NBA players are some of the richest people on the planet. Surely, they must use new shoes each night, right?
The truth is…
There are NBA players who use new shoes each game but the majority of them reuse them for around 3-15 games. It all depends on the preference of the player. After all, they’re rich enough to buy all the shoes they need.
But why would they use new pairs in almost every single game? Let’s find out.
Do NBA Players Use New Shoes Every Game?
NBA players are the best-paid players on the planet. So it would only make sense for them to wear new shoes each game, right?
This is true, but not all players wear new shoes each game.
Some would wear new shoes every game while the majority of them will wear a new pair anywhere from 3-15 games or more.
Some players would even only wear one or two shoes for the whole season.
The point is everything depends on the player’s preference. Besides, if they want to wear new shoes each game, they can freely do so.
The best and most popular players like Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant all have their signature shoes. Aside from earning big from these deals, they’re also well-supplied with their shoes.
All-star players also sign shoe deals and they get all the shoes that they need while representing their brands.
The rest of the players may not have signature shoes, but they may still sign deals that let them get access to shoes that you can’t easily get in retail stores.
Why do NBA Players Use New Shoes Regularly?
For players who use new shoes every game, you might wonder why they do it.
There are different reasons involved which is why we’ll break them down one by one.
1. Because they can afford to do so
The average NBA player earns $7.5 million a year. NBA signature shoes cost anywhere from $50 to $200 each.
So even if they wear two to three new pairs of shoes each game, it would hardly leave a dent in their wallets.
Plus, they literally get paid to wear their signature shoes since they have deals. While other players get handed shoes for free thanks to their shoe deals.
But even rookies can cop new shoes each game if they decide to since they have the money to do so.
2. They’re obligated by their deals
The biggest NBA superstars have their own signature shoes. Guys like Curry, Doncic, Durant, LeBron, and Giannis earn a lot from these deals.
Aside from their earnings from the sales of these shoes, they’re supplied with their shoes for free. They don’t even have to ask for them.
Plus, most of their contracts oblige them to at least wear their signature shoes for the majority of the time. This is a win-win since they’re essentially marketing their own shoe to get more sales which would ultimately end up in their own pockets.
3. They prefer to
A lot of NBA players today wear new shoes each game but one of the most famous ones to do it is Michael Jordan.
According to him, wearing a new pair of shoes each game allows him to showcase his full abilities on the court.
This may also be the reason for other players. While some prefer new shoes for the comfort and security it brings.
The bottom line is that each player may have different reasons for wearing new shoes. Just as other players don’t wear new shoes each game.
4. They love to give them away
Modern NBA players love putting unique messages and incorporating art into their shoes nowadays.
For instance, they wore shoes that had the message “Black Lives Matter” while the campaign was strong in 2020.
That’s why they’re unlikely to wear those pairs again since they would not fit other occasions.
Lastly, they love to give shoes away to fans and to charity. So they have no choice but to wear new ones the next game.
What do NBA players do with their shoes after a game?
Are you curious as to what NBA players do with their shoes after each game?
Well, they could end up in so many places. Here are the most common ones:
1. They get reused
As you might have guessed, a lot of NBA players use new shoes each game but a lot of them also will reuse them.
As for how many games they’ll reuse, it entirely depends on the player.
It generally gets reused anywhere from 3-15 games. They may especially use a shoe longer if they loved their performance in them.
2. Given to fans
One of the most touching scenes in sports is when players give back to their fans.
Although NBA players don’t give away their shoes each game, a lot of them do so regularly.
They usually give their shoes to lucky fans, especially kids. But before they do, they will sign it with their signature to further increase their value and authenticate it.
Game-worn shoes of popular players can sell for a high price. This is especially true for legends and for momentous games.
3. Sold for charity
Sometimes, players would put up their shoes on auction for charity.
They would gladly part away with their treasured belongings if it means that they can help the community.
The most popular players can easily sell their shoes for thousands or even millions of dollars.
4. Kept
If they don’t reuse, give away or sell their shoes, they just keep them.
A lot of players have a huge collection of shoes in their homes. Players like PJ Tucker boast over 5,000 sneakers which is such a ridiculous amount.
But most NBA players especially retired ones will have game-worn shoes in their collections to preserve their memories.
Most Popular Basketball Shoes That Players Wear
It’s not a surprise to see players wearing their signature shoes all the time.
But did you know that they also love wearing the signature shoes of other players? A lot of players seem to love the Kobes.
So, what are the most popular basketball shoes that they wear?
| Model | Number of Players |
| 1. Nike Kobe 5 Protro | 36 |
| 2. Nike Kobe 6 Protro | 35 |
| 3. Nike PG 5 | 24 |
| 4. Nike KD 14 | 21 |
| 5. Air Jordan 36 | 17 |
| 6. Nike Kyrie 7 | 17 |
| 7. Nike KD 13 | 14 |
| 8. Adidas Dame 7 | 12 |
| 9. Nike Air Zoom GT Cut | 12 |
| 10. Adidas Exhibit A | 10 |
This is the list of the most popular shoes worn by players in the 2021-22 NBA season according to BallerShoesDB.
It’s important to note that even though NBA players may change shoes each game, most have the main shoe they wear. They may just change colors during different games, but they’ll use the same model.
Just from this list, players love the Nike brand a lot which makes sense since they’re the most popular brand worn by players.
Final Thoughts
Basketball shoes are one of the most integral parts of basketball.
They’re more than just an item to cover your feet. That’s why not even though NBA players may use new shoes each game, not a single pair would be wasted.
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