Compressions, jerseys, shorts, socks, sneakers – that’s usually the order any basketball player dresses for each and every pick up game, practice and game.
Out of all these items, you can argue that the sneaker is the most important.
The sneaker and the sneaker industry have both dramatically changed since Adolf Dassler created an upstart company following the conclusion of World War II and Phil Knight changed the game by creating Waffle Trainers out of his trunk at the University of Oregon. This eventually led to some of the lightest basketball shoes on the market, such as the Adidas Crazy Light and the Nike Hyperfuse lines.
Today, both Adidas and Nike are multi-billion dollar companies that maintain a global influence, including a strong presence within N.C . State Athletics.
State’s sponsorship deal with both brands serves as an interesting dynamic in the sneaker industry, as the companies are represented on both basketball teams. Adidas is the outfitter of the men’s program, and Nike provides the women’s gear, an occurrence which rarely happens in college athletics.
The majority of the men’s basketball team stays in unison when it comes to their choice in sneakers, wearing a white base with red stripes color via the Adidas Pro Model Zero. The Pro Model Zero includes the Torsion System, which is designed to allow the front and back of the foot to move independently yet provide a lockdown feel.
According to senior C.J . Williams, the shoe also provides great ankle support, which is the reason why he wears them.
“I like these shoes because I have bad ankles,” Williams said. “These are a little harder so it’s more difficult to turn my ankle.”
Junior Scott Wood prefers a lower cut and a rarely seen model, the Commander Lite Low TD, which is the low cut version of a Tim Duncan signature model.
According to Wood, he began wearing these shoes to improve ankle health after getting the approval from former head coach Sidney Lowe.
“I hate getting my ankles taped, and when I wear high tops with my ankles taped, it feels like I’m stuck in molasses,” Wood said. “I asked Coach Lowe last year if I could wear low tops, and he gave me the A-ok to wear them. It makes me feel a little quicker.”
On the women’s side, the team sported the 2011 version of the Hyperfuse at its media day, a shoe that places emphasis on the race to create the lightest shoe on the market.
According to sophomore Myisha Goodwin-Coleman, the model will be her game shoe this season, but the team’s sneaker choices span far beyond the Hyperfuse .
“These are actually going to be my game shoes, even though today is my first day breaking them in,” Goodwin-Coleman said. “We’re actually going to wear whatever this year–whatever makes our feet comfortable.”
According to Goodwin-Coleman, she is part of a diverse community of people known as “sneakerheads” , or individuals who all share a love for sneakers because of aesthetic , nostalgic, or collecting reasons.
“I’m a sneakerhead actually,” Goodwin-Coleman said. “Nikes, Jordans – if I’m not in sneakers, I’m usually wearing my Jordan flip-flops.”
Most basketball players and athletes in general have an affliction with the sneakers they wear, no matter what brand or type. As long as athletes take the floor and compete, the sneaker industry will keep on going strong.
To some, it may just be leather and rubber, but for some, sneakers are an identity and a passion.
