The 25 Greatest Sneakers in Duke Basketball History

Image via Complex Original

Check the résumé and you will see that Duke University is what college basketball is all about — the banners, the Cameron Crazies, classy players, the coach, and the sneakers. As long as Duke has been in the national spotlight, they've been producing some of the greatest basketball players in the world, who also know a thing or two about style and performance on the floor. Click on the gallery to check out The 25 Greatest Sneakers in Duke Basketball History. Be sure to let us know which ones were your favorite and don't worry, we got Wojo in the house. 

(If anyone can find photographic evidence of a Duke player actually wearing the "Duke" Air Max2 Uptempos — hit us with it at @ComplexSneakers or in the comments. We'll gladly switch the order up and give credit. We looked everywhere. Urban myth?)

25. Nike Air MZ3

When: 1999

Who: Steve Wojciechowski 

So many classics in the mid-90s that some heat gets lost in the years, like the Nike Air MZ3. The Zoom Air forefoot and Air Max heel made these kicks the Cadillac of cushioning, allowing players to withstand the impact of 40 minutes of non-stop hustle. And no one played the game harder than Coach K's floor general, Steve "Slap the Floor For Intimidation" Wojciechowski.

24. Nike Air Vis Uptempo 

When: 1999

Who: Shane Battier 

The Vis Zoom Uptempos weren't anyone's signature kicks when they dropped in '99 but seemed to be somewwhat of a staple in the agile big man's game. The visible Zoom Air units set these off correct and the black, white, and blue colorway was a no-brainer to pair up with the Blue Devil uniforms.

23. Nike Air Flightposite II KG

When: 2001

Who: Carlos Boozer 

Modeled for Kevin Garnett, the Flightposite II was unique for its features transforming the Foamposite series into something lighter for performance and designed for the future. The shoe was a huge hit with forwards who were light on their feet stretching the floor to the wing but still able to punish people on the boards.  

22. Nike Zoom LeBron III

When: 2005

Who: J.J. Redick  

LeBron was hooking Ohio State up with the player editions but that didn't stop sharpshooter J.J. Redick from rocking an off-the-rack pair in his quest to be king of The ACC. The LeBron III took a completely different approach from his first two kicks in terms of design, but kept it consistent with the Zoom Air cushioning. 

21. Nike Air Maestro II

When: 1993

Who: Grant Hill 

Also worn by Cal point guard Jason Kidd, the Maestro II represented the pinnacle of Flight, with a little more beef than the stripped-down Huaraches for point guards and post players alike — Hill had no problem holding down both spots on the floor.

20. Nike Air Garnett III

When: 2000

Who: Mike Dunleavy Jr. 

Back when KG was still "Da Kid" and Mike Dunleavy Jr. was even more baby-faced than he is now, Garnett's signature series was moving units. In 2000 one of Duke's most anticpated blue chip recruits took the court in the Tuned (and Zoom) Air equipped Garnett IIIs with the classic fade upper. The shoes have since retroed, donning the name Nike Retro 3 after KG's departure from The Swoosh. 

19. adidas Half Shells

When: 1982

Who: Tommy Amaker

As per their name, the adidas Half Shells were a lightened-up version of the Pro Model (high) and Superstar (low) shell toes, which only utilized the familiar adidas shell as a toe bumper. Tommy Amaker rocked them hard in the ACC — but who's that other guy?

18. Nike Air More Uptempo

When: 2005

Who: Sean Dockery 

In ’96 Nike released a lot of gems, maybe none as major as the Air More Uptempos — which were recently re-released just last year. It was nothing for Coach K's Chicago connection, Sean Dockery to don Pippen's finest when he was taking on the same multi-position role. With the full-length visible Air Unit and giant AIR lettering even this pair of shoes was visible in the cheap seats of Chapel Hill. 

17. Air Jordan XIII "Flint Grey"

When: 2011

Who: Austin Rivers 

Probably the best shoe ever inspired by a golf ball, the Air Jordan XIII also took cues from Michael Jordan's other-other nickname, "Black Cat" (note the "cateye" hologram on the heels, and the cat's-paw inspired outsoles). Lighter and more flexible than its predecessor, the Air Jordan XIII was a Zoom-cushioned sprint shoe perfect for the ACC's hottest newcomer. 

16. Nike Shox BB4

When: 2001

Who: Carlos Boozer 

In 2001-02 it was rare to find a Nike squad that didn't have at least a few players in the Nike Shox BB4. Nike took it to the next level of performance, adding a new cushioning system that was more than 16 years in the making. Carlos Boozer had some success in the shoes during in his last season at Durham, but they were best known on the feet of Vince Carter while he was putting Toronto on the NBA map and nonchalantly dunking over seven-foot Frenchmen 

15. Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4 iD

When: 2011

Who: Austin Rivers 

When Austin Rivers isn't hitting daggers in his foes' faces he must be tinkering with Nike iDs website building true pairs of Duke Blue Huarache 2K4s. The 2K4s were ahead of their time performancewise, keeping them relevant even in today's game. The shoe was the epitome of lightweight performance in the pre-Flywire era. We know eight years later the new "+" system that just rolled out makes these look basic, but you can't front when Austin Rivers iDs a pair to kick off his run at Duke.

14. adidas Bank Shot

When: 1991

Who: Christian Laettner 

Christian Laettner was hurting feelings during his run with the Dukies, and he tooled up in the adidas Bank Shot, the first shoe to feature the Torsion system. The two-tone scheme and large branding was major with adidas in the early '90s and the sneakers ran the Torsion stability bar from the heel to forefoot. The underrated model saw a retro release in the spring of 2009. 

13. Nike Air Force Max

When: 1993

Who: Grant Hill 

Jalen Rose couldn't stand Duke and what they reppped but he had to respect the kicks. Hill may not have went with the Fab Five's black colorway, but the midfoot strap and visbile 180 degree Air Max unit is still one of Nike's greatest looks on a basketball sneaker.

12 Nike Air Max2 CB

When: 1994

Who: Cherokee Parks

Yup, Cherokee Parks once had a preppy haircut, no tattoos, and played for Coach K. His rebellion came in the form of the straitjacket-inspired Air Max2 CB, most notoriously worn by Charles Barkley himself. Look at those hops!

11. Air Jordan XI "Cool Grey"

When: 2011

Who: Austin Rivers 

When your pops is Doc Rivers, we're guessing you might have a few sneaker connects — that's why it was nothing for young Rivers to break out a Jordan classic early this year for Duke. 

10. Nike Air Swift

When: 1994

Who: Grant Hill 

Grant Hill wore a lot of different Nikes during his time on campus, and these Air Swifts may have been one of the best on the low. Best known as Scottie Pippen's "without Mike" playoff joints, the Swift featured a Visible Air bag in the heel, a neoprene bootie, and some dope colorblocking.

9. Nike Zoom Kobe III PE

When: 2008

Who: Elliot Wilson 

The Huaraches and Kobe IVs through the VIIs always get the most attention, but the midcut IIIs were just as nice. The innovative design and performance was built in true Black Mamba fashion, allowing players to strike quick and go for the kill. Elliot Wilson (no Rap Radar) got his hands on a pair of player editions, ditching all-black and giving hits of Duke blue on the outsole for what could have been Kobe's alma mater. 

8. Nike Air Trainer Max '91

When: 2003

Who: Daniel Ewing  

Sometimes a player needs a break from all the restrictions a basketball sneaker can have on the ankle and foot and just run in something a little more free. In 2003, Daniel Ewing decided to break out some trainers that Bo Jackson made famous featuring a neoprene tongue to let your foot breathe and a cross strap up by the ankle so you weren't completely susceptible to heading to the locker room early. Bo Knows Basketball too. 

7. adidas Artillery  

When: 1992

Who: Bobby Hurley 

Blue Chips had him in a Hoosiers uniform, but anybody who knows college hoops remembers Bobby Hurley as a true floor general for the Dukies. In '92 the team — especially the guards — endorsed the adidas Artillery featuring the same Torsion system as the Bank Shot but a slimmer and lower cut, perfect for antagonizing opponents. 

6. Nike Zoom Kobe VI "Duke" 

When: 2011

Who: Nolan Smith 

With Kobe claiming he was heavily considering being a Blue Devil if he didn't jump straight to the league, it was no surprise that Duke would get laced with its own colorway of Kobe's signature joints. The upper featured Duke's away blue colorway on a reptile-like material and the Nike Zoom cushioning catered to guards like Nolan Smith to wreak havoc in the ACC.

5. Nike Air Max Uptempo

When: 1997

Who: Trajan Langdon

Like we mentioned in the intro, it doesn't appear that photographic evidence exists anywhere that the Dookies wore the Air Max2 Uptempo "Duke." Memory serves that they did, but until proof surfaces, it's just a nickname. The Alaskan Assassin Trajan Langdon did lace up in the '95 Air Max Uptempo — in '97, no less — in a PE colorway that looked a lot like the inline white/navy except for the Swoosh. Pillows for your feet.

4. Nike Air Raid

When: 2003

Who: Daniel Ewing 

The Nike Air Raid was created by Tinker Hatifield with streetball culture in mind. The kicks were bulky and featured lockdown straps to withstand any type of punishment -- including the assault Ewing conflicted on opponents during the Blue Devil's 2004 Final Four run. Daniel would really wear anything.

3. Nike Air Unlimited

When: 1994

Who: Grant Hill 

The Air Unlimited is unlike any other shoe Nike has ever put out. The sneaker uses four straps across the heel and ankle to give a player added support. The shoes even came with an instruction manual on how to lace ‘em up. Complex, huh? Grant Hill went on to win the ACC Player of The Year title in 1994, the year he was lacing up the Unlimiteds. And judging from the evidence, he laced them up a lot.

2. adidas Centennial 

When: 1986

Who: Johnny Dawkins 

The adidas Centennial was released in 1985 and was one of the brand's most durable shoes at the time. Everything from the maximum branding, spoiler on the ankle, and newly shaped toe box were unlike anything else adidas had done before. The model was a Duke favorite for the 1986 squad including National Player of the Year Johnny Dawkins.

1. Nike Air Flight Huarache

When: 1994

Who: Cherokee Parks

Another on a long list of Tinker Hatfield classics, the Air Flight Huarache was best-known as one of the prime sneakers of the Fab Five. Best we can figure is that after the Dookies crushed Michigan by 20 in the '92 NCAA Final, they took all the Fab Five's shoes and gave them to Cherokee. Can't think of any other reason he'd have still been wearing them in '94. (That story is in no way true, but it should be.)