The Top 25 Sneakers Of The NBA Season
Who wore the best shoes in the NBA this season? Find out.
Image via Complex Original
Lead
Today marks the end of a great NBA season. The Heat ended up quieting some haters, the Spurs somehow cashed in their AARP cards for a 60-win season, and Knicks ended a playoff drought. Before the post-season kicks off, we take a look at some sneaker heat on the floor throughout the 2010-11 season (h/t to Nice Kicks and their daily "Kicks on Court" galleries). See if your favorite player made the list (and yes Gilbert Arenas is a habitual offender). Take a look through our gallery of the top 25 sneakers of the NBA season.
Gilbert 25
#25 Dolce & Gabbana High Top
Who: Gilbert Arenas
When: 12/7/10
Complex Says: One of the strangest sneaker sightings in NBA history? Possibly, but for whatever reason with Arenas's resume this season combined with donning them in L.A., it was a good look.
Gay 24
#24 Nike Huarache 2010 PE
Who: Rudy Gay
When: 12/1/10
Complex Says: In honor of World Aids Day, Rudy broke out a sick pair of Huarache 2010s for the cause. The silhouette was already a fan favorite, and the red colorway looked fresh regardless of the Grizzlies uniforms.
Williams 23
#23 Converse SICKS
Who: Lou Williams
When: 12/7/10
Complex Says: The same night Gilbert broke out the D&Gs on the left coast, Sixers guard Lou Williams wore a pair of apple-red patent Converse SICKS. Entirely different shoes, same neck-snapping effect.
Durant 22
#22 Nike Zoom KD III
Who: Kevin Durant
When: 12/12/10
Complex Says: Durantula’s game keeps getting more sound on the floor and so do his kicks. With the third installment of his signature series, Nike came correct with a great balance of design and performance. Who needs PEs when the GRs are this dope?
Lawson 21
#21 Nike Zoom Uptempo V ID
Who: Ty Lawson
When: 12/28/10
Complex Says: The Nuggets are no strangers to pulling out some dope Nike IDs, and Ty Lawson may take the crown on the squad. Lawson laced the retro Zoom Uptempo Vs AKA Jason Kidds nicely in a Nuggets colorway giving him his first spot on the list.
Jennings 20
#20 Under Armour Micro G Black Ice
Who: Brandon Jennings
When: 11/2/10
Complex Says: Jennings was the first basketball player signed to Under Armour’s basketball line and thus far they have laced him proper. The Micro G Black Ice’s aggressive design and push for ultimate performance is a great start to what we hope is a prosperous relationship between the two.
Gilbert 19
#19 Nike Air Max 2 CB 94
Who: Gilbert Arenas
When: 1/15/11
Complex Says: Gilbert back again with more heat. He paid tribute to many this year, this time rocking a pair of Sir Charles's signature joints.
CP3 18
#18 Jordan CP3.IV
Who: Chris Paul
When: 12/13/10
Complex Says: It’s been a minute since Chris Paul has been out of Wake Forest and reppin’ JB to the fullest. With his fourth signature shoe the Jordan team definitely stepped up its efforts, making this by far the best-designed shoe he has had.
Bron 17
#17 Nike LeBron 8 V2 “Cool Grey”
Who: LeBron James
When: 2/3/11
Complex Says: Not even the best colorway of the three LeBron versions, which shows you how on point Nike has been with Bron's kicks this year. The “Cool Grey” template was undoubtedly the go-to shoe for Nike in late 2010/early 2011. The V2 also saw Nike make the shoe lighter and faster.
Lee 16
#16 Air Jodan III Black/Cement
Who: Courtney Lee
When: 2/27/11
Complex Says: Courtney Lee has busted out the white and the black IIIs on the regular this year, and we have to go with the black pair. Undoubtedly one of the best Jordans on and off the court has been keeping the former Western Kentucky Hilltopper lookin’ fresh.
Hakim 15
#15 Nike Air Half Cent Penny “Eggplant”
Who: Hakim Warrick
When: 2/28/11
Complex Says: Arguably one of the greatest hybrids to date, the Half Cent meshes one of the best short-lived sneaker lines together. The eggplant color on the Foamposite looks dope with Hakim Warrick’s Phoenix Suns uni, still flying high.
Blair 14
#14 Nike Air Jordan Xi “Cool Greys”
Who: DeJuan Blair
When: 1/24/11
Complex Says: Since his entry into the league, Blair has been rocking the Jordan XIs hard. Whether it’s the “Cool Greys” or “Space Jams” they have kept him fresh off the bench playing a pivotal role for the Spurs knee-injury free. It’s gotta be the shoes.
Ty 13
#13 Nike LeBron 8 V2 “Entourage”
Who: Ty Lawson
When: 3/14/11
Complex Says: Many wondered if the LeBron “Pre-Heats” or “Entourages” would get any play due to their extreme colorways. Less than two weeks after their release, Nuggets’ guard Ty Lawson broke the Entourages out against the Hornets. Answered that question.
Ray 12
#12 “Bin 23” Air Jordan IX
Who: Ray Allen
When: 3/14/11
Complex Says: The Bin series this past year has been a good move by Jordan Brand getting fans excited and opening up their wallets for releases. With only 1,331 of the IXs in production, Ray Allen laced his up with green shoestrings for a loss to the Nets. Yeah, we can excuse the L on the court on account of how dope those shoes looked with the alternate Boston uniforms. All praise Jesus.
Kobe 11
#11 Nike Zoom Kobe VI “Christmas”
Who: Kobe Bryant
When: 12/25/10
Complex Says: The VIs look much like the IVs and Vs in Kobe’s line, but each sneaker always has a little twist. The VIs have that reptile scale feel to them but are still low, quick, and light. Kobe broke out these Christmas editions versus the Heat, who robbed the Lakers of their holiday cheer. You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.
Wall 10
#10 Reebok Question
Who: John Wall
When: 3/6/2011
Complex Says: There have been a few comparisons between John Wall and Allen Iverson, mainly due to their scoring abilities, otherworldly speed, and Reebok connects, but it stops there. Or so we though. Wall took a break from his Zigtech signature sneakers and rocked AI’s rookie kicks for a few games in a rare colorway.
Wade 9
#9 Jordan 2011
Who: Dwayne Wade
When: 4/8/2011
Complex Says: The Air Jordan 2011 is possibly the best new Air Jordan since Mike's final retirement and one of the most underrated shoes of the year. D. Wade proved their durability helping lead the Heat to a second-place finish in the East.
Melo 8
#8 Air Jordan Melo M7 Future Sole
Who: Carmelo Anthony
When: 3/18/2011
Complex Says: Carmelo got traded to the Knicks and had the Big Apple going crazy helping lead the team to a playoff berth. Many wondered when Jordan Brand would hook him up with a Knicks colorway. A month later these orange beasts dropped, also lacing alma mater Syracuse in time for the tourney.
Gilbert 7
#7 Fila Grant Hill
Who: Gilbert Arenas
When: 12/30/10
Complex Says: Right before the new year, Gilbert strayed from his Jordan arsenal and broke out a nearly 20-year-old classic with the Fila Grant Hills. This isn’t even Gilbert’s best.
Blake 6
#6 Nike Hyperdunk 2011
Who: Blake Griffin
When: 2/20/11
Complex Says: The season's most exciting player due to his numerous facials, pause. Griffin was jumping over centers, cars, and veterans, earning a spot in the All-Star game. The Hyperdunk 2011s were a great match with its illuminating heel just in time for him to shine in front of all of the bright lights.
Gilbert 5
#5 Air Jordan IV “Military Blue”
Who: Gilbert Arenas
When: 2/11/11
Complex Says: The IVs are a Jordan classic but rarely seen on the court. The season’s sneaker champ busted them out on February 11th against the Hornets, earning his fourth spot on our list. Clap for the heavyweight champ.
Rose 4
#4 adidas Crazy 8
Who: Derrick Rose
When: 2/24/11
Complex Says: The likely league MVP switched it up and rocked the adidas Crazy 8s for a game in February. Most know them from Kobe’s signature line in the '90s. Adidas killed it dropping them in numerous colorways and Rose killed it with 26 points and a win over conference foe Miami.
Ty 3
#3 Nike Air Foamposite Pro “Electric Green”
Who: Ty Lawson
When: 4/3/11
Complex Says: Although he didn’t receive as much fanfare for his shoe game this is Lawson’s third sighting on the list. A week ago he rocked the “Electric Green” Foamposite Pros in a win over the Lakers. “Cool Grey” was the rage in 2010 and, we have to say, the bold models sporting “Electric Green” might be our new favorite look from Nike.
Ray 2
#2 Air Jordan XIII PEs
Who: Ray Allen
When: 2/10/11
Complex Says: Mr. Jesus Shuttlesworth has been getting hooked up with player editions from MJ’s crew for a minute now. In February he rocked a sick pair of the XIIIs that matched perfectly with his Celtics green. When you hit 2,600+ trifectas, good things are bound to happen. Practice that jumper, son.
Amare 1
#1 Nike Zoom Huarache TR Mid PE
Who: Amar’e Stoudemire
When: 3/10/11
Complex Says: Amar’e has always been on point with his sneaker game but this year he hit the masses with a curveball, rocking the Huarache Trainers despite getting PE after PE from Nike Basketball. Nonetheless Stoudemire has been killin’ em in the paint with 25 points, eight boards, and two blocks a game, leading the Knicks back to the postseason.