Related: The Men’s Health Better Man Project—2,476 Scientific Ways to Always Look And Feel Your BestRead on to find the perfect pair for you. The Men’s Health Style Team combed through the sneaker universe to pick the best of the best. Some are geared more toward on-court performance, while others exist for pure flash off the hardwood. Now that the NBA (and your office pick-up league) is back, there’s no better time to find new kicks. Now that the NBA (and your office pick-up league) is back, there’s no better time to find new kicks. The Men’s Health Style Team combed through the sneaker universe to pick the best of the best. Some are geared more toward on-court performance, while others exist for pure flash off the hardwood. Read on to find the perfect pair for you. Related: The Men’s Health Better Man Project—2,476 Scientific Ways to Always Look And Feel Your Best Athlete/Brand: Steph Curry, Under Armour Your On-Court Style: These shoes are perfect for players who are flashy, confident, and full of finesse—like Curry himself.
Your Off-Court Style: Also like Curry, your killer instinct is only beset by your unfortunate fragility. After the debacle of the Curry 2 series—which looked like sneakers your dad would wear—the Golden State star and Under Armour have bounced back with a flashier, more stylish shoe. The colors are bold, the look is streamlined, and the tiny, Curry-specific flourishes—the MVP’s signature, the “All Things” inscription—bring a new sense of pride to the once-shaky line. (See Why Steph Curry Is the Best Player in the NBA.) Don these with confidence. It’s time for a comeback year. Nike LeBron Soldier 10 Athlete/Brand: LeBron James, Nike Your On-Court Style: Commanding, dominant, and powerful. Your Off-Court Style: You can be petty at times, but there’s no doubt you’re a born leader and a unifying locker room presence. These shoes are workmanlike. They know their role and they perform it well. While you won’t see a ton of mileage with these outside the gym, when it comes to raising championship banners, few shoes do it better.
Athlete/Brand: Russell Westbrook, Air Jordan Your On-Court Style: A charging leopard made out of the liquid metal from Terminator. Your Off-Court Style: You have a singular, fashion-forward confidence. You know you look good, but don’t need to shout it from the rooftops. Related: Every Man Can Exude Confidence—As Long As He Follows These 3 Steps All the variations on the Westbrook 0s are uber-stylish, but we love the white snakeskin models especially. These shoes are pure off-court affairs—no need to scuff ‘em up as you slash through the paint—but they’re fashionable enough to work both in the office and at the club. Athlete/Brand: Clyde Drexler, Puma Your On-Court Style: They don’t call you “The Glide” for nothing. Know what we’re saying? Your Off-Court Style: They don’t call you “The Glide” for nothing. Another fashion-first, non-performance shoe, the Clydes are sleek, timeless, and carry a powerful name to boot.
The revamped editions run a bit narrow, but Puma did well to maintain the bold style and stamp of the original 1973 models. Nike Kobe 11 Low Athlete/Brand: Kobe Bryant, Nike Your On-Court Style: People respect you, but—let’s be real—they probably don’t like playing with you. Your Off-Court Style: Even if it takes you 50 attempts, you’re going to do whatever you want in life. If you want the efficiency of a low-top shoe with the grace of a champion, invest in the Kobe 11s. And if anyone tells you it’s too much, remember: Too much is a matter of perspective. Some people thought Mozart had too many notes in his compositions.* *This is an actual quote from Kobe himself. He was talking about his shot attempts. Related: 10 Athletes Who Are Undeniably Great (but Can Also Be Pretty Douchey) Nike KD 8 Elite Athlete/Brand: Kevin Durant, Nike Your On-Court Style: Cold-blooded and anatomically preposterous. Your Off-Court Style: Your peers question your loyalty.
You also have a hard time hanging onto nicknames (RIP Slim Reaper, Durantula). An entire city wants you dead. Just know there’s a kick for that: The KDs don’t mess around—these things are all basketball, all the time—and while that might not be great for your public relations, these shoes (and that sock!) are bound to elevate your game. Athlete/Brand: Michael Jordan, Air Jordan Your On-Court Style: Unimpeachable. Your Off-Court Style: Your imposition and magnetism disguise the fact that you might not be a great executive-decision maker. Air Jordans are vocal shoes. They say you’re current. They say you’re brand-conscious. They say you seek out the best. Related: The 5 Pairs Of Shoes Every Guy Should Own These kicks will redefine your Casual Fridays, but if you choose to wear them in-game, you better be able to bring it. After all, you’re associating yourself with the Greatest Of All Time. Adidas Crazylight Boost 2.5 Low Athlete/Brand: James Harden, Adidas
Your On-Court Style: You don’t exactly hustle back on defense. Your Off-Court Style: Excessive—particularly in the realms of facial hair and associations with the Kardashian family. You’re a low-top purist, but you want something a bit roomier than what Nike has to offer. Enter Harden’s line from Adidas. There aren’t a lot of color choices outside of the Houston Rockets’ red and white, but if you want something a bit more versatile than classic-looking hoop shoes, these can pass off the court just fine. Adidas D Howard 5 Athlete/Brand: Dwight Howard, Adidas Your On-Court Style: Astonishing athleticism—and an astonishing inability to make a free throw. Your Off-Court Style: Your exuberant personality makes you a media magnet—good! But Shaquille O’Neal hates you—not good. A reflection of Dwight Howard himself, these kicks are a little blockier and a little sturdier than a lot of the Nikes or Jordans on our list. Related: The Best New Workout Clothes For Men
These are built to shore up your ankles and prime you for a lot of ground, pound, and rebound. The camouflage soles are inexplicable, but not unappealing either. Reebok Question Mid Practice Athlete/Brand: Allen Iverson, Reebok Your On-Court Style: Your trash talk could bring a man to tears. Your Off-Court Style: Simply one of a kind. The mark of an original shoe: Low odds you’ll run into anyone else rocking the same pair. The Practice has numerous callbacks to AI’s famous “talkin’ about practice” speech in 2002: The baseball design is reminiscent of the cap he wore during the press conference, and the in-sole is marked with choice lines and quotes from the speech itself. It’s a great talking point for collectors, shoe geeks, and casual ballers alike. Athlete/Brand: Kyrie Irving, Nike Your On-Court Style: You’re just going to keep shooting until someone wrenches the ball from your cold, dead hands. Your Off-Court Style: Like Stephen Baldwin, Donnie Wahlberg, and Frank Stallone, you’ve ruefully resigned yourself to second banana.
While these are more basketball-centric, their clean look would go well with dark-washed jeans, too. Related: The Best Jeans For Men “Swagger” is an annoying, overused, intangible word, but since Kyrie Irving is also each of those things, swagger describes his shoes perfectly. Athlete/Brand: Nick Young, Adidas Your On-Court Style: Your tendency to showboat leads to a lot of regretful mistakes, but hey, the crowd loves it. Your Off-Court Style: Your life is basically Entourage. The Crazy Explosive line from Adidas carries the name of a few other athletes (most notably Andrew Wiggins), but Nick Young’s all-white editions are the best look. With tons of cushioning and overlays to secure your foot, these kicks—unlike the name behind them—are focused purely on the game. Athlete/Brand: No athlete, Nike Your On-Court Style: You’re so classic you don’t even look for the 3-point line. Your Off-Court Style: You have old-fashioned sensibilities but a nose for new ideas.