B/R Kicks: Best On-Court NBA Sneakers to End the 2016-17 Season
Goodbye, sweet world of professional basketball. Now that the 2016-17 NBA playoffs are quickly approaching, the regular season has become a distant memory, leaving exceptional moments and bold footwear choices behind.
Since the 82-game onslaught has reached its dramatic conclusion—ask the Miami Heat—it was fitting to look back at the final seven days of action and discuss four of the best looking kicks we saw on NBA hardwood floors.
Thabo Sefolosha: Nike Air Max 90 "Infrared"
The Atlanta Hawks swingman hasn't been featured often on footwear of the week lists. Flying under the radar, the 32-year-old has been rotating Nike Air Max 90s on a recurring basis.
Sparking a trend, Sefolosha started prominently rocking these kicks during the 2015-16 NBA season and hasn't let up. He brought a clean pair back into the light on April 12 against the Indiana Pacers.
The "Infrared" Air Max 90, fixed up with red laces, is pretty shocking to witness on a basketball court. Outside of a comfortable cushioning index, there really is zero ankle support—for the type of movements made on an NBA floor.
None of that matters to Sefolosha. He's become a poster boy for Nike's Air Max line, sporting all sorts of flavors, colorways and models. These days Sefolosha is a sneaker folk hero. Forget signature models and vintage Air Jordans. Nike's Air Max line is always the wave.colorways and models. These days Sefolosha is a sneaker folk hero. Forget signature models and vintage Air Jordans. Nike's Air Max line is always the wave.
James Harden: Adidas Harden Vol. 1 "Red Glare"
Don't throw any market share numbers or lines about Nike's dominance at me. Houston Rockets guard James Harden deserves plenty of praise for helping put his debut Adidas sneaker on the map.
The Harden Vol. 1 checks all the boxes. It's comfy, fits true to size, looks great on-foot and for a sneaker that doesn't feature the same structural advancements as say the Nike Kobe A.D., it feels great when put to the grindstone.
Harden rotated through a handful of specialized colorways over the 2016-17 season. The "Red Glare" version, worn against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 10, sums up the Harden Vol. 1's brilliance.
The Rockets' guard has become an MVP candidate and his team looks like a threat to thrash some people in the Western Conference playoffs. His kicks have been all part of that Texas-sized narrative.
Paul George: Nike PG 1 "Player Exclusive"
Nike's latest signature signee, Paul George, decided to shake up the footwear game with his PG 1 this past year.
A fashionably late arrival to the party, George's PG 1 presented itself in such a way that other athletes had to step aside and take notice. Who would have thought between Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving—just to name the Nike athletes—that George would carve out his own lane?
The "Player Exclusive" he wore on April 12 against the Atlanta Hawks—which actually looks like a Denver Nuggets' colorway—concluded a regular-season chock full of spellbinding choices.
He might have been a surprising choice to receive a signature sneaker, however, PG and Team Nike delivered with the PG 1.
DeMar DeRozan: Nike Kobe A.D. "Compton"
Because of all he's done to keep Kobe Bryant's footwear line alive and well, Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan earned his own version of the Nike Kobe A.D.
The "Compton" edition, honed specifically for DeRozan, emerged on April 9 against the New York Knicks. It's white, almost stone-like pattern glistened as the King of Kobe continued to sport the unforgettable Nike line.
No one in pro hoops has been as avid of a Bryant supporter as DeRozan. He has become the go-to guy for all things Black Mamba.
