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Basketball players quickly realized they needed non-slip shoes, and in 1917, the Converse Rubber Shoe Company released the first shoe specifically for basketball players, called the Non-Skid. Converse dominated the basketball shoe market for decades, with professional players wearing Converse All Stars, and the shoes being featured at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. However, in the 1970s and 1980s, competitors like Adidas, Nike, Puma, and Reebok entered the market with new designs and innovations. The release of the Nike Air Jordan 1 in 1985 marked a turning point, with Nike dethroning Converse as the leading basketball shoe company by the 1990s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | Converse Rubber Shoe Company |
| Year | 1917 |
| Shoe Name | Non-Skid |
| Redesign | 1922 |
| Renamed | Chuck Taylor All Stars |
| Shoe Color | Black or White |
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What You'll Learn
Converse's Non-Skid shoe
The Converse Rubber Shoe Company, founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts, released the first shoe aimed at basketball players in 1917. The shoe was called the "Non-Skid", an appropriate name given its non-slip properties. This shoe was a significant innovation in basketball footwear, addressing the need for better traction on the court.
The Converse Non-Skid shoe was designed with a canvas upper bonded to a rubber sole, a combination that provided both comfort and grip. This construction method was not entirely new, having been used for sports shoes since the mid-19th century, but Converse was the first company to specifically market such a shoe for basketball players. The rubber sole, in particular, offered a significant advantage over the hard leather soles of dress shoes, as it allowed players to move more quietly and smoothly across the court.
The release of the Non-Skid shoe marked the beginning of Converse's long association with basketball. In the 1920s, the company added Chuck Taylor's signature to the ankle patch of the shoe, leading to the creation of the iconic "Chuck Taylor All Stars". To promote the shoe, Taylor held basketball clinics and even managed a company-sponsored basketball team called the "Converse All Stars". These marketing efforts paid off, and by the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, Converse All Stars were being worn by basketball players from multiple nations.
The Converse All Stars were selected as the official shoe of the Summer Olympics from 1936 to 1968, and they also served as the official athletic training shoes of the US armed forces during World War II. By the 1960s, Converse dominated the basketball shoe market, with around nine out of ten college and professional basketball players choosing their shoes. The company continued to innovate, introducing more colour options and updating the rubber sole to stay competitive in the face of emerging challenges from rival brands in the 1970s and 1980s.
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Chuck Taylor All Stars
The Converse Rubber Shoe Company, founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts, designed the first shoe specifically aimed at basketball players in 1917, under the name "Non-Skids". Chuck Taylor All Stars, also known as Converse All Stars, are sneakers that were initially developed as basketball shoes in the early 20th century. The design has remained largely unchanged since its introduction. The shoe consists of a stitched upper portion, a toe cap, and an outsole usually made of rubber. The original and most widely known version is made from cotton canvas, although Chuck Taylors are also made of various other materials such as leather or suede.
The distinctive feature of the original shoe was its "loose lining" of soft canvas, intended to provide flexibility and prevent blisters. In 1921, Charles "Chuck" Taylor, an American semi-professional basketball player, joined Converse as a salesman. Within a year of Taylor's arrival, the company had adopted his ideas for improvements to enhance the shoe's flexibility and ankle support. The restyled shoe also incorporated a distinctive All-Star logo on the circular patch that protected the ankle. After Converse added Taylor's signature to the ankle patch, they became known as Chuck Taylor All Stars, the first celebrity-endorsed athletic shoe.
To promote sales of Converse All Star shoes to basketball players, Taylor held basketball clinics in high schools, colleges, and YMCAs across the US. During the 1926-27 season, he also served as a player-manager of the company-sponsored basketball team called the Converse All Stars. By the 1950s, Chuck Taylor All Stars had become a standard among high school, collegiate, and professional basketball players. In the 1960s, Converse captured about 70 to 80 percent of the basketball shoe market, with ninety percent of professional and college basketball players wearing Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars.
However, in the 1970s, the popularity of Chuck Taylor All Stars among basketball players declined as many athletes switched to competing brands that offered shoes with leather uppers and harder rubber soles. Despite this, Chuck Taylor All Stars enjoyed a comeback in the 1980s and 1990s as casual, retro-style footwear, particularly favoured by artists and musicians. By 2000, Converse had sold over 600 million pairs of All Stars during its eighty years of manufacturing them.
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Adidas Forum
The first basketball shoe was released in 1917 by the Converse Rubber Shoe Company, which was founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts. The shoe was named the "Non-Skid" and was designed with a rubber sole to prevent slipping. Converse dominated the basketball shoe market for decades, with its shoes being worn by basketball players at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics and endorsed by players like Chuck Taylor.
Adidas, on the other hand, entered the basketball shoe market much later. In the 1970s and 1980s, Adidas, along with other sportswear manufacturers like Nike and Puma, began to challenge Converse's dominance by introducing innovative designs specifically for basketball players.
One of Adidas's iconic basketball shoes is the Forum, which debuted in the 1980s. The Adidas Forum Mid was a popular choice for basketball players during that decade. Over time, the Forum has been redesigned as a low-cut shoe, known as the Adidas Forum Low, which has become a favourite among fans of retro basketball fashion. The Forum Low retains the iconic features of the original Forum, such as the hook-and-loop ankle straps, while offering a range of upper materials like leather, textile, suede, and nubuck. The shoe provides soft cushioning for comfort and features a rubber cupsole that pays homage to its basketball heritage.
The Adidas Forum has also been a platform for collaborations with basketball stars and skateboarding legends, bringing its confident attitude to a new generation. The shoe is available in a variety of colours and bold prints, allowing wearers to express their personal style. The Forum's quality and design have gained a dedicated following, with some enthusiasts collecting various colourways and models, such as the Forum 84s and the Bad Bunny Forums.
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Nike Air Jordan 1
The Converse Rubber Shoe Company, founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts, released the first shoe specifically designed for basketball players in 1917. The shoe was named the 'Non-Skid'. Converse dominated the basketball shoe market until the 1960s, with around 80% of college and professional basketball players wearing their shoes.
In 1985, Nike partnered with Michael Jordan to release the first 'Air Jordan'. The shoe was banned by the NBA for violating the league's uniform policy, as it featured multiple colours, including red and black. Despite this, the Air Jordan quickly became popular, with its popularity attributed to Jordan's charisma. The shoe was also the first to be worn in the NBA with multiple colourways.
The Air Jordan 1 is available in various styles, including Low Top, Mid Top, and High Top, and caters to both adults and children. The shoes are also designed for a range of sports, including football, baseball, golf, lacrosse, and dance. The price of the Air Jordan 1 ranges from $25 to over $150, depending on the style and the target audience.
The Air Jordan 1 has since been reimagined with the release of the Retro High OG "UNC Reimagined" collection. This collection includes shoes for men, women, children, and babies, with prices ranging from $70 to $180. The original Air Jordan 1 from 1985, featuring the iconic black and red colourway, continues to be honoured and celebrated through the Air Jordan 1 Retro, which pays tribute to its legacy and impact on basketball style and culture.
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Reebok signs NBA stars
The Converse Rubber Shoe Company created the first shoe aimed at basketball players in 1917, called the 'Non-Skid'. Converse dominated the basketball shoe market in the 1920s, 30s, and 60s, with up to 80% of players wearing their shoes. However, in the 1970s and 80s, new competitors like Adidas, Ewing, Nike, Puma, and Reebok entered the market with innovative designs.
Reebok has been a player in the basketball shoe market for decades, with former NBA stars Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson signing with the brand in 1992 and 1996, respectively. O'Neal even launched the company's first-ever signature shoe, the Shaq Attaq. In 2022, Reebok left Adidas and was acquired by the Authentic Brands Group, expressing a desire to re-enter the basketball market. As part of this strategy, O'Neal and Iverson were appointed as the brand's President and Vice President of Basketball, respectively.
Reebok has since signed several new basketball stars to endorsement deals, including LSU center and national champion Angel Reese, who will be the first signing of the new O'Neal and Iverson-led era. Reese will have her own curated portal on Reebok's website and will collaborate with the company on her own capsule collection. She will also provide input on the larger Reebok Basketball relaunch in 2025. Another notable signing is 5-star prospect Nate Ament, who will launch his own Player Exclusive sneaker with the brand.
These new signings signal Reebok's intention to re-establish itself in the basketball world, leveraging the leadership and connections of O'Neal and Iverson, along with the talent and influence of their newest endorsers.
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Frequently asked questions
Converse made the first shoe specifically for basketball players in 1917. The shoe was called the "Non-Skid" and was later renamed the "Chuck Taylor All Stars" after the signature of basketball player Chuck Taylor was added to the ankle patch in 1922.
Basketball shoes are designed to provide better ankle support. They also have non-slip soles, which became an obvious requirement after the first official basketball game was played in 1992.
Converse dominated the basketball shoe market in the 1960s, with around 80% of college and professional basketball players wearing their shoes. However, Nike dethroned Converse as the "basketball shoe king" in the 1990s after signing Michael Jordan and releasing the iconic "Air Jordan" shoe.
