The 25 Greatest Sneaker Years in NBA History

Significant Sneakers: Nike LeBron VIII, Nike Zoom Kobe VI, Jordan Fly Wade, Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011, Reebok ZigSlash, adidas Rose 2.0, adidas Crazy Light,

As Nike's two premier signature athletes continued to take their shoes in entirely different directions, the whole basketball world benefitted. LeBron James's LeBron VIII picked up where the prior model left off, with 360 Air and a sturdier, Flywire-reinforced upper. Lighterweight versions were made as the season went on, but it's hard to believe a few ounces here or there could have slowed the indomitable King. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant continued to shave millimeters and grams off his soccer-boot inspired lowtops, as the not-entirely-new lowtop concept gathered more steam. And the portholed Air Jordan 2010 gave way to the extraordinarily elegant Air Jordan 2011, whose luxurious leather upper concealed a revolutionary interchangeable midsole system.

Significant Sneakers: And1 Tai Chi, Nike Shox BB4, Reebok Answer IV, adidas The KOBE, adidas Mad Handle

Branding may have reached its nadir in the first year of the new millenium. Shoes like the And 1 Tai Chi, the Nike Shox BB4 and the Reebok Answer IV were distinctive enough without massive logos, and even the adidas KOBE featured stripes that were merely inset, not blown out. Sneaker savvy consumers knew what was up without billboard-sized reminders. When Vince Carter crushed all comers in the Dunk Contest the year before while wearing the Tai Chi, no one needed a reminder.

Significant Sneakers: Nike Hyperdunk, Nike Zoom Kobe IV, Nike Zoom LeBron VI, Reebok Answer XII "Invictus"

Olympic years have traditionally been years of significant sneaker innovation, dating all the way back to when Jesse Owens put a hurtin' on the Aryan ideal back in 1936. The 2008-09 NBA season saw the pro introduction of Nike's innovative Hyperdunk, which launched both Lunar Foam and Flywire technologies into the basketball conscience. And while some signature shoes had reached evolutionary dead ends, most notably the fncing-inspired Air Jordan 2009 and the Reebok Answer XII, the low-cut Nike Zoom Kobe IV was re-breaking old ground. The burly LeBron VI, which evoked the original Air Force I, would soon get a much-needed re-up with some of the Hyperdunk's innovations.

Significant Sneakers: Nike Blazer, Nike Dynasty, adidas Top Ten, Converse Pro Leather, Converse Pro Canvas, Puma Basket, Puma Suede

For all intents and purposes a continuation of 1979-80, the '80-81 season further established Converse as THE basketball brand, as Larry Bird and Magic Johnson built on their college rivalry with the Celtics and Lakers, and 30-year-old Julius Erving continued his high-flying exploits with the Sixers. Meanwhile, Nike kept building a strong base, waiting for that one player who would blow things sky-high.

Significant Sneakers: Nike Air Zoom Generation, adidas T-Mac III, Air Jordan XIX, Nike Zoom Huarache 2K4,

LeBron James joined the NBA at an opportune time, as Michael Jordan was finally retired for good (we think) and Kobe's off-court legal issues kept him out of a signature shoe for the time being. LeBron's Zoom Generation, which was designed in part by Tinker Hatfield, was a modern-day classic - it fit in with the Pennys and the Paytons from years past, but also looked forward as a shoe designed for an entirely new style of player. The Air Jordan line was carried on by the exotic Air Jordan XIX, worn by the likes of Jason Kidd and fellow rookie Carmelo Anthony. And while Kobe had left adidas for good, Tracy McGrady was there to carry the mantle. Kobe's first unofficial Nike shoe, the Huarache 2K4, was one for the ages.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan XII, Air Jordan XIII, Air Jordan XIV, Nike Zoom Flight "The Glove," Nike Zoom Pippen II, Nike Air Penny III, Nike Hawk Flight, FILA Grant Hill IV, adidas KB8,

The end of an era. Michael Jordan, who obviously knew before the rest of us did, wore an unprecedented three models in the same season, starting in the XII and ending in the Ferrari-inspired XIV, which wasn't set to release for months. Sneaker blogs, had they existed, would have wet themselves. This was when signature sneakers were in full flower, and virtually every All-Star level player had one. Like Jordan's own, however, that time was coming to a close.

Significant Sneakers: Reebok Shaq Attaq, Nike Air Force Max CB, Air Jordan IX, Reebok Kamikaze, Nike Air Maestro, adidas Mutombo, Nike Air Unlimited, Ewing Focus

Michael Jordan was gone - off into retirement and batting cages at the doddering old age of 30 - but his shoes weren't. The Air Jordan IX was worn by a variety of players including Latrell Sprewell and Penny Hardaway, while others were quick to fill the signature shoe gap. Charles Barkley got his first shoe with his name (or at least his number) on it, and Dikembe Mutombo debuted the Africa-inspired adidas Mutombo. Shaq's premier signature Pump got another half-season, and Nike's Air Maestro received a name-worthy performance from MVP Scottie Pippen in the '94 All-Star game.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan V, Air Jordan VI, Reebok Pump Omni Lite, Ewing 33 Hi, Nike Air Flight Lite

Dee Brown's pumping up his Omni Lites at the 1991 Slam Dunk Contest remains the definitive sneaker moment of the '90-91 NBA season, at least among those whose memories don't start and stop with Air Jordan. Speaking of, Mike's Air Jordan VI, inspired in part by his whaletail Porsche, earned further notoriety as the first sneaker he'd win a title in. Patrick Ewing's eponymous brand continued to build, and brands like Avia were able to maintain a presence.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan VI, Air Jordan VII, Nike Air Force 180, Nike Air Force V, Nike Air Flight Huarache, Nike Air Flight Lite II, Ewing Focus

Pretty much every sneaker worn by the Dream Team was first worn during the 1991-92 NBA season. It also marked the debut of the Air Flight Huarache, which - like the Air Jordan - did away with the side Swoosh, relying purely on its distinctive design for brand recognition. Nike's Flight and Force lines, established a few years earlier, were taking over much of the NBA, as smaller brands like Etonic and Spot-Bilt and Brooks disappeared entirely from the League. Converse was losing ground as Magic Johnson retired and Larry Bird neared the end, but they had a new cross-dressing fellow who they hoped would help out.

Significant Sneakers: adidas KOBETWO, Reebok Answer V, Air Jordan XVII, Nike Jet Flight, Nike Shox Stunner, adidas T-Mac, Nike Shox BB4, Nike Flightposite 2, Nike Zoom Turbine, Air Jordan III Retro

Before the turn of the millennium, NBA players wore old styles, but primarily because they never changed to the new ones. Larry Bird probably had to be pried out of his Pro Canvas when the Weapon came out in 1986. But in the 2001-02 season, players began wearing old models on purpose, despite the fact that they may have been wearing up-to-date styles not long before. This was of course due to the increasd availablility of Air Jordan retros, as worn by - Michael Jordan himself, who returned as a member of the Washington Wizards. The funny thing is that new technology was presenting itself in incredible sneakers, from the Nike Shox BB4 to the much-maligned adidas KOBETWO.

Significant Sneakers: Nike Blazer, Nike Bruin, adidas Superstar, adidas Abdul-Jabbar, Puma Clyde, Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, PRO-Keds Royal

For a company that started with Japanese track shoes being sold out of the trunks of cars at meets, Nike expanded quickly. By 1972-73 they were in the NBA, with their Bruin lowtop and Blazer high being worn by a variety of players, most notably Trail Blazer All-Star Geoff Petrie. They had a lot of catching up to do - Puma had introduced a signature suede lowcut for flashy Knicks guard Clyde Frazier, and adidas had done the same (a bit earlier, even) for All-Star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Converse Chuck Taylor and PRO-Keds Royals were still in use, but their days as dominant styles were numbered.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan VII, Air Jordan VIII, Reebok Shaq Attaq, Nike Air Force Max, Ewing Focus, Nike Air Ballistic Force

After the brazen excess of the previous few seasons, the '91-92 and '92-93 seasons scaled things back a bit. Yes, there were still Pumps and other gargantuan shoes, but even Shaquille O'Neal's first signature shoe was somewhat stripped down compared to the combat-boot like original Pump, using carbon fiber to lighten things up even more. And Michael Jordan started the season in what he wore for his second NBA title and second Olympic gold medal - the Huarache-inspired Air Jordan VII. Of course he'd switch to the heavier and bulkier Air Jordan VIII at the break, and his feet would pay the price. Unfortunately, it seemed, the slimmed-down look still wasn't entirely accepted. This was good news for Charles Barkley, whose Air Force Max would have been equally at home on the gridiron.

Significant Sneakers: Nike Air Revolution, Air Jordan III, Air Jordan IV, Nike Command Force, Nike Alpha Force II, Avia 855, Converse CONS ERX-300, Converse CONS ERX-400, Avia 880

Viva la revolution! Given how complex sneakers were getting, the military-inspired names should have come as no surprise. Technology was king, what with Nike's Visible Air, Reebok's all-new Pump and ERS (Energy Return System) and Converse's marbled Energy Wave foam. Hightops got higher, and seemingly only Michael Jordan recognized the advantages of playing in a lighter-weight midcut shoe. Others - particulary fellow Nike endorsee Craig Ehlo - would have to learn the hard way.

Significant Sneakers: Nike Hyperdunk 2012, Nike LeBron X, adidas Crazy Light 2, Nike Kobe 8, Nike KD V, adidas Crazy Fast

No time like the present - and how things have changed. The leather basketball shoe, introduced nearly 50 years ago, is almost extinct, replaced by exotic synthetics produced in lightweight layers. But while weight savings is the holy grail in basketball shoe design, a good number of players buck the trend by playing in a variety of sneakers from years past. Who says current technology is that much better? Unfortunately, the diversity only extends across eras, as Nike, Jordan and adidas have much of the NBA locked in.

Significant Sneakers: adidas Pro Model, adidas Superstar, PRO-Keds Super, PRO-Keds Royal, Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star

The adidas Pro Model was actually introduced in 1965 as the first leather basketball shoe, but it didn't appear in its familiar shelltoe form until 1969, when it was joined by the low-cut Superstar. Up until that point the Converse All Star Chuck Taylor still reigned, along with similar makeups from PRO-Keds. The German company's innovation would kick off the basketball footwear design arms race in earnest, as 40-year-old designs were finally displaced. About time.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan IV, Air Jordan V, Reebok The Pump, Nike Command Force, Nike Air Pressure, Nike Air Flight 89, Nike Air Force STS, Nike Alpha Force II, Ewing 33 Hi,

The year tech took over. The 1989-90 season was the Year of the Hightop: Reebok's massive The Pump was followed closely by Nike's inflatable responses - including the Air Pressure (worn by, of all people, Knicks point guard Mark Jackson) and the Command Force. And even the non-inflatable sneakers were reaching literal new heights. Patrick Ewing's logoless, brandless hightops gave way to the strapped-up Ewing 33 Hi, and Nike's Air Force STS was both tall and bulky. Only the Air Jordan IV, a lighterweight update of the revolutionary Air Jordan III (which was actually supplanted by the Air Jordan V in February), spoke of what was to come. Mike's personal Air Jordan Vs, featuring an embroidered "23" on the outer heels, led to a release of a similar shoe, marking one of the first times a "PE" sneaker was made available at retail. The lack of the 3M reflective tongue didn't seem to hurt their reception.

Significant Sneakers: Converse Weapon, Nike Air Force II, Air Jordan II, Puma Ralph Sampson, adidas Conductor, Reebok 5600, Reebok 4600, Avia 870, Avia 850

Welcome to the NBA, Reebok. The Massachussets-based brand made an immediate splah, signing the Boston Celtics' All-Star backcourt (you can look it up) of Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge - meaning all of the starters were with Northeastern-based companies: Bird and McHale with Converse, and Robert Parish with New Balance. Meanwhile, a fully recovered Michael Jordan took to the court in the Swooshless, Italian-made Air Jordan II, and big men stayed in signature shoes, including Ralph Sampson in Puma, Patrick Ewing in adidas, and Akeem (the H would come later) in Etonic.

Significant Sneakers: adidas Top Ten, Nike Blazer, Nike Bruin, Converse Pro Leather, adidas Abdul-Jabbar, Puma Super Basket, Pony Pro Model, Pony MVP, PRO-Keds Royal Master, PRO-Keds Shotmaker, Pony PRO 80, Nike Franchise

Back in the '70s and '80s, sneaker releases didn't always change with the season, or even the year. Old favorites remained favorites, and even the venerable Chuck Taylor was still getting NBA burn as the decade flipped. Even Nike, still less than a decade old as a company, still supplied their players with Blazers and Bruins. In that sort of atmosphere, a new release was sure to stand out. So when adidas released the Rick Barry endorsed Top Ten (named such because the "top ten" players in the NBA wore it - a questionable designation at best, even then), people noticed. Thing is, the name had to stand out amongst all the other "Pro" designated sneakers and brands already on the market, and wow were there a lot of them.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan 1, Converse Weapon, Pony City Wings, Etonic The Dream, adidas Forum, Nike Big Nike, New Balance Worthy, Spot-Bilt X-Press, adidas Conductor, Puma Sky LX

It's oft been said that Converse missed out – that they could have been Nike before Nike, what with their roster of superstars that included both Dr. J and the best rivalry in the game, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. But here's the thing. While Johnson certainly had Jordan beat in the charisma department (and still does), neither he nor Bird seemed particulary interested in pushing new product all the time. Bird wore a green version of the Pro Canvas for his first six or seven seasons, and Magic transitioned from the Pro Leather to the Pro Star. But during the 1986, both switched to the all-new Weapon, along with Bernard King, Mark Aguirre, Kevin McHale, and several other All-Stars. Even with Michael Jordan out for most of the season with a foot injury, the Weapon still had serious competition from many angles, whether it was rookie Patrick Ewing's adidas, Akeem Olajuwon's Etonics or James Worthy's New Balance. And while Jordan's own red, white and black kicks took the year off, there was always Spud Webb and his nearly identical Pony City Lights.

Significant Sneakers: Reebok Kamikaze, FILA Grant Hill, Air Jordan X, Air Jordan XI, Nike Air Strong, adidas Mutombo II, Reebok Shaq Attaq IV, Nike Air Up, Nike Air Go LWP, Nike Air Lambaste,

It wasn't until the end of the '94-95 season that the Air Jordan XI showed itself - and the player it appeared on wore 45, not his more familiar 23. But Michael Jordan's newest shoe would go on to change everything. One could almost separate the '95 Playoffs from the '94-95 season, sneaker-wise - and the playoffs alone would be top-10 material, easily. But the regular season birthed some gems as well, including the first Reebok Kamikaze and Grant Hill's first sneaker with FILA. Meanwhile, the big man battle continued off the floor as well as on, with the adidas Mutombo II and the Reebok Shaq Attaq IV.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan II, Air Jordan III, Nike Air Revolution, adidas Conductor, Reebok Commitment, ASICS Top Gun, Nike Air Force II, Nike Alpha Force, Converse Cons, Etonic The Dream, Avia 870, Avia 850, Avia 880

The debut of the Air Jordan III in the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest and the following day's All-Star Game in Chicago (in white and black respectively) may still stand as the most significant All-Star sneaker debut of all-time. What's lesser known is that Michael Jordan started the year primarily in the Air Jordan II low, beating Kobe Bryant to the low-cut punch by a full two decades. Meanwhile, in the rest of the NBA, brand diversity was in full flower. Reebok was firmly established in the game, and Avia had a roster of All-Stars including John Stockton and Clyde Drexler.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan XI, Air Jordan XII, Reebok Question, Nike Zoom Flight 96, Nike Air Max Pippen, Nike Air Penny II, Nike Air Way Up, Nike Foamposite One, Nike Air Alonzo, adidas EQT Elevation,

If the draft class of '96 wasn't so good, maybe the sneakers wouldn't have been either. But you had Allen Iverson snatched up by Reebok, high schoolers Kobe Bryant and Jermaine O'Neal in adidas, and And1 establishing their entire sneaker line around Coney Island's finest, Stephon Marbury. Not that the vets were having any trouble, either. Michael Jordan transitioned from the Air Jordan XI to the XII, running mate Scottie Pippen got his first signature from the Swoosh (although his personal models featured Zoom instead of the released full-length Max), and Shaquille O'Neal enjoyed his first season as a Laker and his last in Reebok. Iverson crossing up Jordan while wearing his all-new, blue-tipped kicks became the signature moment of the season - at least until June.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan I, Nike Air Ship, Nike Air Force 1, Converse Pro Leather, Converse Pro Star, New Balance Pride 999, Nike Air Force 1, Puma Sky, Nike Sky Force, Converse Fast Break, Pony MVP, Converse Star Tech, New Balance Worthy 785, Spot-Bilt Hi Post

Depending on who you talk to, the original Air Jordan either created the sneaker game or destroyed it. For those of us who grew up in the suburbs, it was the former. Distinguishing the subtle differences between a general release and a player edition was difficult - IDing Mike's flamboyant signature sneaks was easy. And rather than overshadowing other sneakers, the Air Jordan brought all basketball footwear to greater prominence. Mike's old UNC teammate James Worthy finally got his name on some New Balances (though it wouldn't last), and fellow rookie Charles Barkley laced up his first pair of Nikes. Converse brought nylon to the court with Isiah Thomas's Fast Break, and Larry Bird put in his fifth straight season in his green Pro Canvas. The modern era of basketball sneakers started here - whether you like it or not.

Significant Sneakers: Nike Air Force 1, Nike Legend, New Balance Pride 480, Puma Basket, Converse Pro Leather, adidas Abdul-Jabbar, Puma Sky, Nike Franchise, Nike Dynasty, Avia Basketball

The Nike Air Force 1 changed everything in 1982 much like the adidas Pro Model did in '65. All of a sudden, everything that came before looked antiquated. Even the other Nikes, like the Dynasty and the Franchise, were instantly outdated. And for sneaker aficionados, desperately trying to recognize silhouettes on their rabbit-ear TVs, the Air Force 1 was at least immediately recognizable thanks to its high cut and contrasting ankle strap. But the Air Force 1 doesn't bring the '82-83 season up this high all by itself. New Balance had the aptly named Pride series, adidas was still doing their shell-toed thing, and a new company out of Portland was making noise for the first time in a decade - this time it was Avia.

Significant Sneakers: Air Jordan XI, Nike Air Max Uptempo, Nike Air Way Up, Nike Shake NDESTRUKT, Reebok Kamikaze II, Nike Zoom Flight 95, Nike Air Max Uptempo, Reebok Shaqnosis, Nike Air More Uptempo, Nike Air Flight One, Nike Air Penny, FILA Grant Hill II,

How do you pick one NBA season as the best for sneakers over all others? There's so much involved, so many sneakers that are worn from one season to the next. All that considered, 1995-96 is a tough one to beat. It was right in the midst of the signature shoe golden era - Grant Hill, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, among others, were in their best - and there was still diversity to be found on the floor, though Nike was starting to get the stranglehold that they've yet to entirely relinquish. This would have been a top-five season for the Air Jordan XI alone, but all the rest push it to the top.