How good a pair of best basketball shoes is will greatly depend on the soles. Not only will a pair of high-quality sneakers help to improve your performance with more effective speed, but they can also help prevent injuries. A design without a good pair of soles can lead to slipping and falling or can result in ankle sprains that can have a significant impact on your game and career as a professional basketball player.

Keep your eye out for good basketball shoes that have rubber soles that provide traction to prevent those dangerous slips and enhance your best moves. You should also pay attention to designs that have multi-directional traction patterns, as these are specifically created to give you an amazing grip of the surface underfoot, enabling you to make those quick cuts that’ll shake defenders off of you.

The Outsole:

A decent outsole must include two things; a steady, firm grip and smooth traction. These two are very easy to confuse, and they’re commonly referred to like the same feature – which is wrong. In simple words, the grip is what allows you to hold yourself onto the surface, while traction is what determines the quality of the movement in relation to the surface.
Despite being two separate things, grip and traction must work together to deliver optimal performance. An outsole that lacks either of them isn’t any good as a basketball shoe, as they’re both key parts of the sport.

The best designs must come with a grip that allows users to stop immediately, regardless of the speed they have and the direction they’re coming from. If you’re approaching the hoop fast and you want to go for a shot, it’s critical that the outsole grips the surface in a manner that prevents your sneakers from moving in any direction once you’ve stopped.

A cheap outsole will be defeated by your momentum, ultimately resulting in slippage or lateral swinging. In order to get a clean shot, any lateral impulse should be neutralized; you only want to move in a vertical dimension when going for the shot to obtain the most accuracy. Some basketball shoes will grip efficiently to the floor when taking a shot or going for a cross-over but will fail to grip when performing quick and continuous movements. Variations of rubber, such as vulcanized rubber, have a slightly stickier surface and help control fast and forceful motions.

The Midsole:

Midsoles are the component responsible for most of the shock absorption process. This is why, in most cases, they’re the thickest and heaviest part of the footwear. Basketball is a sport that involves a great amount of impact – running and jumping create a lot of shocks. If this shock isn’t regulated, your joints, muscles, and bones will be severely affected; not only during the match but in the long run as well.

If you’ve ever had extremely sore heels the day after a match, chances are you were using basketball shoes that lacked a sufficiently absorbing midsole. From the moment of impact, the shock moves up from the surface. The first obstacle it will encounter is the sole, which is why the sole absorbs most of it. However, shock doesn’t stop there, and it is crucial that the insoles of your sneakers have cushioning as well, so as to neutralize as much of the force as possible, saving your heels.

For many years, the default material for shock absorption was rubber, but new compounds are being created more and more by incorporating synthetic materials and options. These compounds are denser, meaning that they naturally contain more mass. By having more mass, these materials absorb shock more efficiently. Do note, however, that mass alone doesn’t guarantee shock absorption.

The Cushioning:

Any basketball shoes that are meant for an impact sport should come with enough cushioning. This sport involves both consistent impact and a lot of aerobic activity, which is why it’s paramount that our feet are adequately protected by the sneaker. Cushioning plays an important role in this, and although it doesn’t deal with impact directly, it makes sure that the residual energy that isn’t absorbed by the soles doesn’t do too much harm to your joints and muscles.

But, performance cushioning isn’t only limited to protecting feet from residual impact energy. Basketball involves a large variety of very different movements that generate compression of the foot against the materials of the design. Cushioning materials found in your pair of sneakers also prevent your feet from taking damage against the materials of the sneaker.
The exteriors of sneakers are made to be tough and durable, and this often means that they are too rough on the feet unless covered with a layer of protective cushioning.

The cushioning can prevent damage caused on the feet and will increase the level of comfort you feel when playing. If you find yourself wearing a pair of sneakers that lack in the cushioning department, you will find that you experience greater levels of fatigue as your muscles, bones, and joints will be more exposed to impact and vibration.

At the same time, cushioning isn’t something that should be overdone. Made of soft, comfy materials, it will most likely lack the structure and support you need for a sport like this. You don’t want to miss out on cushioning, but having two pillows in your sneakers will affect the stability and firmness of each motion.

Any type of footwear made for performance needs to feel comfortable enough on your feet so as not to distract you from the task at hand. This includes a proper fit, as well as features designed to keep you feeling pleasant no matter the wear time. These features can be found both on the inside and the outside of a design, so make sure to carefully look at your preferred model before purchasing. Here are some aspects that you should consider:

• Interior: Look for add-ons such as a sock liner or a soft interior fabric to maximize the level of comfort you feel when you put on your sneakers. It is important that you also consider the width and length of the design, as both of these will be a huge deciding factor. A basketball shoe that is too loose will allow your foot to slip around; one that is too tight will cause friction and irritation and can affect circulation.
• Midsole Components: If you really want the sole of your foot to feet good, then it is necessary to check out what the midsole is made of and how thick and bouncy it is. If your basketball shoe lacks bounce then you will have a stiff feeling that hinders your mobility. Too much bounce and you lack that close to the ground feel that gives you maximum control.
• Overall Weight: The heavier the design the more it will slow you down, and this is true for every added ounce of weight. Depending on your size, opting for a lighter sneaker can make a significant difference, and if you’re smaller in weight and stature then you want to look at low tops that are made with thinner materials. The bigger you are, the more you can go up in weight, but be conscious of how the design feels on your foot because as each minute on the clock ticks by that sneaker will feel heavier.
• Supportive Materials: Nothing takes away from your level of comfort quite like an on-court injury, so help prevent that by opting for a design that gives you support where you need it most. If you have had prior ankle injuries, look for a basketball shoe that gives you a tighter fit up top and supports you. Materials such as mesh may reduce weight and add breathability, but an all-mesh choice won’t do much in terms of support.
• Breathability: Basketball is a tough sport, which means that your feet will get hot and sweaty real fast. In order to minimize the risk of skin irritation and blisters, opt for sneakers that are breathable and allow for good airflow. Mesh or synthetic materials are great options, and they will often have the advantage of moisture-wicking properties. Do note, however, that these materials lack structure and support. The best footwear will have breathable panels in areas where heat concentrates most, such as the sides of the sneaker, the top of the foot and the toe box.

Needless to say, an optimal fit is required in order to play the ball comfortably. The ideal fit is one that compresses your feet slightly to provide support, leaving just the slightest gap of space between your foot and the sneaker that allows you to put it on. Another key element in determining the fit of your basketball shoes are the laces which need to be strong and dependable, making it possible for you to get the most support out your footwear.

In order to obtain the optimal fit, there are a few key areas you should take note of:

• Toe Box: Make sure there is about a thumb’s width of space between where your toes end and where the sneaker ends. Any less, and your toes will be cramped and uncomfortable; basketball shoes should feel snug against the sides of your foot, but it should never compress your foot to the point where it’s in any way uncomfortable. Like a great hug, your foot should feel comforted, supported, and encased without any area being pinched. If you find synthetic footwear to be too tight on your foot, but good in length, try opting for a leather design instead. Leather will stretch and break-in, giving you the correct length and allowing for some extra room to accommodate the width of your foot.
• Weight: If your footwear feels at all heavy when you try it on, it is going to be way too heavy to play in. The longer you wear these sneakers the heavier they feel, and that’s true for even the lightest of models. Make sure you’re picking a pair of a basketball shoe that is the right weight for your size and is easy and light to walk around in.
• Heel Support: The fit on your heel should be the snuggest part of the sneaker, and ideally, you want to feel like your heel is locked in place. This will help reduce injury to your feet, ankles, hips, and even back. Of course, you don’t want it overly tight, but the heel should not be moving around or lifting when you walk.
• Closure: The closures are what allow each user to compress the fit of the design, and these can be laces, velcro straps, or traditional straps. When tying your basketball shoes, notice how the laces pull the materials together around your feet. An efficient closure system is one that distributes the tension equally throughout the upper. If like most basketball players, you find yourself wearing mid or high tops, it is crucial that the entire closure system is firm, from the top all the way down to the tongue.

When we’re talking about flexibility, there is an important distinction to make: flexibility of a design is not a single element, but rather a quality that must be present in each element of a sneaker separately.

When shopping for performance footwear, you must make sure that the frame, the upper, and the sole are flexible enough to practice sports in. Flexibility is the very base of most motions you can possibly make with your feet, and if your footwear lacks it, you are opening yourself up to stress and tension, especially in the instep of the foot.

Look for footwear that offers flexibility in the soles, which will allow your feet to move naturally when running and jumping. If you have a chance to try out the sneakers before you purchase them, make sure to perform a flexibility test. Take both ends of design - the heel and the toe area - and bend them upwards until they touch each other if they can. This will allow you to gauge whether or not design has the amount of flexibility that you are looking for.

Of course, flexibility is a feature that, like many others, should be present but not in excess. The flexibility of a material is inversely proportional to its support; meaning that as material gets more flexible it starts to lose its structure and fails to hold the foot in place. So make sure that your option is flexible, but not flimsy, and that you still feel secure and safe while you play.

When we’re talking about support, we have to types to cover: ankle support, and arch support.

Ankle Support

As a basketball player, you probably know this better than any other athlete: ankles are very susceptible to injury when playing an intense game. One wrong move with no protection can put you at risk of a sprain that could severely limit you during the game, or potentially keep you from playing for a while. A great footwear choice will work to protect you from such injuries through features such as a high top, a well-molded collar or even a sock bootie.

At the same time, you don’t want the ankle support to restrain your movements. Support should only act as a feature that prevents your feet and ankles from assuming unnatural positions that may be hazardous, or simply uncomfortable. Too much ankle support will prevent you from rotating freely and will considerably hinder your dribbling ability.

Sneakers come in low, mid and high top options, and the one you choose will affect how much support you will be getting in the ankle area. The higher the design, the better the ankle support, as you will have more material wrapped around the upper part of your ankle, which can generally be tightened or fastened to give you the right fit. The position you play will also make a big difference when it comes to which style you should choose, as each offers its own unique set of characteristics.

For positions that need more support, because they need quicker pivoting for blocking, etc, a higher topped sneaker is going to really allow you to move with more security and stability. When you need to be quick on the court, a low top will be lighter and give you more speed, and will also be a great option if you want more height on your jump.

Arch Support

Normally, performance footwear has a standard level of arch support which generally suits people who have no arch issues. Users that suffer from arch conditions such as flat feet or high arches, experience a considerably larger amount of stress on the arch – especially when performing sports. In these cases, it’s up to the user to solve this.

The best choice, regardless of what your feet anatomy is, is to purchase customized insoles. In general, this is something all people with arch conditions must do, as they are unlikely to find a pair of sneakers that suit their specific condition. Even if the generic arch design fits your anatomy, the best way to go is with an insole that perfectly supports the exact shape of your feet, including the arch.

The foot arch is affected by flexion and aerobic performance; if on top of that you add stress generated by the lack of arch support, you’ll have a hard time. This is even more important in practices as active and forceful as basketball.