Hoops season is right around the corner and the squeak on gym floors can be heard as ballers prepare for a year with fans back in gyms (hopefully). When I coached, I had to find sneakers that were both functional and cost effective. My players’ families didn’t have a lot of cash, so we couldn’t get home and away shoes. The shoes also had to last for 30+ games. To be honest, the shoes had to last the rest of the year. In many instances, my kids would only get this one pair of new shoes a year.
I put this list together with this thought in mind, everyone doesn’t have a kid that brands want to give all types of gear to. Sponsorships are hard to come by, so finding the best deal will always be the goal of most coaches out there. The shoes I’m putting on this list are all SRP 100 and under (not on sale) and can take the abuse of a long season, while also looking fairly stylish. Let’s get started.
Source: LeBron Witness 6 Basketball Shoes. Nike.com
Description: Takedown models of signature shoes typically lack design elements that give the sneakers the same edge as other models in the high to premium price point. The Witness 6 actually is the one takedown model that looks better than the actual signature model and at half off the original price of the LeBron numbered series, the shoe features Visible Max Air with considerable padding at the Achilles and a similar upper design to the LeBron low. The cage at the rear of the shoe provides stability and a classic herringbone traction brings the model home.
Price: 100.00
Source: Under Armour Spawn 3
Description: Under Armour entered basketball with California Point Guard Brandon Jennings. The high school star jumped straight to the pros by joining an international team. Since then Under Armour has added a roster of NBA players with Steph Curry as the premier endorser of their hoops footwear. UA is never at the front of the mind for high school hoopers, but the Spawn has always been an admirable performer. Recently UA Basketball delivered a collection of shoes to a non-traditional athlete and those players loved the kicks. That means they are definitely capable of standing up to a tough schedule. The shoe features Micro G, a very capable cushioning system from the shield. The Spawn 3 also is built with an adaptive upper that moves with you.
Price: 100.00
Source: Puma Court Rider Team
Description: Of the brands listed in these top 5, Puma is the only major company wise enough to build out a “Team” shoe option by name on their site. While the listing isn’t given the real estate on the website with better online merchandising, it’s a start. With the Rookie of the Year on the roster in LaMelo Ball and a host of NBA talent rocking with the Cat, Puma could make noise if they went all in on a strategy to lock in high school players. A 100 dollar shoe is right on point for the strategy, and the array of color options with full size runs available will make for a great option for high school coaches everywhere… if they know about it.
Price: 100.00
Source: adidas Own The Game
Description: Candace Parker won the WNBA title, not in these, but there isn’t a better priced option on this list than the adidas OTG. The shoe only rings up at 65 bucks. My teams wore adidas every year and the shoe always held up. They weren’t the best looking in San Diego, but when everyone is wearing the same shoe, they look better. This shoe features a version of the more expensive Lightstrike cushion in LightMotion, but it also features about 20% recycled content. It’s a thoughtful performance option from the three stripes and if I were still coaching, we would get both this white version and another pair. At 130 for two pair, it’s actually a really good deal.
Price: 65.00
Source: Q4 Sports 495 LO SP WHITE STREAK
Description: Q4 Sports once had a number of NBA players wearing the kicks. I’m not sure if that’s still the case, but that fact proves the shoes were definitely ready for prime time. If I still ran Center Court Basketball, I would have sold at least 1200 pair of these kicks by now. The founder is currently working on off the court styles, but this is the only brand on this list with an actual team ordering system built into the website. While most high school players wouldn’t buy these kicks on their own, I’ve always stated that a smart grassroots strategy could get teams to wear the model. Q4 should be in the mud with small schools throughout the south. The 75 dollar pricepoint is almost half off of the original SRP. While the team is going to get some jeers for rocking with a company no one has heard of, if Q4 had socks and shooting shirts available at a decent price, they could grab a share of the market. Other than that, a coach is going to have to make sure they buy the players Nike or Jordan socks with dope warm ups, if they want to make sure their players are willing to rock with Q4.
Price: 75.00