A brief history of basketball sneakers and why they’re so frigging cool

The world of basketball and sneakers are inseparably bound together, almost like smoke to fire. From a sports commodity to a cultural touch point, the transition of sneakers into the cool quotient is driven by several causes, with basketball and the NBA at the forefront.

The 1980’s was when the shoe transitioned from just a means of sport, to a cultural phenom for the first time – courtesy of Nike’s Air Jordans and the NBA superstar Micheal Jordan. Cut to a decade later and sneakers have become thoroughfare where everybody wants to cop the new cool sneaker and add it to their collection. From originals to retail, signature shoes of basketball stars to designer collaborations like Virgil Abloh’s redesigned Air Jordan 1, The Off-White × Air Jordan 1 High OG “Chicago”- basketball sneakers are everywhere. From the high fashion runaways to homegrown sneaker retailers like Superkicks and CrepDog crew, the craze around these cultural objects has ballooned massively.  In the previous year alone, it estimated that sneakers generate more than $75 billion in sales worldwide in 2023. In a time plagued by ‘sneakerheads’ and sneaker collectors, we may as well be in a renaissance of sneakers and sneaker culture.

With Team USA’s new dream team led by Lebron James clinching gold at the Paris Olympics 2024, there’s no better time to visit the everlasting relationship between basketball and sneakers then now.

The origin of the sneaker

In the 18th century, shoes with a new rubber sole came into focus, used in various sports like tennis and running. They were soon termed Sneakers, after the rubber soles that allowed them to “sneak up” on others. The first Basketball sneaker of significance came into being in the 1900’s, namely the Converse All Stars. The non-skid shoes catered to the sport of basketball became the company’s spearhead, a statement sport centric piece. They were also called Chuck Taylor’s All-Stars after the basketball player, even now fondly remembered as the Chucks. While the shoe garnered significant attention, dominating the markets as the first original basketball sneaker- it was a different pair that raised sneakers to the status of a culture symbol.

The rise of the sneaker

In the 1970’s, sneakers started to become associated with black culture and hip hop in the underground circuits, another significant influence in the shoes journey. However, it was in 1984 when the movement truly found footing with the launch of the Air Jordan Ones, spiraling sneakers to cultural stardom. The rest of the 80’s saw a significant shift in the perception of the shoes with basketball’s golden child Micheal Jordan as its global ambassador. Sneakers became the new cool, a symbol of status and what you wear to “Be like Mike.” Jordans went on to become the most popular basketball sneakers of the 80s and arguably of all time, much like its namesake. Today the legacy heavy sneaker comes in 23 different models and is still the most sought-after basketball shoe. However, in the years since the Jordans first burst onto the sneaker market; the industry has evolved in more ways than one. Today we stand at the junction of a new generation of basketball sneakers.

A new generation of sneakers

Everybody loves a good pair of sneakers. From celebrities on their casual outings to fashionistas pairing them with suits, sneakers are a staple in new age fashion for everyone, everywhere. And if you’re not wearing sneakers by now, you’re most likely living under a rock. The 2010’s saw a significant rise in sneaker culture – initially as a symbol of luxury or status. Eccentric sneaker collabs with celebrities, musicians and designers have become collectibles for todays generation of ‘sneaker heads’ with wardrobes dedicated to display their prized shoes. Sounds funny right? But basketball sneakers have long elevated from just sports essentials to high fashion designer wear. Take for example Raf Simons x Adidas Ozweego Bunny ‘Core White’ that launched in 2017 or Pharrell Williams x Adidas NMD Hu ‘Yellow’ in 2016, designer sneakers have become sought after necessities.

Now sneakers have also become readily available on a global scale, with local resellers like Superkicks and CrepDog Crew bridging the gap. Different iterations and collectible designs are now just a click away. Despite the hyper commercialization of basketball sneakers, the heart of the shoes hasn’t been lost. Signature shoes of stars continue to be prized as were the original Jordans. From Luka Doncic’s Jordan Luka 2 with the Jordan DNA to the hottest basketball sneakers of the season, the Adidas AE 1 that has single handedly revitalised younger and newer signature shoes. Following the terrific year of Anthony Edwards who is undoubtedly the face of the new generation NBA, his signature sneakers have been catching all the right attention. Only recently, after Minnesota Timberwolves win in the playoffs, I spotted the sneakers on Superkick’s website, an unsaid example of the persisting relevance of basketball with sneakers. After all while elevated to the style symbol, at its crux the sneakers are an aid to the game of basketball, and the primary addition to a player’s arsenal of commodities.

Hero image: Courtesy Adidas/ Anthony Edwards (Ig).