![The Best Sneakers in the NBA Finals Every Year Since Michael Jordan's First Championship](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/v0xkbhh9izcsn11wdza8/best-nba-finals-sneakers.gif?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
Without basketball there wouldn't be sneaker culture in America, and there's no bigger event for the sport than the NBA Finals. It's when the biggest stars shine brightest and the brands outfit them with their best sneakers. It's become a bigger occasion year after year and footwear companies go to war to make sure their signature athletes capture the audience's attention with their sneaker selection.
Michael Jordan. Kobe Bryant. LeBron James. They've all won multiple rings, and they've done it in sneakers that are undeniably tied to their performances on the court. Winning a championship does wonders for a player's legacy in the NBA, and the same can be said for their signature sneakers, too. Sure basketball players wore sneakers before MJ, but he turned the world upside down when he won his first championship in 1991. From that point on, nothing's been the same. With that said, here are The Best Sneakers in the NBA Finals Every Year Since Michael Jordan's First Championship.
1991: Air Jordan VI
![1991 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/ukt7eeedgvwz1qwifgu6/1991-best-finals-sneaker.jpg?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
1992: Air Jordan VII
![1992 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/wnddgypnrq8ztcdgpujk/1992-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
1993: Nike Air Force Max
![1993 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/a3rw1hmg2deuu3wen4xd/1993-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
1994: Nike Air Swift
![1994 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/x2uuayjaf5z92oixkhcs/1994-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
1995: Nike Air Flight One
![1995 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/pw1xrkjqj9eemaiwhxwx/1995-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
1996: Air Jordan XI
![1996 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/uiraewtf43j180cfgvrw/1996-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
1997: Air Jordan XII
![1997 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/ycoiqg6o4s1fpmdnqsrn/1997-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
1998: Air Jordan XIV
![1998 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/jrflcbg8mmvyrzqvhg1e/1998-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
1999: And1 Crossover
![Latrell Sprewell in the 1999 NBA Finals](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/olwichb6bnm5gitdyr7d/latrell-sprewell.jpg)
2000: Adidas Kobe One
![2000 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/u2yrtz2senpodj1yn9ms/2000-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2001: Reebok Answer IV
![2001 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/hlefwxdn4hivvn2fwhua/2001-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2002: Nike Air Max Uptempo PE
![2002 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/c0dfecky9q9rupxf5cs9/2002-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2003: Nike Zoom Flight 2K3
![2003 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/ljsgnse30rhy2x5eoeyg/2003-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2004: Nike Air Huarache 2K4
![2004 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/kkvqrktep6jzoymuyn7k/2004-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2005: Nike Air Force 1
![2005 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/qbuwixnadxfknw6hovec/2005-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2006: Nike Air Zoom Flight "The Glove" PE
![2006 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/svbvtaxwziw7nl2dmsq7/2006-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2007: Nike Zoom Soldier
![LeBron James during 2007 NBA Finals](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/xf7bogzknuvsiwbsdbmg/lebron-2007-finals.jpg)
2008: Nike Hyperdunk
![2008 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/fqdekdobjqlmduqclggy/2008-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2009: Nike Zoom Kobe IV
![2009 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/ubbuo0jgcsqex75xvdrh/2009-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2010: Nike Zoom Kobe V
![2010 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/cazqrshwgrh5yeyebebq/2010-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2011: Nike LeBron 8 P.S.
![2011 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/nrqdx5kf1tpzw6ghssci/2011-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2012: Nike LeBron 9 Elite
![2012 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/qve1whm1woijab94ikjk/2012-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2013: Nike Zoom LeBron 10 Elite
![2013 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/icdl6zdfin0cilovtnx4/2013-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2014: Air Jordan XX8 SE PE
![2014 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/pb6equzkcrljlzyxzmft/2014-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2015: Nike Kyrie 1
![2015 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/bprpapflergt8fx0d6q3/2015-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2016: Nike LeBron Soldier X
![2016 best finals sneaker](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/v77esqe4tfj2nnwh2csi/2016-best-finals-sneaker.jpg)
2017: Under Armour Curry 4
![Steph Curry during the 2017 NBA Finals](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/whouyhhce4ml6oc2fa8s/steph-curry-2017-nba-finals.jpg)
2018: Nike LeBron 15
![nike lebron 15 nba finals](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/ut9uwe6irukpcmojhebe/nike-lebron-15-nba-finals.jpg)
2019: New Balance OMN1S
![Kawhi Leonard New Balance OMN1S 2019 NBA Finals](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/xipteogxj6quvlfkwgyj/kawhi-leonard-new-balance-omn1s-2019-nba-finals.jpg)
2020: Nike Kobe V Protro
![2020 NBA Finals Anthony Davis Nike Kobe 5](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/wytea0ntshdd91vnhw6n/2020-nba-finals-anthony-davis-nike-kobe-5.jpg)
2021: Nike Kobe IV Protro
![PJ Tucker 2021 NBA Finals Game 2](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/Y19jcm9wLGhfMzM0Nix3XzUxMTMseF80NSx5XzExMA==/czatlrnqtgghdkqylrzb/pj-tucker-2021-nba-finals-game-2.jpg)
2022: Under Armour Curry 4 Flotro
![Stephen Curry 2022 NBA Finals](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/complex/images/Y19jcm9wLGhfMjY2Nix3XzQyNzcseF8zNTEseV80NTY=/t48v3cyqkuhnxmpyzrnn/stephen-curry-2022-nba-finals.jpg)