Before The Deal: What The NBA's Best Players Wore Before They Got A Sneaker Contract

Image via Complex Original

Larry Bird 

Sneakers: Converse Pro Leather, adidas Pro Model, Converse Chuck Taylor All Star 

Years: 1976 - 1979

Larry Legend will be remembered for his epic battles with Magic Johnson and their Converse Weapon commercials but Bird has always rocked classic kicks.

Charles Barkley 

Sneaker: Converse All-Star Pro Star

Year: 1983

Nice shorts, Chuck. 

Brandon Jennings 

Sneakers: Air Jordan XI "Playoffs", Air Jordan XIII "White/Black-True Red", Reebok Question III, Air Jordan XX3 "Black/University Blue"

Years: 2006 - 2008

Oak Hill colors make Js an easy choice but Brandon Jennings obviously is on top of his sneaker game.

Gilbert Arenas 

Sneakers: Nike Air Trainer SC, Nike Flight '89, Nike Air Garnett III

Years: 1999 - 2001

Gilbert has had crazy kicks since his departure from adidas but even before he landed the deal with Three Stripes, sneakerheads with a keen eye noticed him wearing heat that normally doesn't end up on a basketball court.

Kobe Bryant

Sneakers: Nike Air Flight Huarache PE, Air Jordan VIII PE, Air Jordan VII PE, Reebok Question PE, Reebok Answer IV, Air Jordan XI "Concord", Converse ERX 300, adidas Triple Threat Mid

Year: 1989 - 1996, 2002 - 2003

Kobe has been a free agent when it comes to footwear twice. Before he was drafted he  was seen in some old school classics and after he left adidas, he played the field with all sorts of dope PEs.

Ray Allen

Sneakers: Nike Air Max Uptempo 2, Nike Air Max Uptempo, Nike Air Penny I, Nike Air Strong

Years: 1994 - 1996

Ray Allen probably has the best PE collection of anybody (next to MJ). Even before he joined Team Jordan he stayed rockin' dope kicks, though.

Tracy McGrady 

Sneaker: adidas Top Ten 2000

Year: 1997

T-Mac made was one of the few guys that made the jump from high school to the pros but his footwear has always been rocking the Three Stripes.

Penny Hardaway

Sneaker: Converse Star Conquest 

Years: 1992 - 1993

Penny may have one of the most popular signature sneaker lines in history but during his Memphis State days he kept it low key with some all black Converse.

Derrick Rose

Sneakers: Nike Zoom Lebron IV, Nike Zoom LeBron III, Air Jordan V "Fire Red"

Years: 2005 - 2006

D-Rose may be putting in work to get back on the court but having dope sneakers has always come naturally for the Chicago native.

Kevin Durant 

Sneakers: Air Jordan XIV "White/Forest Green", Nike Air Max Enforcer TB

Years: 2005 - 2006

Kevin Durant's become the future of the NBA and more than likely the future of Nike Basketball, which is dope because even if KD is not nice, his footwear always has been.

Carmelo Anthony 

Sneakers: Air Jordan III "True Blue", Reebok Answer V, Air Jordan IX "Black/White" 

Years: 2002 - 2003

Melo always keeps his kicks on point. No doubt from day one.

Kevin Garnett 

Sneakers: Nike Air Assist Mids, Nike Air Max 2 CB

Years: 1994 - 1995

KG has had a dope sneaker game since well before he became the angry old man that throws insults and cheap shots at opponents. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Stephon Marbury 

Sneakers: Nike Air Max 2 Uptempo, Nike Air Way Up 

Years: 1995 - 1996

Back when Georgia Tech was one of the top basketball schools in the country and before Stephon Marbury became a Vaseline-eating Internet phenomenon, he was actually a college basketball phenom that wore some dope sneakers.

Jason Kidd 

Sneakers: Nike Air Flight Lite II Mid, Nike Air Maestro 

Years: 1992 - 1994

In high school and college, Jason Kidd had that sneaker swag that makes the Bay Area one of the best places for sneakers. Despite a few questionable contracts, it's good to see J-Kidd back with the Swoosh.

Shawn Kemp

Sneakers: Nike Air Flight Lite II, Nike Air Flight '89, Nike Air Alpha Force, Nike Air Force II

Years: 1987 - 1992

All the talk of small hands throughout Shawn Kemp's career couldn't overshadow his footwork. Even before he became known for the Kamikaze, he was lacing up unforgettable silhouettes.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lew Alcindor)

Sneaker: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star

Years: 1965 - 1969

Kareem may have switched his name and footwear choice when he hit the pro level but Lou Alcindor and Chucks is about as memorable as it gets.

Isiah Thomas

Sneakers: adidas Top Ten High, adidas Pro Model 

Years: 1979 - 1981

Zeke may have been the frontman for Converse's Fastbreak model but before that, he had a thing for Three Stripes.

Patrick Ewing

Sneakers: Nike Terminator High, Nike Air Force 1, Nike Franchise High, Converse Fast Break

Years: 1981 - 1985

Before he was slangin, his own retros and making Snickers commercials, Patrick Ewing  was lacing up the highest high tops he could find. Nice to see he was always looking out for those knees too.

Alonzo Mourning 

Sneakers: Nike Air Force III, Nike Air Force STS 

Years: 1989 - 1991

Zo followed in the footsteps of Ewing at Georgetown and laced up the same style of kicks. The big man had heat as a Hoya.

Baron Davis

Sneakers: Reebok Answer I, Reebok Answer II, Reebok Question, Nike Air Holistic Uptempo 

Years: 1997 - 1999

Life before the beard was much different for Baron Davis and judging by his footwear choices at UCLA, it looks like he was quite the Allen iverson fan.

Vince Carter 

Sneakers: Jordan Team One, Nike Total Max Uptempo, Nike Air Modify Force 

Years: 1996 - 1998 

Before "Vinsanity," Vince Carter made a name for himself in the Carolina blues of UNC and timeless hoops shoes from the late '90s.

David Robinson 

Sneakers: Converse Star Tech

Years: 1986

Before he was making us fiend for Nikes, The Admiral was serving the country and serving up blocks in some timeless Converse.

Jerry Stackhouse 

Sneakers: Air Jordan IX "White/Powder Blue", Air Jordan X "White/Powder Blue" 

Years: 1994 - 1995

Back in the day not many cats get the chance to wear Jordans in college. Jerry Stackhouse came up at the right time and had two of the best sneakers of the mid-Nineties on his feet thanks to his choice to become a Tar Heel.

Antoine Walker 

Sneaker: Converse R.A.W. Energy 

Year: 1996

Antoine Walker may have dropped off the radar and into the perils of the D-League but the return of his signature adidas have us looking forward to the new year. Before he landed in the NBA he was a beast on the boards in some Converse we'd like to see retro.

Mike Bibby 

Sneakers: Nike Air Foamposite One, Air Jordan XIII "White/Red", Nike Air Zoom Flight V, Nike Air Max Flight, Nike Air Adjust Force 

Years: 1996 - 1998

Before he and his boys were pushing Team Dime, Bibby was lacing up dope sneakers as an Arizona Wildcat so his footwear game has always been on point.

Tim Duncan 

Sneakers: Nike Air Force High, Nike Air Max Uptempo III, Nike Air Max Uptempo, Nike Air Strong, Nike Air Adjust Force

Years: 1994 - 1997

Mr. Personality himself, Tim Duncan, has always had a pretty low-key fresh footwear game. Appropriate, considering Duncan's personality is very similar.

Magic Johnson

Sneakers: Nike Blazer, Wilson Bata "John Wooden" 

Years: 1978 - 1979

Memories of Earvin Johnson will always be tied to his days with Converse but even before he became "Magic" he had classic kicks on his feet.

Grant Hill 

Sneakers: adidas Artillery, Nike Air Force Max, Nike Unlimited 

Years: 1992 - 1994

Grant Hill was knocking down jumpers at Duke in some of the best Nike Basketball sneakers of the '90s. But Fila can we get some Grant Hills again? Otherwise, we can scoop the Air Force Max that just released as a retro.

Chris Webber 

Sneakers: Nike Air Force Max, Nike Air Flight Huarache, Nike Air Force III High

Years: 1991 - 1993

C-Webb was a beast back in his high school and college days. Before playing hopscotch from brand to brand as a pro, he was all about the freshest Nikes.

Kemba Walker

Sneakers: Air Jordan XX3 "Black/Varsity Red-White, Reebok Question III, Nike Zoom LeBron VI "Big Apple", Nike Zoom Kobe V, Jordan 6-17-23, Air Jordan Retro 12 "Varsity Red/White", Air Jordan Retro XI "Space Jam", Air Jordan XII "Flu Game", Air Jordan II "Candy Pack"

Years: 2008 - 2011

Kemba's days at UCONN gave him the chance to show off his sneaker collection in a major way. He didn't disappoint. 

Larry Johnson  

Sneakers: Nike Air Force STS, Nike Air Force V

Years: 1989 - 1990

Before LJ donned the wig and floral print dress, he was showing off his gold front for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels in classic Nike high tops.

Michael Jordan

Sneakers: Converse Pro Leather, Converse Court 84, adidas Pro Model

Years: 1979 - 1984

MJ obviously won't be forgotten for his footwear but wearing the Pro Leather, Court 84 and adidas Pro Model is something most will overlook as time goes on.

LeBron James 

Sneakers:  Air Jordan IX PE, adidas T-Mac 2 PE, adidas The Kobe II "USA", Reebok Question PE

Year: 2001 - 2003 

We got to see first hand how LeBron came up in More Than A Game

Allen Iverson 

Sneakers: Air Jordan XI "Concord", Nike Air Up High, Nike Air Way Up

Years: 1995 - 1996

AI has always looked up to MJ so the Concords as a Hoya has become unforgettable. He's had a couple of other classics on his feet along the way, though.

Shaquille O'Neal 

Sneakers: Nike Air Force V, LA Gear Catapult "Mailman", LA Gear KAJ

Years: 1990 - 1992

Shaq inked a deal with Reebok and then went on to drop his own brand as his career progressed but LSU had him lacing up purple and gold LA Gear long before he was a Laker.