Basketball Shoes Types (2023) – Basketball Shoes By Position

If you are a beginner basketball player, you could be confused every time you want to buy basketball shoes. Suppose you’re going to be a professional basketball player. In that case, you must know the basketball shoes types and why shoemakers like Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, or other big brands are making different types of basketball shoes.

Types of shoes for basketball reflect many things such as player position, according to your feet structure, your playing style, Indoor or an outdoor court, etc. Whenever you are going to purchase new basketball shoes, the above point must be considered to make a well-informed decision.

Basketball Shoes Types

Majorly there are three basic types of basketball shoes, but there are some other types as well.

Majors Basketball Shoes Types

Minor Basketball Shoes Types

Let’s discuss one by one both categories of basketball shoe

Low-Top Basketball Shoe

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Low-top basketball shoes look like running shoes or athletic shoes. These shoes are the best for the player who needs high speed and good traction. It has designed for the high-speed player, so it has the lowest weight among all types of basketball shoes.

Advantages Of Low-Top Basketball Shoe

These are the main advantages of low top basketball shoes

1. You can move freely and perform any maneuverable.
2. It allows quick movement and sharp turn, and sudden start and stop.
3. A wide range of motion is possible because your ankle has not covered.
4. Jumping is very comfortable
5. Easy to wear and flexible
6. Lighter Weight as compare with the other basketball shoe types
7. Perfect for Dunking
8. It is the cooler basketball shoes as compared with the other two types

Disadvantages Of Low-Top Basketball Shoes

Low-top basketball shoes, while famous for their sleek design and lightweight construction. It has disadvantages compared to other basketball shoes. Here are a few of them:

1. Lack of ankle support: One of the most significant disadvantages of low-top basketball shoes is that they offer little to no ankle support. 
2. Reduced cushioning: Low-top basketball shoes tend to have less cushioning than mid or high-top shoes. It can lead to more impact on the feet and joints during play. 
3. Limited traction: Some low-top basketball shoes may have less traction than their mid or high-top counterparts, making it more difficult to stop and change direction quickly on the court. 
4. Only suitable for some players: Some players, particularly those with a history of ankle injuries or requiring extra support due to their playing style. 

Mid-Top Basketball Shoe

Most of the players like the mid-top basketball shoes as it is in between the low top and high top, and it also shares the properties of both shoe types.

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It is more suitable for the basketball player who needs a moderate jump level, but suddenly stop and start is the main requirement. It has partial ankle support, but this type of ankle support didn’t restrict you from free and quick movement. On the other hand, its weight is not very low, not very heavy, prohibiting you from rapid movement.

Almost all the big brands like Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, etc., give more focus on mid-top shoes as mid-top shoes choose most the basketball player, either professional NBA player or the beginner player.

Advantages Of Mid-Top Basketball Shoe

The advantages of Mid-top basketball shoes are

1. It has the appropriate ankle support
2. Not Very heavyweight
3. You can run a sprint in warmups
4. Sudden stop and start are possible.
5. A adequate level of jumping is possible.

Disadvantages Of Mid-Top Basketball Shoe

The main disadvantages of Mid-top basketball shoes are

1. Not Proper ankle support
2. Not lightweight as compare low top basketball shoes but not heavy as high top basketball shoes

Before going towards the high top basketball shoes watch the video below for Low-top and high-top basketball differences

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High-Top Basketball Shoe

As basketball is a sudden stop and starts to beat your opponent player, ankle support is too important to protect your ankle from an injury like ankle rolling.

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It is the heaviest shoe than the other two basketball shoe types because it has covered the ankle, and some is cushioning at the ankle. The material and the cushion have some weight which has added to the overall weight of the shoes.

It decreases your ability to move freely and fastly and speed bursting. These shoes are best for dunker who usually jump higher, and they have a lot of stress at the time of landing; that’s why they need the extra ankle support to protect their ankle.

As high top shoes have generally designed for the dunker, so it has extra cushioning as well.

Nike LeBron XIII is one of the best high-top basketball shoes with a high price tag range.

Some new technologies allow some weight reduction in high-top shoes. The phylon midsole is one of that technology that passes in the entire sole.

Advantages Of High-Top Basketball Shoe

The main advantages of the high top basketball shoes are

1. Best ankle support than the mid-top and the low basketball shoes.
2. Extra cushioning than the other two types
3. Best for Jump higher with minimum risk of injury

Disadvantages Of High-Top Basketball Shoe

These are the disadvantages of high top basketball shoes

1. Heavyweight
2. Free and burst movement is somewhat restricted
3. Breathability is less as compared to other types of basketball shoes

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Basketball Shoes By Position

The primary position in basketball is

Let’s discuss the shoes for these positions.

Shoes For Guards

The main requirement of Guards is Quick and sudden movement throughout the court. So my recommendations for guards are low-top basketball shoes or maximum mid-top basketball shoes. Both basketball shoes didn’t restrict free movement. Some famous Guards basketball shoes are

• Under Armour Curry 9
• Puma Clyde All-Pro
• Nike KD 14
• New Balance TWO WXY
• Under Armour Curry 8
• Nike PG 5

Shoes For Forwards

Requirements of Forwards are playing at forwarding position, which includes jumps as well. So my recommendation for forwards is High top basketball shoes due to extra ankle support. Some famous forwards basketball shoes are

• Nike LeBron XVII
• Nike Kyrie 6
• Adidas Marquee Boost
• Adidas OwnTheGame
• Adidas T-Mac Millennium

Shoes For All-Around Players

All-around players take the responsibility in the mid of the court usually. Its means in normal circumstances, they don’t jump and don’t run fast. So my recommendations for all-around players are mid-top basketball shoes.

Types Of Basketball Shoes Upper

The main types of basketball shoes upper are

1. Canvas
2. Leather
3. Suede
4. Textile Mesh
5. Knitted Material
6. Synthetic Leather

Ankle Support & Movability Comparison

Types Of Basketball Shoes	Ankle Support
Low Top	Lowest ankle support but No movement restriction
Mid Top	Adequate ankle support with moveability
High Top	Best ankle support but movement restriction

 

Conclusion

The main conclusion of the above discussion is that you should choose your shoes according to your playing position and playing style. Others think you must keep in mind that your ankle support health. Please consult your physio and Doctor as well.

If you are a beginner, then you start with the mid-top basketball shoes and observe the response of your feet and ankle according to your playing position, then decide further.

Identifying the right basketball shoes is art so if you are still confused, let me know in the comment. I will try to resolve your confusion.

If you are a beginner player, you should try different basketball shoes to check which shoes suit you according to your foot structure.

Frequently Asked Question About Basketball Shoes Types

What are the types of basketball shoes?

There are three basic types of basketball shoes

1. Low Top 
2. Mid Top
3. High Top

What type of basketball shoe type is best for ankle support?

For maximum ankle support, high-top basketball shoes are the top choice. They provide excellent stability and help prevent ankle injuries. If you have a history of ankle issues, these are a wise pick.

Are low-top basketball shoes type suitable for competitive play?

Yes, low-top basketball shoes can be used for competitive play. They are favored by players who prioritize speed and agility. However, if you have a history of ankle problems or require extra support, you might want to consider mid-top or high-top shoes. It ultimately depends on your playing style and needs.

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