The Top 25 Big Man Shoes of All-Time

Complex says: It was these or the Spaldings — unsurprisingly, we went with these. Then-Akeem Olajuwon may have gone with a running shoe company, but they did him proper. After all, you don't get pivot moves like this without a dope shoe.

Complex says: Guards and wingmen weren't the only players ballin' out in Js. During the Bulls title run of '97, even the centers cleaned up in Jordans. Apparently the XIIs, with their Zoom Air and cabon spring plate, were great for plantar fasciitis, so — despite Mike's trepidation — the bigs wore them, too. Thats right — Luc Longley and Bill Wennington's kicks >>> yours.

Complex says: The game done changed. Prior to the last decade, the five slot was about seven-foot ogres colliding in the paint, working post-up moves, and scoring on hook shots or easy dunks. Amar'e Stoudemire isn't that dude. He plays the center spot from anywhere on the floor, getting transition buckets and outplaying his opponent athletically and vertically to get loose balls for buckets. What better shoe than a lightweight crosstrainer that he can move around in and adds maximum comfort and cushioning? It wasn't meant to be a basketball shoe, but Aaron Cooper's update of a Tinker classic showed and proved on the court.

Complex says: When Avia said "hightop," they meant it. They're not exactly a household name now, but Avia was most definitely an on-court staple in the '80s — worn by Clyde Drexler and Scottie Pippen, among others. The 880s were the shoe of choice of Celtics center Robert Parish, in basic black, of course.

Complex says: It didn't take long after Patrick Ewing dominated in college to turns heads in the league as well. The number-one pick in '85 went with the Three Stripes and brought basketball back to NYC in a street staple. Originally released in 1986, the Attitude has been retroed plenty of times, but adi needs to get Pat back in the fold and drop 'em again with that tongue tag.

Complex says: They have been around since 1917, no shoe fits the defintiion of classic any better than the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star. Of course they were worn by everyone back then, but whether it is the silhouette itself or the players (Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell among others) who rocked them, you can't talk about any sneaker list without the Chucks earning a spot.

Complex says: In 1981 Nike changed the game again with the Dynasty. The body was based off the classic Blazer, but the mesh upper and the sleek lower portion looked more like a tennis shoe than a basketball kick. Nonetheless league MVP Moses Malone went hard in these (with his name on the back, of course) for the Rockets and Sixers.

Complex says: Reebok outbid the Swoosh for the rights to one of the games most marketable players when they put Yao Ming on the roster and continued to Pump things up. The Omni Pump Yao Ming is one of Reeboks most memorable models, featuring the Hexride cushioning system and overall a pretty slick silhouette. No Yao Omni Pump trumped the model made for his return to China for the 2008 Olympics.

Complex says: Big Nike? They weren't kidding. The shoe was the ancestor of both the Georgetown-inspired Terminators and the Dunk. They dropped in 1985, and at the time served as the perfect silhouette for big men in need of great cushioning and ankle support. The sneaker was a staple for one the league's most memorable and unique centers: Manute Bol, R.I.P.

Complex says: First off, can we please have a moment of silence for that photo of Van Gundy hugged up on Zo's leg? Dead. Alonzo was a beast in the '90s before kidney issues shortened his career. The Air Alonzo dropped in 1997. and was a great representation of what Nike was doing designwise during one of its greatest eras — and there is no denying Mourning was worthy of his own shoe.

Complex says: adidas made a smart play locking up the straight-to-the-league marketable big man Dwight Howard. The dude won a few dunk contests and has the type of persoanlity that can sell more than a few kicks. With the Commanders, adidas had one of its best models that blended aesthetics and performance aspects for Superman and a few other players holding down the paint. Not to mention with those huge stripes (which may be visible from outer space), there was no question who Dwight (and Tim Duncan, among others) were repping for.

Complex says: In 1997, the Foamposite line was born mainly with the guard in mind — specifically Penny Hardaway (only since Scottie Pippen didn't like them, but that's a story for another time). In '98 they switched the style up with a sneaker capable of taking a pounding in the paint — pause — yet versatile and aesthically pleasing as well. The shoe was the Total Air Foamposite Max, and there was no better duo to represent in them than the Twin Towers of David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Look for them to drop again on September 30.

Complex says: Much like the 880s which followed, the Avia 870s were higher than high and equipped with Avia's "cantilever" outsole for cushioning and stability. It was an affordable and reliable shoe for the bigs and probably saved an ankle or two — somehow Arvydas Sabonis came up on a pair behind the Iron Curtain.

Complex says: In '95 Nike released another aggressive Air Max high top aimed at the center position. Again, the main man David Robinson was the most notable player rocking them on the court. Damn, can't Shawn Bradley get some face time too? (Nice kicks Shawn — really.)

Complex says: In the early-to-mid '90s, straps on the kicks were all the rage. Four velcro pieces to each shoe, the Air Unlimited the Nike Air Carnivore's b-ball playing cuzzo. The Admiral brought 'em out for his 1994 All-Star appearance and the complicated kicks were a favorite of Chris Webber's during his rookie campaign.

Complex says: It's dope when a sneaker company truly incorporates a player's background, personality and passions when making up a signature model for them. adidas hit it head-on with the Mutombo model. It's no secret that Dikembe was new to the U.S. when he started playing ball for John Thompson's Hoyas, and the Mutombo model took it back to Africa with one of the most unique kicks we have ever seen on the court.

Complex says: Throughout the '80s, the Air Force lineup was nothing to mess with. In 1990 Nike dropped these Vs with sick colorblocking and the paddedest high top outside a pair of Pumps. Charles Barkley wore the lows (which were more like mids) while David Robinson (once again) was the face of the highs. Can we get a re-release, though?

Complex says: Before Ewing's do his own thing with the EWING brand he did the Attitude and more famously the Conductor. Pat's first signature hightop was a staple in NYC in 1986 and was one of the most popular adidas to drop in the '80s. They even showed up on the feet of pro BMXers like Dennis McCoy. The Conductor was beyond official.

Complex says: In 1991 Nike was bringing the ruckus with its line of hightop kicks. The Air Force 180 Pump actually bit Reeboks iconic style — even Nike bit too — from 1989. Reebok's tongue stuntin' may have been a better overall concep,t but when D. Robinson took the 180s to the paint you knew they were ending up in a poster or two. The only thing that prevented them from selling like crazy was the $175 price tag — and that Sir Charles was beastin' in the velcroed mid version.

Complex says: When Shaq went number one to Orlando in the 1992 draft, the NBA knew they had more than just an NBA superstar on its hands — they had a pop culture icon. Nike went after him but The Diesel decided to start his own legacy with Reebok (he showed up on Nike campus for an interview in full Reebok gear, which still makes Phil Knight mad) and his first signature shoe definitely can be filed under: classic. Reebok even sent samples in Shaq's size — 20 at the time, we believe — to sneaker stores to use as displays. The clean toe was a Jordan bite, but the slick uppers and Pump setup were all Reebok. Don't worry Complex is already on the task of trying to get these back to the sneaker culture. Sidebar — who remembers that basketball card? Upper Deck was killin' it.

Complex says: The big design kicked off a campaign for the Navy's own, David Robinson. At first they didn't fly off the shelves due to the $175 price tag and urban America felt dude was kind of Bosh. It didn't take long before his game became undeniable and aesthetically the shoe was just too dope with its neon spattered highlights and plastic vents. They were a little more wearable than the big brother Air Force 180 high. Come on, they even were the shoe of choice for Billy Hoyle in White Men Can’t Jump — he might not have been a post, but he was playing above the rim.

Complex says: It ain't hard to tell that the adidas Jabbar was related to the Superstar lineup but hey, you're in L.A. and you have one of the most popular players — Marketing 101. The shoe was released in 1971, and one of the first celebrity-endorsed shoes on the court. True ballers back in the '70s looked high and low for these, especially in hard-to-find suede flavors. Cap's image on the tonge was official, and the shoes gave you a little something extra on the blacktop. Sky-hook not included.

Complex says: "Save the Earth one court at a time" was Nike's slogan with the Air Uptempo. When the shoes dropped it wasn't that much of a stretch. They were best known donned by The Admiral and a rookie named Kevin Garnett, but were so diverse you could catch them on the feet of Scottie Pippen, Derek Fisher, and Jerry Stackhouse, among others. The pillowy cushioning and flat outsole worked anywhere on the court. After checking our list one thing is certain — David Robinson's kick game was proper.

Complex says: How do you design a shoe to support a 7-foot, 300-pound giant and make it just a loud as him? The mind-twisting Shaqnosis was possibly one of the best signature kicks that fit the personality of the player on the court. (Admittedly, designing complex uppers is easier when your man wears a size 22.) The black and white Twilight Zone flow broke necks while Shaq ripped down rims. Deadly combination.

Complex says: People were grabbin' two pairs before Nellyville existed. When the Air Force 1 first dropped in 1982, Moses Malone helped lead the Sixers to their last title in '83 when they swept the Lakers. The strapped-up hightop with the thick flat sole was perfect for bigs. In between quite a few other centers rocked them up to recently when PF/C Rasheed Wallace set a record for most technical fouls in a shoe. We're not sure on the exact figure — maybe Tony Reali can hook us up. Stat boy?