Nike puts out a ton of different basketball models every year. Just keeping track of all the different releases is a headache. So knowing which are the Best Nike Basketball Shoes or the best on-court performers is a tall order.
But not to worry, that’s what we’re here for. At WearTesters, our expert testers put all these kicks through their paces to help you find the best shoes overall, and in a bunch of different sub-categories.
With all this being said, let’s jump in and go over the top Nike Basketball shoes currently available. Hopefully, this list will help you find the pair of Nikes you were looking for and get the most out of your hard-earned money. You can also check out our list of the best retro Nike shoes on the market.
Last updated 08.26.2024
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Best Nike Basketball Shoes Overall
Best Nike Basketball Shoe
Nike LeBron 21
The Nike LeBron 21 promises to be a beast on court. It can be described as a remix of the Nike LeBron 20, and that shoe was amazing. Barring any unfortunate surprises, this will be one of the top models this year, one of the most versatile, and one of the most comfortable on court, as well as an attainable Kobe substitute. If Nike had been able to innovate a bit more, to push the envelope in terms of design, then we might have had an all-time great on our hands, but that’s a lot to ask for. And in all fairness, there’s little to complain about in the Nike LeBron 21. Read the full review. Price: $200
Nike GT Jump 2
It’s nice to see the changes Nike made in this shoe. They have taken everything that was great in the first model and tweaked it to make the GT Jump 2 that much better as a performance basketball shoe. It also makes the Nike GT Jump 2 a more accessible model for the majority of basketball players out there that needed the added reactiveness and stability.
The Nike GT Jump is a great hoop shoe, but it’s definitely better suited for larger, heavier players, and the GT Jump 2 feels like a more well-balanced shoe, that a wider audience will enjoy. Read the full review.
Nike KD 17
To keep things short and sweet, the Nike KD 17 is basically the same shoe as the Nike KD 16. If you like that shoe, you’re going to enjoy this one. The Nike KD 17 is a top-tier and super versatile performance basketball shoe that will work well for almost every playing style and position on the floor. The KD 17 also gets extra points for being a “better than average” outdoor option, especially if you can find an XDR version. Read the full review.
Nike GT Cut 3
The Nike GT Cut 3 is a fun low-top basketball shoe. It’s bouncy, agile, and just one of those models that makes you want to sprint up and down the court as soon as you lace it up. The Zoom X does not disappoint, and Nike has done an outstanding job of implementing it into a basketball shoe. It’s soft and squishy, but by no means feels unstable or slow on court, and it might just be the best GT Cut model to date. Read the full review. Price: $190
Nike Air Max Impact 4
Not a lot of people will care about the Nike Air Max Impact 4. It’s a budget model with no big name attached to it. But, it’s a beast on court and is featured in our Best Budget Basketball Shoes list. The most surprising aspect was how soft the foam on the shoe was. We assume its Phylon since no other foam was mentioned, but it definitely felt like Cushlon with its plushness and subtle bounce. The heel Air Max unit helps with impact protection, but wasn’t really noticeable. Plus, these are wide-foot friendly. Everything was more than good enough for a shoe under $100. Read the full review. Price: $90
Nike Zoom GT Hustle 3
The Nike GT Hustle 3 offers a mixed bag of performance features. The cushioning is great and would be amazing for outdoor use, but the traction on that type of playing surface would suffer greatly. This amount of cushioning would also be great for big, powerful basketball players who need elite impact protection, but the build and containment might not be able to keep up with these types of players. However, it is a super comfy basketball shoe, regardless of it’s potential deficiencies. If you’re a lighter guard who enjoys a substantial amount of cushioning underfoot, this might be the shoe for you. Additionally, if you’re a heftier player but you have a very linear playing style, you may also be a good candidate for the GT Hustle 3. Read the full review. Price: $200
Nike Sabrina 2
It’s hard to gauge whether or not a second signature shoe would be able to top its first model, but Nike absolutely killed it with the Sabrina 2. Not only did they cut weight on the shoe (28 grams lighter), but they didn’t sacrifice any support, stability, or comfort. The cushioning has received a slight upgrade. Nike switched out the React midsole for a dual-density Cushlon 3.0. setup., and kept the same top-loaded zoom air unit in the forefoot. The traction looks different but performs equally as well as in the Sabrina 1, which was one of the best-tractioned basketball shoes of 2024. The Sabrina 2 is practically identical to the Sabrina 1 with a couple key upgrades. Read the full review. Price $130
Nike LeBron NXXT Gen AMPD
The Nike LeBron NXXT Gen AMPD is a solid and well-rounded basketball shoe. For $170 you’re getting almost everything the Nike LeBron 21 has to offer, and that shoe is currently our top pick for the best overall basketball shoe of the year. It is also a basketball shoe that almost any type of player will enjoy, and a more than decent option for outdoor play. If you are looking for a more inexpensive version of the flagship LeBron, this is the shoe you are looking for, and even if you aren’t, this might be one of the safest bets out there in terms of on-court performance. Read the full review.
Nike Zoom Freak 5
The Nike Zoom Freak 5 just might be the best Giannis Antentoukoumpo signature we have had to date. The Freak 5 does away with the visible Zoom units in the forefoot of the shoe, which adds stability and responsiveness to the shoe. The Zoom Freak 5 is a very simple shoe in terms of tech and overall design, but it will offer above-average on-court. Read the full review. Price: $140
Nike Book 1
The Nike Book 1 will be an awesome hoop shoe for some people. If you like 90’s style basketball shoes, this is a no-brainer. The Book 1 has everything you could ask for in terms of simplicity of design, quality of materials, and no-frills on-court performance, AND, surprisingly, it will hold up really well outdoors. The Book 1 proves that lightweight textiles are more of a gimmick than a performance feature and they are widely used as a cost-cutting measure for companies and not to create better products for the consumer. They look good, they play good, and they just get the job done. End of story. Read full review. Price $140.
Nike LeBron Nxxt Gen
The Nike LeBron NXXT Gen is the takedown version of the LeBron 20 but still packs most of the same performance features. Read the full review.
Nike GT Hustle 2
The Nike GT Hustle 2 is the successor to, and an enormous improvement on the Nike GT Run and might just be one of the better performance models we see this year, but it’s definitely a niche basketball shoe. The very low-profile cushioning system, the minimal support features, and the traction could make the Nike GT Hustle 2 one of the best guard shoes of the year, but it might not be enough for bigger players with a more power-based playing style. The GT Hustle is a top-notch performance model, maybe just not for everyone. Read the full review. Price: $170
Nike Ja 1
The Nike Ja 1 feels like it will be a solid on-court performance basketball shoe. You really can’t go wrong with great traction, solid cushioning, and good materials. It definitely isn’t a shoe that is built for every type of basketball player and will be better suited for smaller shifter players that will get the most out of that traction, reactive cushioning setup, and court feel. If they end up performing like the Kyrie Low 5 (which is a very safe bet) then we will have one of the best guard-specific shoes of the year. Read the full review. Price: $120
Nike GT Cut Academy
The Nike GT Cut Academy is a very solid budget option from Nike. It’s nothing like the flagship model it emulates, the Nike GT Cut 3, but it’s a very decent basketball shoe nonetheless. If you consider its price it might even be a better performance model than the GT Cut 3. What you are going to get with the GT Cut Academy is a guard-style shoe with great grippy traction, a very well-balanced cushioning system, and a basic but effective all-around build.
At $95, this might be Nike’s best budget basketball shoe right now, and one of the best budget basketball shoes overall in 2024. It’s more of a niche performance model, but, if you are in that niche, and you are looking for an inexpensive basketball shoe, look no further. Read the full review. Price: $95
Nike Sabrina 1
The Nike Sabrina 1 is a great first signature shoe for Sabrina Ionescu and is one of the best basketball shoes Nike has to offer in 2023/24. It’s a shoe that visually, and in terms of performance, could easily be a Kobe shoe, so if you’re looking for a shoe that will give you that “Kobe” feeling on court this one is a safe bet. The Sabrina 1 is a top-notch guard-style shoe that will give you great traction (indoors), a speedy and reactive cushioning setup, along with elite lockdown and support. Read the full review. Price: $120
Nike Kobe 6 Protro Reverse Grinch
The original Nike Kobe 6 is one of the best performance basketball shoes ever created, and this updated protro version might just be a little bit better. Nike has brought us “protros” in the past that haven’t lived up to the term, offering little or no performance updates. Your chances of actually getting a pair are slim to none, but if you’re one of the lucky few to get a W you will be purchasing a really awesome basketball shoe. If you’re lucky enough to get them, do yourself a favor and play in them. Read the full review. Price: $190
Best Nike Basketball Shoes for Outdoors
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is a great outdoor options because of its robust traction, it’s relatively plush cushioning system, and its low price doesn’t hurt either. Read the full review. Price: $90
Best Cheap Nike Basketball Shoes 2024
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 makes another appearance on this list, and the fact of the matter is that is a great hoop shoe that just happens to be a budget basketball shoe. Read the full review. Price: $90
Nike Giannis Immortality 2
In a world where signature basketball shoes will run you no less than $160, and can’t even be used outdoors, it’s refreshing to see a shoe like the Immortality 3. This is a very solid performance basketball shoe, that will hold up well outdoors for just $90. Now, there is nothing I would call elite on the Giannis Immortality 3 but it is a very versatile and well-rounded basketball shoe indeed. Read full review. Price $190.
Nike LeBron Witness 8
he Nike LeBron Witness 8 is a big improvement on the Witness 7. It’s a much more low-to-the-ground, responsive, and secure feeling shoe on court thanks to the improved containment and the switch in the cushioning system. As far as budget shoes go it’s one of the more solid options, but also one of the more expensive ones. Read full review. Price $110.
Best Low Top Nike Basketball Shoes 2024
Nike LeBron 21
The Nike LeBron 21 is the best Nike Basketball shoe of the year, and it just happens to be a low top . Read the full review. Price: $200
Nike Sabrina 1
Nike did a very good job with these, balancing the Kobe influences while creating a shoe and a new signature line with its own personality and unique vibe, and at the same time producing a top-notch performance basketball shoe, and their bets low top basketball shoe. Read the full review. Price: $130
Best Nike Basketball Shoes for Wide Feet 2024
Nike GT Jump 2
The GT Jump 2 isn’t only one of the best overall Nike basketball shoes right now, it is also the best bet if you have wide feet. The last they are built on is accommodating and the amazing forefoot cushioning makes for a silky smooth ride on court. Read the full review.
Best Nike Basketball Shoes for Ankle Support 2024
Nike LeBron 21
The Nike LeBron 21 is the best Nike basketball shoe overall, and it also offers the best ankle support in their roster of shoes. Read the full review. Price: $200
Best Nike High Top Basketball Shoes 2024
Nike GT Jump 2
The Nike GT Jump 2 is arguably Nike’s best basketball shoe overall in 2024. It is not a traditional high top, admittedly it is more of a mid tp, but it is the best basketball shoe from Nike with the highest cut. Read the full review.
Best Nike Retro Basketball Shoes 2024
Nike Air Penny 2
The Nike Air Penny 2 screams 90s. The outsole is Uptempo-inspired and what’s remarkable is that it also gives insight into the tech in the midsole. Other tech specs include the large-volume Air Max unit and a forefoot Zoom Air unit. The collab version features awesome materials, too. There’s also a carbon fiber plate that’s interestingly implemented to reduce weight. Read the full review. Retail Price: $200
