A Brief History of the adidas Top Ten: The ‘70s Model That Modernised Sneakers

The adidas Top Ten is back at Foot Locker and, before you cop your pair, it’s time to learn a little about the shoe that modernised sneakers.

An original adidas Top Ten sneaker from 1979
Adidas

An original adidas Top Ten sneaker from 1979

An original adidas Top Ten sneaker from 1979

It started as a performance shoe for all five positions on the basketball court, but it went on to usher in the next era of sneakers. The adidas Top Ten is back at Foot Locker and, before you cop a pair, it’s time to learn a little about the shoe that modernised sneakers.

Sometime between 1978 and 1979, the basketball deities decided the time was right. A switch flipped and a new era was born. The NBA moved from an afterthought to one of the world’s most-watched competitions. Two rookies entered the league; one at the Lakers, the other at the Celtics, and a decades-long rivalry was reinvigorated. The Jazz moved to Utah. The Clippers moved from Buffalo to San Diego. Soon-to-be commissioner David Stern joined the head office. A competitive new owner in Los Angeles made his presence felt. The pieces were falling into place, forging the NBA we know today. 

It was an era of new energy, new superstars and new ideas like the Dunk Contest, and the innovation wasn’t limited purely to the on-court product. Sneaker tech was also developing quickly. ‘70s basketball had been dominated by adidas; the Three Stripes had been entrenched in the land of Stars & Stripes since the Superstar entered the league in 1969.

We were around 45 years away from adidas’ Yeezy deal but, in ‘69, the league was becoming harder, better, faster and stronger. The Superstar’s cup sole and toe cap was just what the players needed. In the years that followed, adidas continued to lead the league in innovation, introducing the Campus in 1970 and the Nizza in ‘75. Each sneaker represented a different playing style; the high-cut Nizza for the big boys in the paint, the Campus for the cutters and slashers, the Superstar for the finesse players.

archival magazine ads for the 1979 adidas Top Ten
adidas top ten sneaker in the detroit colourway
adidas top ten sneakers