Adidas is one of the best brands for basketball shoes available, but have you ever wanted to get a pair but don’t know where to start?
Our team of expert athletes, coaches and physical therapists tried out and reviewed the 5 best Adidas basketball shoes on the market which you’ll find in this post.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- How to get the right Adidas shoe size
- How to clean your Adidas basketball shoes
- What to look for when buying your Adidas shoes
And more!
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PRODUCT
OUR TOP PICK
#1 – Adidas Harden Basketball Shoe
- Beats several shoes in performance and quality
- Ideal for indoor basketball use
- Doesn’t demand expensive costs
BEST BUDGET
#2 - Adidas Pro Bounce Low Basketball Shoe
- Unbeatable traction, thanks to the sole’s pattern
- Ideal for different basketball positions
- Well-balanced performance
BEST HIGH END
#3 – Adidas Crazy 8
- Ideal for players with narrow feet
- Built for speedy players
- Excellent durability and longevity
#4 - Adidas Performance Marquee Boost
- Better traction than most basketball shoes
- Provides first-rate heel protection
- Excellent ankle support
#5 - Adidas Crazy BYW 2.0 Basketball Shoes
- Provides all-day comfort
- Perfect for wearers with wide feet
- Meant for both indoor and outdoor basketball
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
Adidas Harden Basketball Shoe
Out of all the Adidas basketball shoes we tested, the Adidas Harden Basketball Shoe stood out on top.
This basketball shoe offers excellent cushioning, but it also manages to stay low profile, which gives you great responsiveness throughout. Additionally, it’s at a price point where many basketball enthusiasts can enjoy excellent footwear without spending a significant amount of money on limited edition shoes.
What's In This Guide?
Our Top 5 Best Adidas Basketball Shoes
The team tested different Adidas footwear for basketball and these five options came out as the best among the rest.
How to Measure the Right Adidas Basketball Shoe Size?
Getting your shoe size is fairly straightforward. All you’ll need is a pen or pencil, a piece of paper, and a ruler. Place the paper flat on the ground and stand on it, but make sure that your foot is flat and straight. Mark the point behind your heel, then do the same at the tip of your longest toe.
Measure the distance between both the points you marked on the piece of paper. Make sure that it’s a straight line and not diagonal.
Once you have your measurement, check it against the Adidas size chart. If your measurement is in between two sizes, round up. If one of your feet is longer than the other, use the measurement from the longer foot.
Should I Buy Adidas Basketball Shoes at Half Size Bigger?
When you are playing basketball, or any other physical activity, it’s important to make sure your foot has enough support, especially with the ankles. Basketball players are prone to foot injuries, given that there’s a lot of jumping and sudden change of direction while you’re in play. This puts a lot of strain on your heels and your ankles.
Having a shoe that is too big can cause injury, mostly because a loose-fitting shoe doesn’t offer as much support as a proper-fitting shoe would. Conversely, if the shoe doesn’t give your feet enough space to move around, it may cut off circulation, which can also cause injury.
That said, the best fit for basketball shoes is where it offers a snug fit for your ankle and heels, but wide enough at the front that will allow you to wiggle your toes freely. An allowance of ¼ to ½ an inch from your longest toe should be enough.
How Long do Adidas Basketball Shoes Last?
Adidas produces good quality shoes, and they could last you a long time with proper care and use. Of course, it all depends on how often and how hard you use them. If you’re only using your Adidas basketball shoes for everyday tasks, you wouldn’t need to replace them too often.
But if you use them for basketball, as they should be, then you will have to replace them every 350 to 500 miles you use them, or equivalent to about 70 hours’ worth of playtime. Of course, even after using up your basketball shoes’ total mileage, you can still wear them for daily use. However, they are no longer recommended for physical activities.
How to Clean Adidas Basketball Shoes?
Cleaning your Adidas basketball shoes regularly not only improves their longevity, but it will also improve how well you grip the court, for that added advantage. Cleaning your shoes is not that difficult, just follow the guide below.
- Remove the Dirt
The first thing you’ll need to do is to remove any excess dirt off of your shoe. Use a soft-bristled brush or an old toothbrush for this, especially with the bottom part of your shoe. Don’t scrub too hard on the softer parts, since they may come off.
If you play basketball outdoors, this is also a good time to remove any small pebbles stuck in your soles. You can take these off with a toothpick.
- Wash your Shoes
Next, you’ll want to wash your shoes with a bit of soap. Avoid using any harsh detergents for this or putting your shoes in the washing machine. Instead, mix some detergent into warm water and rub the mixture into your shoes using a cleaning cloth. Once that’s done, rinse your shoes thoroughly with water, then wipe them dry.
This should also be a good time to check your laces. You may wash them with soap and water, but if they are too worn, it’s best to replace them. Using worn shoelaces may lead to injury.
- Take the Insoles Out
To avoid having your soles smell bad, you may remove them and air them out. If they still smell bad, it’s a good idea to wash them. You may also apply baking soda once they’re dry to help absorb the smell.
Read More >> The Best Basketball Shoes For Point Guards
What Should You Look for When Buying Adidas Basketball Shoes?
Choosing the right Adidas basketball shoes can be a bit overwhelming. After all, choosing the wrong type could lead to injury. Here are a few things you should look out for when buying the perfect basketball shoes for you.
- Comfort
A good pair of shoes should provide enough comfort and support, especially when playing long basketball sessions. Aim to buy comfortable Adidas basketball shoes that help prevent foot injuries.
- Upper
The upper is the part of a basketball shoe that covers your entire foot. How snuggly or how loosely it should contain your feet is entirely dependent on what kind of player you are. Basketball shoe uppers come in high, mid, and low.
High uppers offer you an extra layer of support around your ankle. It gives you plenty of stability, but it can weigh you down. Mid uppers offer less protection and only offer minimal support, but it does improve your ankle’s flexibility. Low uppers, on the other hand, are built for agility and speed but have little to no support.
- The Laces
There are many ways for you to close up your shoes. Aside from the traditional shoelaces, there are also zippers, hooks, and even regular straps to help secure your shoe. Depending on what you choose, they can add an extra layer of support for your ankle, but keep in mind that extra security also means less flexibility.
- Midsole
The midsole is where you will find your shoe’s cushioning, making it one of the most important parts of your basketball shoe’s performance. Depending on the type of cushioning available, you can choose better protection for a heavier shoe, or you can choose less cushioning for more agile footwear.
- Outsole
The outsole is generally made of rubber or other synthetic materials. This is the part of your Adidas basketball shoe that gives you your traction. When you’re out buying your basketball shoes, choose the ones with a flat and wider outsole, to help improve your grip on the court and maximize your balance.
Nowadays, most basketball shoes are built for indoor courts. So, if you are planning on playing outdoors exclusively, choose a shoe that has a thicker outsole, to help absorb the impact and improve durability. Concrete and asphalt can wear down your soles rather quickly.
- Ventilation
A good pair of shoes can help keep your feet warm and dry. Look for Adidas basketball shoes with great ventilation. Otherwise, wearing low-quality basketball footwear can trap sweat, which can become the precursor to smelly feet.
Read More >> The Best Basketball Shoes for Wide Feet
Pick #1 - Adidas Harden Basketball Shoe
If you play often as a guard and are looking for a flexible, low to the ground shoe without sacrificing too much on support, then the Adidas Harden Volume 4 basketball shoe might just be for you. Unlike its predecessors in the James Harden line, this model doesn’t come with the signature Boost Cushioning.
That might not be a bad thing, since the new Lightstrike cushion system offers more flexible, lighter footwear without sacrificing that much on support. This shoe comes in many different uppers, and each one gets the job done.
Another thing we love about this model is the great traction, making it perfect for indoor courts. We found that you can play pretty well even on a dusty court with just minimal wiping. Still, if you’re particular with the cushioning, you might miss the Boost Cushioning from previous models. And trust us, you will feel the difference, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing, especially with its reasonable price tag.
- Cons
- Cushioning is a step back from previous Harden models
Pick #2 - Adidas Pro Bounce Low Basketball Shoe
The Adidas Pro Bounce Low is a good all-rounder if you plan on playing multiple positions on different games. One of the biggest selling points of this model is its unmatched traction. The spiral traction pattern on the soles works like a charm on indoor courts. The only downside we found on this traction pattern is that it collects way too much dust in certain areas, making it a nightmare to clean up.
The cushioning itself is more than adequate, plus the lower profile gives this footwear excellent responsiveness in the court. This low profile gives you an excellent balance between protection and flexibility.
One downside we’ve found on this shoe is that the materials on the upper seem a bit lightweight to our liking. It works great, but we preferred something heavier. You might, however, feel differently. Despite the lightweight build, it is durable.
- Cons
- A bit too lightweight for our tastes
Pick #3 - Adidas Crazy 8
The Adidas Men’s Crazy 8 is a decent shoe that offers good support overall. The materials are certainly high quality, which should be after looking at its relatively expensive price tag.
The cushioning on this model is a bit soft, but it is firm on the forefoot. This combination gives you excellent support overall but still makes the entire profile low to the ground and
very responsive, perfect for players that prioritize speed. As for the materials on the upper, everything is soft and flexible and feels like woven materials. Naturally, this also makes them a bit pricier.
The biggest downside we’ve found is that this basketball shoe runs a bit narrower than the others. If you have naturally narrow feet, then that’s fine. But if you have wide feet, or prefer extra breathing room on your toes, this can be a bit of a problem.
- Cons
- Will be a bit too snug for people with wide feet
Pick #4 - Adidas Performance Marquee Boost
The Adidas Performance Marquee Boost is another great basketball shoe with excellent traction. The traction patterns on the sole make sure that you get the best grip on clean courts. Unfortunately, we found that it suffers a lot on less than optimal or dusty courts.
Still, the amount of ankle support around the ankle collar plus the highly responsive outsole more than makes up for this shortcoming. Although the materials themselves can be a bit basic, they are very durable, and still made from quality. We also love the retro look this shoe was going for.
Overall, the Adidas Performance Marquee Boost is an excellent all-rounder for many basketball players, regardless of their position.
- Cons
- Difficult to use on dusty courts
Pick #5 - Adidas Crazy BYW 2.0 Basketball Shoes
If you’re looking for a pair of basketball shoes that balances comfort, support, and flexibility, you wouldn’t go wrong with the Adidas Crazy BYW 2.0 Basketball Shoes. You get a wide sole, with very little heel spillage, all the while giving you as much responsiveness as possible.
The traction pattern on the sole gives you an excellent grip on the court, regardless of condition, but it does pick up a lot of dust rather quickly, so we recommend you clean this shoe regularly for optimal performance.
One downside we’ve noticed is that although the upper provides excellent support, the materials do feel a bit flimsy and thin, at least to our liking. Still, it’s a good-quality shoe that gets the job done.
- Cons
- The build quality could be better
Our Top Pick - Adidas Harden Basketball Shoe
Although Adidas is known for creating good quality shoes, and each one we’ve reviewed is an excellent piece of footwear by itself, we’ll have to give our top pick to the Adidas Harden Basketball Shoe.
It offers excellent cushioning but still manages to stay low profile, giving you great responsiveness throughout, when flexibility matters the most. Traction itself is also great, even in sub-optimal courts.
Check out its low price on Amazon!
