js? It's also impossible to talk about a rookie without dropping Robertson's near triple-double 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and a league-leading 9.7 assists per game season stat line.

Player: Shawn Kemp

Year: 1990

Best known for his Kamikazes, The Reignman wasn't always down with the 'Bok. When he first made his way into Seattle's lineup he was rocking the Air Alpha Forces rocked by none other than Sir Charles himself in Philly.

Player: Carmelo Anthony

Year: 2003

The class of 2003 ranks up there with the greatest drafts in NBA history and their sneaker game holds weight too. While LeBron was lacing up in his first signature series, 'Melo was getting classic Js made specifically for him to dominate in the Rockies just like he did at 'Cuse.

Player: Quentin Richardson & Darius Miles

Year: 2000

This isn't quite Iverson back in '96 but with all the Jordan looks Q and D. Miles had you knew the Illinois natives were going to show respect to one of greatest hoop shoes of all-time after the classics dropped for a second time during their rookie run.

Player: David Robinson

Year: 1989

The '89 number one draft choice favored the Nike Air Force STS, which featured an unusual high-cut silhouette and large branding on the heel and tongue. This would become the blueprint for The Admiral's successful run of high-top kicks in the early 90's. Salute.

Player: Michael Jordan

Year: 1984

Before David Stern banned Michael and Nike from wearing his black and red Air Jordan Is, things were more simple with the white and red Nike Air Ships, which was a sequel to the Air Force Is. The sequels never hold up as well as its predecessor and this isn't a sneaker screaming for a retro release but it's still crazy to see MJ in something other than Jordans.

Player: Larry Johnson

Year: 1992

Runnin' with the Rebels in Vegas helped solidify LJ as one of the most fierce players taking it to the rim, doing it in his Nike Air Force STS. It seemed like a no-brainer that The Swoosh would pick him up along side Alonzo Mourning as one of the most exciting young front courts in the NBA. Apparently Nike wasn't exactly impressed with LJ's play and Converse grabbed him up immediately. Their Grandmama campaign still ranks as one of the greatest sneaker advertisements of all time and helped the Aero Jets become one of Converse's best releases.

Player: Shaquille O'Neal

Year: 1992

When Shaq went number one to Orlando in the 1992 draft, the NBA knew they had more than just another sports superstar on its hands — they had a pop culture icon. Nike went after him but The Diesel decided to start his own legacy with Reebok (he showed up on Nike campus for an interview in full Reebok gear, which still makes Phil Knight mad) and his first signature shoe definitely can be filed under: classic. Reebok even sent samples in Shaq's size — 20 at the time, we believe — to sneaker stores to use as displays. Shaq used them to destroy his opponents from his first jump ball. The clean toe was a Jordan bite, but the slick uppers and Pump setup were all Reebok. Don't worry Complex is already on the task of trying to get these back to the sneaker culture.

Player: Patrick Ewing

Year: 1985

Before Ewing did his own thing with the EWING brand he wore the Attitude and more famously the Conductor in his rookie debut. Pat's first signature hightop was a staple in NYC in 1985 and was one of the most popular adidas to drop in the '80s. #33 even hit 'em with the Knicks colorway lace swap to make the Conductors even more official.

Player: Mark Jackson

Year: 1987

Mark Jackson was nothing to mess with in the late '80s. Selected by the Knickerbockers to help feed Ewing in the paint, Jackson kicked off his NBA career laced up in the Nike Air Revolutions. Nike, can we get another retro drop?

Player: Damon Stoudemire

Year: 1995

There was a lot of hype surrounding Damon out of 'Zona, a school built on basketball excellence and a history of dope kicks. It was only natural to check for Damon's feet as much as his play at point for the Raptors in not only his first game but the franchise's debut in the league. Damon rocked the Air Way Ups, set to be retroed in 2013 and made famous by Pippen and the Bulls during their record setting 95-96 season.

Player: Stephon Marbury

Year: 1996

You watch He Got Game and it's hard not to think that it was somewhat how Marbury was living in Coney Island. After a quick season in Georgia Tech, slaying foes' ankles on a nightly basis, Stephon was paired up with his good friend KG in the snow covered trenches of Minnesota. Philly-based And1 was killing the game with their logo shorts and shit-talking tees, but it was the next step making Starbury the face of its literally faceless brand that made them a powerhouse for a few years.

Player: Kobe Bryant

Year: 1996

People forget for a minute that in that illustrious class of '96 Kobe was selected 13th overall (that wasn't even a lottery pick then) and people had mixed feelings on how he would do in the league. Thanks to a draft day trade from Charlotte to City of Angels, Kobe had major marketability and before they could launch his Equipment Elevation line best remembered in the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, Kobe was donning the Feet You Wear infused EQT Top Tens.

Player: Penny Hardaway

Year: 1993

Before Anfernee started lacing up his own signature kicks he wore a few different general releases and player editions. For his first Magic show against the Hawks, Penny rocked Air Force 180 highs featuring a similar cut as the Jordan VIIIs with a visible air sole unit. Hardaway used the double-straps to secure his ankles so he could stop on a dime and drop a few to Shaq and company.

Player: Chris Webber

Year: 1993

Fresh out of Ann Arbor where Webber started basketball trends with the baggy shorts, black socks, and black kicks— he continued to build his brand with Nike doing the same thing in the league. Before they launched his barbershop-themed Air Max Strong campaign C. Webb was laced in Maesto IIs to kick off his NBA debut.

Player: LeBron James

Year: 2003

Contrary to belief, it wasn't the "First Game" Zoom Generations that graced the Kings' feet (that was his first home game) in his much-hyped league debut. LeBron rocked his general release pair on the road against Sacramento putting up 25 points to help live up to expectations and solidify himself as a premier scorer from the jump—everyone watching at home wanted the jersey and kicks too, Jordan's heir was making Nike proud.

Player: Allen Iverson

Year: 1996

When it comes to retros it's tough trumping Jordans but Reebok's re-release of The Questions is undoubtedly one of the best releases of 2012 helping A.I. remain Reebok for life. We got you the story of how the sneaker came about in '96 and Iverson's brilliance on the court right from his debut, scoring 30 points against Milwaukee, second to only Wilt Chamberlain at the time.