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Basketball is a game centered around speed, hops, agility, and flashy moves which are only possible with the perfect pair of basketball shoes!
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Basketball Shoes are the building blocks which make or break your game and so it’s essential to find the right fit for you. The task of finding your ideal shoes can be daunting, overwhelming and a process that takes trial and error before finding your ideal pair. So how do you find your court companion? Well, look no further. This article will provide you with a crash course on the types of basketball shoes and how to choose the right one so that you can go full throttle and guns blazing from game one!
All we need to do to achieve this is look at three basic categories: The ankle collar, cushion, and traction. By following this guide don’t be surprised to find yourself ruling the court and winning the game!
The ankle collar length is one of the most differentiating aspects of a shoe that makes it suitable for certain types of players and play styles. By finding the right fit, you can greater use the full potential of your skills and abilities!
The three types of ankle collars include:
The key feature of high ankle shoes is the reinforced high ankle collar that covers the ankle completely.
Although this makes the shoe heavier, its extra support and cushioning is perfect for the game style of centers and forwards by providing impact protection and ankle protection to support their constant jumping associated with rebounding and blocking shots. This also helps protect against injuries so that you can play longer and harder without worrying about getting hurt!
The mid-ankle collar of these shoes just covers the ankle and provides an all-rounded performance that has a balance of features perfect for small forwards and shooting guards.
These types of shoes incorporate the ankle protection of high ankle shoes with the responsiveness of low ankle shoes, therefore supporting both the jump and agility of athletic players and allowing them to use their explosiveness to score!
Low ankle shoes are best for fast and shifty players who need responsiveness to meet their agility.
The ankle mobility and lightweight factors of these shoes help point guards and shooting guards to run up and down the court, supporting the offence and running back for transition defence. With these shoes being the least strenuous, you can expect to have a comfortable ride in them!
The cushion is the backbone of a pair of shoes that help achieve a comfortable fit and usage of the shoes.
There are various types of cushioning with each cushion varying for use. However, there are a few things to look at in a shoe’s cushion to determine that you find the right fit for you.
The height of the cushion is a deciding factor as it also determines how high your foot is from the ground. There is no fixed level or height but rather based on preference. However, there are drawbacks for the extremes. If the cushion setup is too high, you will be further away from the ground and this can cause instability and possible injuries as there less court feel, which is the responsiveness of a shoe based on how close it is to the ground. If a cushion setup is too low, the court feel will be good but the impact protection and effect of the cushion will be close to non-existent. We recommend a height in between that provides court feel and impact protection as seen in the picture.
The bounce of the cushion refers to the level of impact protection a cushion setup can offer. This varies with the type of foam used and new technologies that companies use to find the balance between a cushion setup being too soft or too stiff. The reason that a balance is trying to be found is that a cushion being too soft will not be responsive, therefore not meeting the requirements for quick players like guards. On the other hand, a cushion too stiff will not offer enough impact protection and cannot support jumping players like the forwards.By finding a balance, a shoe will receive good responsiveness and impact protection. This can be checked by leaning on your heel as shown.
The traction is the bottom of the shoe that grips the floor and allows it you to be shifty and agile. Due to this, it is important to have the traction that not only grips the floor but is also durable and will last a long time.
To achieve this, it is important to look at two criteria.
The tractions of shoes can be classified as made for indoor courts or outdoor courts. Indoor court tractions are relatively soft and tacky to grip onto dusty floors. Outdoor shoes have hard soles that are meant to be durable against the rough courts. Choosing the wrong type for the wrong court can either lead to lots of slippages or no durability. Therefore to choose the right type of traction, it is first important to decide which court you will play at. After this, you can determine which type your shoe is by researching the shoe or using your nail to move the rubber. If the rubber is stiff, it is an outdoor shoe, and if not then an indoor shoe.
The traction pattern is the pattern of the rubber that determines how grippy a shoe is. For a shoe to have more grip, the traction pattern should be multi-directional. Being multidimensional refers to the pattern reaching in all directions as shown in the picture to the left. Such patterns allow players to use their agility.
By following these three categories and trying different pairs of shoes, you will be able to find your ideal pair of shoes in no time! Have you used this guide to buy shoes? Share a picture of your shoe that you bought using this guide with us on Instagram or Facebook!
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