How did sneakers evolve in NBA? fcsfcfvA long journey through the history of the best signature shoes ever

The launch of Kawhi Leonard’s first signature shoe during Chicago All Star Game was just last step on the road of New Balance’s new significative role into sneakers market. A business that you thought saturated by Nike and adidas and that revealed, instead, new spaces.

The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
The new NB signature shoes by Kawhi Leonard
Clyde Court Disrput by Puma
Clyde Court Disrput by Puma
Clyde Court Disrput by Puma
Clyde Court Disrput by Puma
Clyde Court Disrput by Puma
Clyde Court Disrput by Puma
Clyde Court Disrput by Puma
Clyde Court Disrput by Puma
Charles Chuck Hollis Taylor (1923)
Charles "Chuck" Hollis Taylor (1923)
Even Wilt Chamberlain wore the legendary Chuck Taylor
Even Wilt Chamberlain wore the legendary "Chuck Taylor"
Even Wilt Chamberlain wore the legendary Chuck Taylor
Even Wilt Chamberlain wore the legendary "Chuck Taylor"
Puma's answer to Walt Clyde Frazier's feet
Puma's answer to Walt "Clyde" Frazier's feet
The concept of swag according to Walt Frazier
The concept of "swag" according to Walt Frazier
Converse Weapon
Converse "Weapon"
The first contact between two testimonials that will make the history of Converse and the NBA: Larry and Magic
The first contact between two testimonials that will make the history of Converse and the NBA: Larry and Magic
The two versions of the Weapon at the feet of the undisputed masters of the NBA of those years
The two versions of the Weapon at the feet of the undisputed masters of the NBA of those years
The first images of the Jordan I
The first images of the Jordan I
Young GOAT
Young GOAT
Air Jordan I
Air Jordan I
The GOAT with Jordan III
The GOAT with Jordan III
Historic collaboration between Jordan and a young Spike Lee
Historic collaboration between Jordan and a young Spike Lee
MJ with his Jordan III during the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest
MJ with his Jordan III during the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest
Nike Hyperdunk 2008
Nike Hyperdunk 2008
The Black Mamba on one of its flights to Beijing 2008
The Black Mamba on one of its flights to Beijing 2008
Allen Iverson and his Reebok signature shoes
Allen Iverson and his Reebok signature shoes
Reebok Shaqnosis, 1995
Reebok Shaqnosis, 1995
A young Shaq against His Airness
A young Shaq against His Airness
Kobe Bryant x adidas
Kobe Bryant x adidas
The adidas KB8 of Mamba
The adidas KB8 of Mamba
Crazy 97 EQT Elevation Retro 'Kobe Bryant'
Crazy 97 EQT Elevation Retro 'Kobe Bryant'
adidas T-Mac 3 Packer
adidas T-Mac 3 Packer
T-Mac x adidas
T-Mac x adidas
Nike Air More Uptempo
Nike Air More Uptempo
Scottie Pippen and his Air More Uptempo
Scottie Pippen and his Air More Uptempo
Nike Air Shake Ndestrukt
Nike Air Shake Ndestrukt
The Worm and his Nike Air Shake Ndestrukt
The Worm and his Nike Air Shake Ndestrukt
Nike Air Foamposite One
Nike Air Foamposite One
Anfernee Deon Penny Hardaway with the Air Foamposite One
Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway with the Air Foamposite One
Nike Air Force Max
Nike Air Force Max
Sir Charles Barkley in post against Chris Webber
Sir Charles Barkley in post against Chris Webber

Today things are radically changed, not only because design and creativity - from that point of view we’re having a substantial levelling about range of models - but also on the brands approach to changes imposed by socio-cultural context. Despite adidas was able to compete with Nike on athletes’ leverage under contract - Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose in the past, James Harden, Damian Lillard and Trae Young today - choose to bet on a single shoe and on restricted number of players is not so disadvantageous. Because now the competition is moving off the court. And there wins the one that manage to guess new tendences first, turning them into sneakers: having James or Curry it’s just a surplus.