Adidas Basketball Shoes are always some of the best on the market. And the fact is, Adidas has been in the basketball game for a long time. The three stripes have been slinging basketball shoes since the 1970’s. They’ve had some of the most iconic sneakers ever to hit the hardwood including the Adidas Superstar featuring the iconic shell toe. In fact, before signing with Nike, the GOAT himself (Michael Jordan) was set on becoming an Adidas athlete.
Now, over 70 years since the brand was founded, we still have a plethora of basketball shoes to choose from every year. If you’re a fan of the brand and its heritage or you just really like the look of those three stripes on your basketball shoes, this list is for you.
At WearTesters, we test a large amount of Adidas basketball shoes every year, and we’re here to help you find the best shoes for you. You can also check out our list of the best basketball shoes overall. So, with this in mind, here are the best Adidas basketball shoes on the market today.
Last updated 05.18.2023
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Best Overall Adidas Basketball Shoes
Best Adidas Basketball Shoe
Adidas Harden Vol 7
The Harden Vol 7 is bringing the bounce back to adidas basketball shoes. It doesn’t feature Bounce cushioning but it features a very bouncy setup that combines Lightstrike in the forefoot and Boost in the heel. And it is the Boost that we all know and love.
Aside from the great cushioning, we have very solid traction, and more than enough support and that odd looking upper performs well on the court. Finally a well-cushioned adidas basketball shoe. Price: $180
adidas Dame Certified
The adidas Dame Certified is Damian Lillard’s budget model for the year, a very solid performance basketball shoe overall. The Dame Certified features full-length Bounce cushioning which is on the reactive side, great durable traction, and a highly functional upper built with nice cheap layered materials. All of this for just $100, making this a great budget basketball shoe from adidas. Read the full review. Price: $95
Adidas Son of Chi 2
The adidas Son of Chi 2 may end up as the best adidas basketball shoe of 2022. The traction is a big highlight of its performance. Even with translucent rubber, the shoe gripped all floors well regardless of court conditions. It’s also durable and will last longer than most rubber outsoles today. The midsole is full-length Bounce, providing solid impact protection. Every aspect is well-balanced and functional. Read the full review. Price: $110
Adidas Harden Vol 6
The adidas Harden Vol 6 is the latest shoe we have from the Beard himself, James Harden. We can just forget the adidas Harden Vol 5 because that shoe was terrible. This, however, goes away from the direction and brings back a traditional midsole filled with Boost. The upper is also recycled, if that’s important to you. The ankle pods for comfort and support are also still here. Read the full review. Price: $140
Adidas Dame 8
The Dame 8 is a sneaker we’ve all been looking forward to because of the known consistency of Damian Lillard’s line. For the first time in the brand’s basketball lineup, we get Bounce Pro in the midsole, which feels soft and fluffy right off the bat. There’s also another foam compound on top of that for stability purposes. The upper materials are breathable and malleable, which makes for a short break in time. The tongue is also nicely padded and the traction is mostly wave-bone. Read the full review. Price: $120
Best Signature Adidas Basketball Shoes 2023
Adidas DON Issue 4
Donovan Mitchell’s adidas DON Issue 4 definitely got a materials upgrade from the adidas DON Issue 3. It is made out of a nice Jacquard knit that feels comfortable and supportive. The midsole is full-length Lightstrike, a decent foam. The strobel is also made out of the same foam in what feels like adidas’s attempt to go with the flow of Zoom Air Strobel units from Nike. The rear section is made out of synthetic nubuck and suede to add a little premium feel. There should be more exciting colorways coming soon. Read the full review. Price: TBA
Adidas Trae Young 1
The Trae Young 1 is currently one of the best options for adidas. The sizing may be a bit tricky and the traction may not be as good as other sneakers, but the shoe overall works as one unit to give you the nice ride we all like when we play. Back to the sizing, wide footers should be okay going true to size as the materials are forgiving and it seems that the last was a bit wider in size compared to others. If nothing else, these look awesome and have a ton of fire colorways. Read the full review. Price: $140
Adidas Dame 8
The Dame 8 has a lot of the best tech from the brand, including Bounce Pro. What’s great about this shoe is that it can cater to all types of players and foot shapes. If you’re a guard who looks to be quick on your feet while running up and down the court, this can work for you. If you’re a bigger person who looks for impact protection and adequate support, these can do that, too. That’s what we have loved from the Lillard line for the past few years, the versatility. And his 2021 release is no different. Read the full review. Price: $120
Adidas Son of Chi 2
The adidas Son of Chi 2 is Derrick Rose’s newest signature sneaker, though it isn’t obvious by the name. The features are quite standard and in line with recent basketball sneakers. We have a fully synthetic build with mesh and fuse. The outsole features a traction pattern similar to that of the adidas D Rose 4. The midsole is made up of Bounce which is quite low-to-the-ground, perfect for lighter guards who are quick on their feet. Read the full review. Price: $110
Best Retro Adidas Basketball Shoes 2023
Adidas D Rose 1.5 Restomod
The adidas D Rose 1.5 Restomod is the reincarnation of a shoe that many basketball players from the early 2010s will remember. Derrick Rose was blowing past people in these and posterizing as many big men as he could. The upgrade comes in the midsole. The foam used here is Lighstrike, though still as thin as the basic EVA used in the original release. The PureMotion is still intact for this model. Read the full review. Price: $150
Best Outdoor Adidas Basketball Shoes 2023
Adidas Dame 8
The Dame 8 is a good package for outdoor play. The cushion is the best the brand has to offer besides Boost. The top layer ensures that you’re stable and the bottom foam layer is fluffy and soft for good impact protection. The materials are basic with mesh and fuse overlays, but they are breathable which is good for comfort under the heat of the sun. And since the layers that are the most stressed during play are protected, durability shouldn’t be too much of an issue. The Dame line has also been known for its durable outsole tread. Read the full review. Price: $150
