The Best 25 Sneakers of the 2011-2012 College Basketball Season

Image via Complex Original

Tonight Kentucky and Kansas kick off to see which school will be raising a banner in their gym, and what better way to complete the NCAA year than a look at the best kicks worn by your favorite schools and players? You already know that Jordan and Nike kept it trill but adidas stepped up its game significantly and put out some heat. Check out the gallery and let us know what you think — The Best 25 Sneakers of the 2011-2012 College Basketball Season. 

RELATED: Sneaker Report - What the 20 Best College Freshmen are Wearing This Season

25. Air Jordan X "Chicago"

Who: Marcus Jordan 

Being MJ's kids has a few perks, including getting a pair of the hottest future releases a few months early. During a game in early December, Marcus broke out the "Chicago" Xs for battle. It's kind of crazy that Harold "Baby Jordan" Miner and Scottie Pippen took it to the house in these before Mike even had a chance to wag his tongue in 'em. 

24. adidas Crazy 8 "Maui Invitational" 

Who: Jon Horford 

Kobe Bryant's first kicks that were branded with his initials, the KB8 featured the Feet You Wear technology that was made to be an extension of your foot. The shoe was just as popular (and aggressive) as the high-flying off-guard who drew a lot of comparisons to Mike. The kicks saw some retro love in the 2000s with a re-release in 2005 and again all over the feet of adidas-sponsored squads throughout the 2011 NCAA Tournament as the Crazy 8s. For the Maui Invitational, adidas sent over a few pairs of turquoise joints for the Wolverines to rock in the 808.

23. adidas adiZero Rose 2 PE "UCLA"

Who: Norman Powell 

adidas might not have the same share of the market when it comes to college kicks but they hold down the schools they have with special editions. This past season they took the reigning MVP's kicks and customized them in Bruins' blue and gold — keeping them clean and quick on the court. 

22. Air Jordan III "Black/Cement"

Who: Dion Waiters 

You knew once Jordan Brand re-released the dopest Js of all-time, these were going to be all over the courts this winter. Dion Waiters was no stranger to bringing the heat on the hardwood — the kids from Philly always kill it.  

21. Air Jordan XI "Cool Grey"

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 one of the craziest Jordan releases earlier this year for Duke. 

20. Nike LeBron 9 "OSU"

Who: William Buford  

No longer really a team exclusive after Nike decided to release their LeBron 9 school makeups to the public, nonetheless the kicks are fire. The base of the shoe takes the grey and red of OSU's uniforms and blends it from front to back with Flywire and Hyperfuse. If you didn't catch these last November, we wouldn't blame you if you hit a consignment shop (or eBay) to secure a pair. 

19. Nike Hyperdunk 2011 "Carrier Classic"

Who: Keith Appling 

To kick off the 2011 college season, MSU and UNC played one of the most historical games paying tribute to our veterans and they did it on a boat — word to Lonely Island. Nike laced both squads up with unique camo uniforms and matching player-edition kicks including these high-tech Hyperdunk 2011s.

18. Nike Hyperfuse PE "Oregon"

Who: Carlos Emory 

As soon as you saw the bright yellow upper, you knew this was something cooked up specifically for the Ducks. Thanks to a few connects over in Beaverton, Oregon got hooked up with yet another player edition of one of Nike's top performance sneakers. 

17. Under Armour Micro G Bloodline "St. Patrick's Day"

Who: Dylon Cormier 

Best known for its football line, Under Armour has stepped up its game with Brandon Jennings and its b-ball sneaker line, especially the Bloodline series. Last month UA drew up a St. Patrick's Day version keeping the competition with Nike and adidas honest. 

16. Nike Air Foamposite Pro "University Blue"

Who: Jamal Wilson 

Its been almost a decade since the colorway dropped, we aren't sure if Wilson was hooping with clown feet at the age of 12 or how he came across a pair recently but these were easily one of the most original and dopest kicks worn on the court this  past college season. 

15. Nike Air Flight One "Orlando"

Who: Darius Miller 

Penny Hardaway's career never lived up to the hype because of injuries but even after almost 20 years his kick game is legendary. You remember the Flight Ones, Anfernee donned them in '95 and they were so cold Mike even had to rock a pair when he came out of retirement. 

14. Air Jordan XIII "Playoff"

Who: Jared Sullinger 

One of only two OSU Consensus All-Americans of the past two decades (along with Evan Turner), Jared Sullinger earned that Jumpman on his feet. It's hard to argue with his choice of the Air Jordan XIII, what with its Black Cat inspired design, Zoom Air cushioning and golf-ball dimpled upper. Unfortunately Sullinger didn't have the same kind post-season success, but we're guessing he won't sulk in those millions this summer. 

13. Air Jordan III "True Blue"

Who: Mike Rosario 

Fresh off the campus of Rutgers, Mike Rosario made a great first impression in Gainesville hoopin' in one of the greatest Js to ever hit the hardwood. The royal blue scheme of the IIIs didn't exactly go with the Gator's navy colorway, but we can't fault Rosario for wanting to stunt the classics in front of his new home crowd.

12. Nike Zoom Kobe VII "Duke"

Who: Mason Plumlee 

If the NBA had prevented high schoolers from jumping straight to the league LeBron says he was a Buckeye and Kobe says he was a Dukie, although we think Bryant might have put that Italian to use overseas. Nonetheless Kobe has been steadliy hooking up the Blue Devils with their own colorway of his signature series and the past drop is easily one of the best so far. 

11. Nike Air Foamposite One "Metallic Red"

Who: Jamaal Franklin 

The Foamposite One started on the college courts with Bibby 15 years ago and still remains one of the hottest sneakers in the game. When Nike decided to take the classic royal colorway and run them red for Valentine's Day, it caused a massacre.

10. Nike Zoom Kobe VI iD 

When: Carlos Emory

With Nike giving everyone a chance to make up their own kicks, it was only a matter of time before players started killing their own colorways of our favorite models. J.R. Smith might be the iD king, but Carlos Emory brought the ruckus with his almost all-murdered out Kobe VIs. The kicks look ill with the hits of yellow on the outsole and lining — props on the all-black branding though. 

9. Air Jordan XI "Concord"

Who: Nick Johnson 

This isn't quite Iverson back in '96 but you knew once the holiday madness passed these would be all over the court. Nick Johnson broke out the updated icy soles and patent leather to kick things off in 2012 and 16 years later they still look official on the court — one of the greatest hoop shoes of all-time. 

8. Air Jordan IV "Cement"

Who: Marcus Jordan 

When Jordan announced these were coming back you knew it was only a matter of time before Marcus Jordan was running up and down the court in a pair. Like 2011 with the IIIs, the "Cement" release was one of the most-praised moves of the year by Jordan brand.

7. adidas adiZero Crazy Light 2 "Electricity"

Who: Pierre Jackson 

Hate them or love them (we love them) Baylor's jerseys highlighter-yellow jerseys are exactly what makes the college game perfect. This year to help match the threads adidas laced the Bears with matching kicks that had every basketball enthusiast trying to get a pair — keep practicing that J, homie.

6. Nike Hyperfuse 2011 PE "Russell Westbrook"

Who: Mike Rosario

Another year, another series of high-performance, Hyper-inspired kicks. The 2011 version continues to keep things moving in the right direction of light, fast, and supportive while not losing anything on the aesthetic end. The endless colorways have made these the go-to sneaker for most college players this season although Mike Rosario upgraded to NBA status when he scored a pair of the Russell Westbrook PEs last fall.  

5. Nike Zoom KD IV "Nerf"

Who: Myck Kabongo 

One of the best releases of 2011, the colorway and concept was tough to beat. When shots first surfaced, Nike got mobbed by fans with little hope that a drop would even happen. A few weeks later the man himself, KD took to Twitter to announce the release and Nike even hooked it up with the the hoop and ball too.  The Longhorn's Kabongo did his thing with the real setup, though.

4. Air Jordan IV "Black Cat" 

Who: Xavier Thames 

The "Black Cat" IV is one of the best Jordan cuts and colorways to date and we always have to hit a player with daps and pounds anytime they wear a classic that didn't just drop a month ago. Thames broke out a pair versus Baylor keeping San Diego State's tradition as being one of the college's best sneaker-fitted schools alive. 

3. Air Jordan 2012 "University Blue"

Who: Kendall Marshall 

Once JB started reupping the Jordan series after Michael left the game and substituted the numbers with years, there was some general concern that line was done. The first year or two the cause for concern was genuine but the last few seasons has proved that they still have one of the best on-court functional sneakers in the game. 

2. Air Jordan VI "Infrared"

Who: Andre Drummond 

Suprisingly Kanye and Theophilusdon't own every single pair of "Infrareds" in the world. Shortly after Complex dropped a UConn's best of list, Drummond one-upped things taking the floor in the kicks that helped Jordan earn his first title. 

1. Nike Air Zoom Generation "Wheat"

Who: Larry Anderson 

LeBron made them famous his freshman year in the NBA, and the Timberland-inspired sneaker still is one of his greatest concept sneakers to date. When Long Beach State's Larry Anderson broke them out nearly a decade later we had to stop and give credit for pulling them out of the vault for action.