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Basketball players and their signature shoes have been a cultural phenomenon for a long time. With brands like Nike, Adidas, and Converse tying up with NBA players to bring out signature sneakers, the market has been booming. Nike has signed some of the biggest stars in the league, both past and present, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Devin Booker.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of NBA players with signature sneakers | 30 |
| Number of players with Nike signature sneakers | 5 |
| Nike-signed players, past and present | Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Charles Barkley, Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, Ja Morant, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Sabrina Ionescu, LaMelo Ball |
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What You'll Learn
Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and other Nike-signed players
Nike has signed some of the biggest names in basketball, both past and present. The sportswear giant first made its mark in the basketball world by signing Michael Jordan, whose signature line took off alongside his career. Other former players with Nike signature shoes include Kobe Bryant, Charles Barkley, Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, and Steve Nash.
Nike has continued to dominate the market, signing current stars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Devin Booker. Durant, who signed a deal with Nike in 2008, has a range of signature shoes with the brand, including the KD 1 and KD Trey 5 X. LeBron James signed a record-breaking 7-year, $90 million deal with Nike for a signature line before he had even played an NBA game. Other players with signature Nike shoes include Ja Morant, Paul George, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum.
Nike was an early supporter of women's basketball, signing Sheryl Swoopes to a signature model in 1996. Swoopes had several signature sneakers with Nike—the most of any female basketball player in the brand's history. Other female basketball stars with signature Nike shoes include Lisa Leslie, whose Total Air 9 was released in 1998, and Cynthia Cooper, whose Air C14 was released in 1999.
Nike has also signed players with some of the most unique signature shoes. Alonzo Mourning's Air Alonzo, released in 1997, had a bulky, high-top design that resembled a shoe from the Nike ACG line rather than a performance basketball shoe. In 1998, Kevin Garnett's first signature shoe, the Air Garnett, featured understated styling that has since been overshadowed by his later models. Gary Payton's first signature sneaker with Nike, the Zoom Flight '98, incorporated his "The Glove" nickname with a shrouded design.
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Michael Jordan's Air Jordans
The Air Jordan line has been incredibly successful, with the shoes becoming a cultural phenomenon. The shoes were so popular that they were linked to a wave of clothing-related violence in the late 1980s, with robberies, beatings, and shootings occurring over the possession of Air Jordans. The popularity of the shoes even led to a ban of certain items of clothing, including Air Jordan sneakers, from school grounds. Despite these issues, the Air Jordan line has remained one of the top-selling shoe lines of all time, with new colourways and models regularly released to this day.
The Jordan Brand, originally called 'Brand Jordan', was introduced by Nike and Jordan in 1997. The brand has since released numerous Air Jordan shoes and apparel, often in collaboration with popular artists. The brand's popularity rose with the global image of Michael Jordan, and it has become famous not only in the NBA but also in other sports and leagues worldwide. In 2022, the Jordan Brand brought in $5.1 billion in revenue for Nike, with $150-256 million going directly to Jordan under his deal with the company.
The Air Jordan line has also released several special-edition shoes honouring Michael Jordan's career and his relationships. The Jordan Spiz'ike shoes, for example, were released in 2006 as a tribute to Jordan's relationship with Spike Lee. The shoes were a blend of the Jordan III, IV, V, VI, and XX shoes, with only 4,032 pairs made. Another example is the Jordan 6 Rings, which combines the seven Air Jordan shoes that Jordan wore during his 6 championship seasons. These shoes were released in 2008 and featured colourways representative of each team that the Chicago Bulls defeated during their championship runs in the 1990s.
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WNBA players with signature shoes
While the NBA has seen many of its players sign deals with sportswear brands, the WNBA has also seen its fair share of stars with signature shoe deals. The history of sneaker culture is rooted in sports, particularly basketball, and primarily its premier men’s league, the NBA. However, Sheryl Swoopes' shoes became the first to carry a female player's name in 1995. Her signature line with Nike reached seven silhouettes across the Air Swoopes series.
Caitlin Clark, the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, signed an eight-year, $28 million deal with Nike that will include her signature sneaker line. Other Nike signees include Sabrina Ionescu, A'ja Wilson, Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw, Diana Taurasi, and Lisa Leslie.
Candace Parker has had two signature shoes with Adidas, the TS Ace Commander and the Ace Versatility, while Angel Reese has signed a multi-year contract extension with Reebok. Puma has also signed WNBA players to signature shoe deals, including Breanna Stewart.
While the NBA has seen a larger number of players sign deals for signature shoes, the WNBA is starting to see more representation in this market, with more WNBA players signing deals and releasing signature sneakers.
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Players who left Nike
In recent years, a mass exodus of football players has left Nike for its competitors. Some of the players who have left Nike include Harry Kane, Casemiro, Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling, Tiger Woods, and Roger Federer. In addition, several Manchester United players have parted ways with Nike, including Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, and Lisandro Martinez, who switched to Adidas. Other players who have left Nike for Adidas include De Ligt and Romero.
Nike has also lost several players to Puma, including Jack Grealish, Kovacic, Lacazette, and Akanji. Lisandro Martinez and Kvara are also expected to join Puma soon. Nike's changing corporate strategy and marketing strategy, which now focuses on sustainability, social injustice, and the climate emergency, are possible reasons for the exodus. Additionally, some players may have left due to feeling secondary to certain stars, while others may have been lured by better sponsorship deals from competitors.
In the NBA, Nike has signed some of the biggest stars, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James. While Nike has dominated the NBA shoe market, other brands have also signed notable players. Adidas, for example, has signed James Harden, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, and Trae Young. Under Armour has also made inroads into the NBA market, signing stars such as Stephen Curry and De'Aaron Fox. New Balance has signed Kawhi Leonard and Jamal Murray, while Puma has signed several high-profile players, including some who left Nike.
While Nike has lost some players to other brands, it continues to be a dominant force in the basketball shoe market, with signature shoes from current stars such as Giannis Antetekoumpo, Devin Booker, Ja Morant, and Paul George.
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Other brands with signature basketball shoes
While Nike, Jordan Brand, and Adidas dominate the NBA players' shoe market, other brands have also signed basketball players for signature shoes.
Adidas
Adidas has signed several NBA players for signature shoes, including current players like James Harden, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, and Derrick Rose. Former players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tracy McGrady also had signature Adidas shoes during their playing days.
Under Armour
Under Armour has a couple of high-profile NBA stars on its roster, including Stephen Curry and De'Aaron Fox. Curry's signature series with Under Armour has reached its 13th iteration, the Under Armour Curry 12.
New Balance
New Balance has made inroads into the NBA market by signing stars such as Kawhi Leonard and Jamal Murray.
Li-Ning
Li-Ning is a Chinese brand that has been attracting top NBA stars with signature shoes. As of April 2025, their biggest shoe line is the Jimmy Butler signature shoes called the Li-Nang JB.
Anta
Anta is another Chinese brand that has signed NBA players. Kyrie Irving, who was previously with Nike, signed with Anta and released his first signature sneaker, the Kai 1.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several basketball players who have had signature shoe deals with Nike, including:
- LeBron James
- Kevin Durant
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Devin Booker
- Ja Morant
- Paul George
- Michael Jordan
- Kobe Bryant
- Charles Barkley
- Vince Carter
- Jason Kidd
- Steve Nash
Nike has also had deals with WNBA players like Sabrina Ionescu.
Adidas also has a significant market share of NBA players with signature shoe deals. Some of the players are:
- James Harden
- Damian Lillard
- Donovan Mitchell
- Trae Young
- Derrick Rose
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Tracy McGrady
Puma has also entered the basketball market by signing deals with several NBA players, including:
- LaMelo Ball
- Klay Thompson
- Gordon Hayward
Under Armour has deals with the following NBA players:
- Stephen Curry
- De'Aaron Fox
New Balance has signed the following NBA players:
- Kawhi Leonard
- Jamal Murray
