Andrew Pace
Basketball shoes have evolved significantly over the years, from the early days of the sport when players wore various types of footwear, including rubber-soled Keds and leather high-tops, to the introduction of specialised basketball shoes like the Converse Non-Skids in 1917. Converse dominated the market for several decades, with their All-Stars becoming the most popular basketball shoes of all time, selling over 750 million pairs. However, the rise of new brands and endorsement deals in the 1970s and 1980s, such as Nike's Air Jordan 1 in 1985, marked a shift in the basketball shoe landscape. The evolution of basketball shoes continued with the introduction of new technologies like Reebok's Pump and Nike's Shox, showcasing the ongoing innovation and popularity of basketball shoes as a cultural phenomenon.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of Invention | 1917 |
| Company | Converse Rubber Shoe Company |
| Shoe Name | Non-Skid |
| Features | High-top footwear, canvas upper, rubber sole, cushioned insole, arch and heel support, diamond tread pattern |
| Redesign | 1922 |
| Renamed | Chuck Taylor All Stars |
| Endorsements | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich, Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas, Kobe Bryant, LeBron, Kevin Durant |
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What You'll Learn
- The Converse All Star, the first basketball shoe, was released in 1917
- Converse dominated the market for 50 years until the 1960s
- Converse All Stars were the official shoe of the Olympics from 1936 to 1968
- Converse's market dominance was challenged by Adidas' Superstar sneakers in 1969
- In 1985, Nike released the Air Jordan 1, the most important basketball shoe ever
The Converse All Star, the first basketball shoe, was released in 1917
The Converse All Star, released in 1917, was the first basketball shoe. It was created by the Converse Rubber Shoe Company, which was founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts. Initially called the "Non-Skid", it was a high-top shoe with a canvas upper and a rubber sole, designed to provide increased grip on the floor. The shoe was renamed the "All Star" in 1920, and its design was improved in collaboration with basketball player Chuck Taylor in 1922. Taylor's signature was added to the ankle patch, and the shoe became known as the Chuck Taylor All Star.
The Converse All Star was the first celebrity-endorsed athletic shoe, with Taylor promoting the shoes by holding basketball clinics in schools and colleges across the US. By the mid-1920s, he was also acting as a player-manager of the company-sponsored Converse All Stars basketball team, which was set up to promote sales of the shoes. The shoes became popular among professional basketball players, and by 1936, they were the official shoe of the Olympics. They remained so until 1968 and were also the official athletic training shoes of the US armed forces during World War II.
The Converse All Star continued to be worn by NBA players into the 1970s, with Tree Rollins thought to be the last player to regularly wear them during the 1979-1980 season. However, the shoe's popularity among professional players declined due to competition and the emergence of shoes with leather uppers and harder rubber soles. Converse attempted to boost sales by introducing more color options and updating the rubber sole, but the shoe was increasingly seen as a retro-style casual shoe rather than an athletic one.
Despite this, the Chuck Taylor All Star has endured as a cultural icon, with Converse continuing to innovate the shoe's design and release new versions. The shoe has been in production for over a century and has sold over 600 million pairs, demonstrating its lasting appeal beyond the basketball court.
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Converse dominated the market for 50 years until the 1960s
The Converse Rubber Shoe Company, founded in 1908, released the first shoe specifically aimed at basketball players in 1917, under the name 'Non-Skids'. The shoe was composed of a rubber sole and canvas upper and featured a cushioned insole, arch and heel support. In 1921, Charles "Chuck" Taylor, a semi-professional basketball player, joined Converse as a salesman and shared ideas to improve the shoe's design, including enhancing its flexibility and ankle support. The restyled shoe also incorporated a distinctive All-Star logo on the circular ankle patch. After Taylor's signature was added to the patch, they became known as Chuck Taylor All Stars, the first celebrity-endorsed athletic shoe.
By the 1920s, Converse dominated the U.S. basketball shoe market and this continued until the 1970s. In the 1950s and 1960s, Converse promoted an American image with its Converse Basketball Yearbook, with cover art by Charles Kerins celebrating the company's role in the lives of high school and college athletes. During this time, Converse also customised shoes for the New York Renaissance, the first all-African-American professional basketball team. The shoes were designed to be "non-skid", providing basketball players with a better grip. An extra strip of rubber, called the "pivot button", was added to protect the shoes from constant pivoting.
Converse's basketball shoes were only available in black or white until the 1960s, when they added more colour options to counteract a decline in sales to professional players during the seventies. Despite these efforts, the variety of options now available to professional basketball players, as well as lucrative endorsement deals, brought an end to Converse's long-standing dominance within the sport. The company also began to struggle financially due to poor business decisions, competition, and a lack of funds.
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Converse All Stars were the official shoe of the Olympics from 1936 to 1968
Converse All Stars, also known as Chuck Taylor All Stars, were the official shoe of the Olympics from 1936 to 1968. The shoe was first designed in the early 20th century and has since become an iconic sneaker with a timeless appeal. The Converse Rubber Shoe Company, founded in 1908, released the first shoe specifically aimed at basketball players in 1917, under the name "Non-Skids". This high-top shoe was composed of a rubber sole and canvas upper, with a cushioned insole, arch and heel support, and an iconic diamond tread pattern for increased traction.
In 1922, the shoe was redesigned based on Chuck Taylor's feedback, and in 1932, the company added his name to the ankle patch, resulting in the birth of the Chuck Taylor All Star. By the 1930s, the shoe was being worn by basketball players across America, and in 1936, Chuck Taylor designed a white high-top model with patriotic red and blue accents for the USA's Olympic basketball team. This design became the official shoe of the Olympics for over three decades.
During the 1950s, Chuck Taylor All Stars became the standard among high school, collegiate, and professional basketball players, with Converse capturing about 70 to 80 percent of the basketball shoe market by the 1960s. However, the shoe's popularity among basketball players declined in the 1970s due to competition and poor business decisions. Despite this, the Chuck Taylor All Stars found a new life outside the basketball court, becoming a symbol of self-expression and a casual lifestyle shoe.
Today, the Chuck Taylor All Star remains a staple in the fashion world, with various colours, patterns, and updated models available while retaining the original design. The shoe has been embraced by different subcultures and music genres, solidifying its iconic status in both sports and fashion history.
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Converse's market dominance was challenged by Adidas' Superstar sneakers in 1969
Converse's market dominance in basketball shoes was challenged by the Adidas Superstar sneakers in 1969. Converse had dominated the market for several years without any competition, with its Converse All Star shoe being the preferred choice of both amateur and professional basketball players. However, Adidas, which had already made a name for itself in the track and field market, saw an opportunity to break into the basketball market in the US.
The Adidas Superstar sneakers were designed with a specific purpose: to revolutionise the world of basketball. The shoe featured a reinforced and robust front, which allowed the wearer to make more efficient start-and-stop movements, a significant advantage on the basketball court. This innovation addressed a common issue with the Converse canvas shoe, which tended to stick and cause injuries when players made sharp turns.
The San Diego Rockets, one of the worst basketball teams at the time, began wearing the Adidas Superstars, and their games became a platform to showcase the new shoe to a broad audience. The Boston Celtics' 1969 NBA Finals team also sported Adidas shoes, further drawing attention to the brand. The Adidas Superstar sneakers quickly gained popularity, not just on the basketball court but also in urban hip-hop culture and mainstream culture.
Converse's dominance in the basketball shoe market began to wane in the 1970s as competitors like Adidas, Puma, and Nike introduced their styles. Converse's reliance on the "All Stars" basketball brand and lack of innovation contributed to its decline, and by the 1980s, the company faced financial troubles, eventually filing for bankruptcy in 2001.
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In 1985, Nike released the Air Jordan 1, the most important basketball shoe ever
The birth of basketball shoes can be traced back to the early 20th century. In 1917, the Converse Rubber Shoe Company released the first shoe designed specifically for basketball players, the 'Non-Skid'. This high-top shoe featured a canvas upper, a rubber sole, and a cushioned insole with arch and heel support. The iconic diamond tread pattern provided improved grip on the court. However, it was in 1985 that Nike released the Air Jordan 1, a shoe that would forever change the basketball and sneaker culture.
Designed by Peter Moore, the Air Jordan 1 was the first shoe to be worn in the NBA with multiple colourways. The original black and red colourway, in particular, stood out as it was initially banned by the league for violating uniform policies. Despite this, Michael Jordan laced up his signature shoes and took to the court, even facing a potential $5,000 fine for each game he wore them. This bold move reflected Jordan's fearless charisma and helped propel the Air Jordan 1 to unprecedented popularity.
The Air Jordan 1 transcended the basketball court and became a cultural icon. Its impact extended beyond the sport, influencing fashion and style. The shoe's bold colourways, such as the Chicago, Shadow, Royal, Bred, and Black Toe releases, became instant classics. The Air Jordan 1 was more than just footwear; it represented a fusion of athletics and fashion, a symbol of the burgeoning "sneaker culture".
The release of the Air Jordan 1 also marked a significant shift in the basketball shoe market. Endorsement deals became increasingly lucrative, and companies began releasing special editions linked to various events and cultural moments. Nike, for example, launched special editions to commemorate Black History Month. The Air Jordan 1 not only changed the game for basketball shoes but also set a precedent for the intersection of sports, fashion, and cultural influence.
Today, the legacy of the Air Jordan 1 continues to thrive. The shoe remains a best-seller, with various retro and updated versions available for all ages. The original Air Jordan 1 and its subsequent iterations have become collector's items, sought after by "sneakerhead" enthusiasts worldwide. The impact of the Air Jordan 1 extends far beyond its release year, shaping the basketball shoe industry and sneaker culture for decades to come.
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Frequently asked questions
Basketball shoes were invented in 1917 by the Converse Rubber Shoe Company. They were the first high-top sneakers made for better ankle support and were originally nicknamed the "Non-Skids".
The first basketball shoes were made with a canvas upper and a rubber sole, along with a cushioned insole, arch and heel support.
Converse All Stars became popular in 1921 when Indiana University basketball star Chuck Taylor began wearing them.
Some other important basketball shoes include the Nike Air Jordan 1, released in 1985, the Adidas Superstar sneakers, released in 1969, and the Puma "Clyde's", released in 1973.
