Best Early-Season NBA Kicks
With the NBA back in full swing, kicks season is officially upon us.
It may be early, but we've already been given a ton of dope kicks to salivate over. The usual suspects are featured on this list as well as some slept-on sneaker enthusiasts.
Compiling all of the on-foot choices of this youthful, vibrant basketball season, we now present the 10 best early season NBA kicks.
Derrick Rose: D Rose 6
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If you haven't gotten the chance already, play in Derrick Rose's D Rose 6 sneakers. These are not only the best Adidas Rose model to date, but they are up there with any other kicks of 2015.
In an on-court wear test, the D Rose 6 was astounding. The added Boost mechanism relives a lot of pressure from one's ankles and feet.
Rose has used these kicks frequently on the hardwood. Earlier this season, Rose broke out a fiery black and white rendition of his signature sneakers. They looked extraordinarily dope on-foot.
Don't forget, you can peep various versions of the sneaker including the "Home" edition on Adidas' Instagram.
Dwyane Wade: Way of Wade 4 'Lucky 13'
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Dwyane Wade's partnership with the Chinese apparel brand Li-Ning has been a really good thing for basketball fans.
Sometimes venturing away from the tradition worlds of Nike, Adidas and Under Armour is a good thing. The Way of Wade 4 is the company's latest effort to push its brand deep into the American market.
We have to say, after giving it a spin, it's an awesome sneaker.
Stylistically it has become a unique shoe. Few kicks out there match the aesthetics provided by the Way of Wade 4 model. The materials are sweet and the bulkiness of the sole actually works in terms of on-foot stability.
The "Lucky 13" model is the nicest looking drop to date. The red base dressed up with white speckles creates a vintage Miami Heat look.
Check on Wade throughout the 2015-16 NBA season. You should see a bunch of sweet looks thanks to his Way of Wade 4 sneakers.
LeBron James: LeBron 13 'Player Exclusive'
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Nike's LeBron 13 model is a dope addition to his signature collection. The evolution King James' kicks have undergone is super inspirational in terms of advancing the culture of sneakers.
Almost with a robotic, sharp look, the LeBron 13 took everything we loved about the previous model and gave it an extra sense of flair. James unveiled a "Player Exclusive" pair of the LeBron 13s earlier this season and man, did they look sweet.
The custom lettering across the back of the sneaker and an all-white, matte finish was such a clean way to dress down this particular model.
If we know James and his sneaker habits, there will be a crazy amount of "Player Exclusive" LeBron 13s to go around this season.
Chris Paul: CP3.IX 'Player Exclusive'
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Our love for Jordan Brand's CP3.IX has been well documented. The latest drop in Chris Paul's signature line is an excellent product.
Paul is another guy who's known for playing hoops in countless "Player Exclusive" models. The one featured above fits that narrative like a glove.
This intergalactic look was featured in a recent Los Angeles Clippers game. Custom space-like coloring and a turquoise sole blended together to create the best CP3.IX variation we've seen to date.
Needless to say, we can't wait to see what Paul has in store for us next.
LeBron James: LeBron 13 'On Court'
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After Nike unveiled the LeBron 13s, the world waited for King James to sport this updated version of his kicks. We mentioned the "Player Exclusive" model earlier in this article, but the "On Court" LeBron 13s deserve a spot too.
A striking red base gives the shoe life. They pop and impress on the court—as seen in the image above. For those looking for another angle, Basket4Ballers' Instagram account provided the globe with a nice off-the-court image.
Forget matching your sneakers to your team's uniform. The LeBron 13 "On Court" shoe is a testament to James' robust level of 2015 swagger.
John Wall: J Wall 2 'Ballin Dead'
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Cheers to Adidas for getting into the Halloween spirit this season. The brand gave some of its biggest clients a chance to wear Halloween-themed kicks.
The "Ballin Dead" collection showed off Adidas' love for doing things a different way. John Wall—an Adidas staple—rocked his own "Ballin Dead" J Wall 2s, getting into Thriller mode.
Discussion around the J Wall 2 remains the same. Adidas put forth a sensational shoe. Fans of Wall and the Washington Wizards have to love the fact he's become a major player in terms of Adidas' hoop dreams.
Together, let's all bask in all the glory that the "Ballin Dead" J Wall 2 brought us.
Kobe Bryant: Kobe X Elite Low 'Player Exclusive'
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There's so much to love about Kobe Bryant's Kobe X model that we can't even begin to cover it here.
Los Angeles' resident "Black Mamba" returned to NBA action this season sporting the beautiful, dazzling Kobe X. Bryant's healthy return means we're going to see Nike shell out a ton of great Kobe X looks.
One particular Kobe X "Player Exclusive" model we loved was the black and purple combo Bryant wore earlier this season. You could probably jump onto Nike iD and mock up a similar pattern, but you won't be able to replicate this exact look.
That's what makes it a "Player Exclusive" model and a great one at that.
Stephen Curry: Curry Two 'Long Shot'
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Under Armour and Stephen Curry stay winning in terms of their sneaker collaboration. Releasing the Curry "Two" was a perfect way to give the NBA's reigning MVP another home run to work with.
Curry's ascent into superstardom has given Under Armour a chance to break through the Nike and Adidas chain of basketball dominance. The more work Curry puts in on the floor, the better chance this shoe has of making it to the masses.
Of all the colorways set to drop, Curry gave us a peek at the gorgeous "Long Shot" edition. Something about that black and yellow mix works really well with the Golden State Warriors' uniforms.
Look for a whole host of dynamic hues and patterns in the near future. Under Armour's Curry Two is a silhouette built for the imagination and all that comes with it.
Al Horford: Nike Hyperdunk 'Player Exclusive'
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You want to learn a little something about an underrated pair of sneakers? Let us introduce you to the Nike Hyperdunk.
Designed to be a forward-thinking, futuristic endeavor, the 2015 edition of the Hyperdunk should be seen across NBA courts throughout this upcoming season because of its crisp design.
Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford was one of the first to come correct with a "Player Exclusive" version of the Hyperdunk model. Looking like the initial "Dream" colorway of Kyrie Irving's first signature shoe, this Hyperdunk is one we need as a general release.
Nick Young: Adidas Crazy 1 'Tribal Gradient'
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Reports of Nick Young fleeing Nike for Adidas have been all over the place ever since "Swaggy P" broke out a pair of D Lillard 1s during an exhibition game in October, per Brandon Richard of Sole Collector.
It hasn't been confirmed yet, but Young has continued to sport Adidas kicks. The coolest rendition was the Adidas Crazy 1 "Tribal Gradient" joints. A slept-on, forgotten about drop, this variant fit in with Young's outlandish choices.
This sneaker is a fitting way to end our look at the best early season kicks of the 2015-16 NBA season. Stay tuned for future drops embracing all of the on-court goodness the NBA gives us in a nightly basis.
