Basketball Shoes cool History

Kicksology - Timeline of Basketball Shoes

Basketball Shoes History
At KG, we break down the history of basketball sneakers into 4 main categories we call "ERA's". These overlapping time periods will help us get a more organized look at how far we've come. Perhaps, it may also aid us in understanding where we are going.

CLASSIC ERA (1920-1984)
"The invention of basketball was not an accident. It was developed to meet a need. Those boys simply would not play Drop the Handkerchief". ~ James Naismith, the inventor of basketball in 1891. The Classic Era was a stretch of time few of us today can even remember. Starting with the Chucks and concluding with the AF1, this time period is named "classic" for obvious

1921–1960's: The Original Chuck Taylor dominated the basketball scene for over 40 years. The canvas sneaker with rubber soles is the all-time best selling sneaker at over 500 million pairs sold and counting. It wasn't until leather debuted on basketball sneakers in the 60's did the canvas Chucks began its decline.
1972: As the first basketball shoe with a swoosh, the Blazer marked the small Oregon-based Nike's entry into the basketball shoes market.
Early to mid 1970's: Puma made a splash in the League. Clyde Frasier was among one of the first to have his own 'signature' shoe with his Puma low-tops.
Mid to late 1970's: Converse and Dr. J took the game to another level. Magic and Bird loaded up with the Converse Weapons to develop the rivalry that 'saved' the NBA.
1983: Air Force 1 debuts as the first Nike basketball shoe with an air sole. The Air technology differentiated Nike from rest of the competition and propelled the company to become the industry's leader – a position which Nike has never relinquished to this day. Furthermore, Air Force 1's strap, classic design and popularity allowed the shoe to remain a best-selling sneaker even as we speak.

JORDAN ERA (1985-1993)
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"I never walked onto a basketball court when I didn't feel like I was as good as anyone else out there. Except once. Game 2 of the 1993 NBA Finals in Chicago. We had lost Game 1, and I had made up my mind that I would do anything -- anything -- to lead my team in Game 2. I scored 42 points and Michael simply would not let me win. I looked over at him and thought, 'Man, he's better than me. He's better than everybody.' Trust me on this: Nobody has ever played basketball like Michael." ~ Charles Barkley, on Jordan One man dominated the Era that gave sneakers the kind of popularity we see today. Let's face it, without Michael Jordan's influence on the game, we wouldn't be here today. The Icon is the sole reason why all of this is even possible. So to name the Era after the Greatest of All Time is fittingly appropriate and the least we could do.
1984: A rookie showed up at the All-Star game with his own signature warm-ups. His shoes cost him a fine every single game due to being 'too colorful' and 'non-conforming to his team colors'. His sneaker commercial had a big X on the shoe with the word BANNED. Talk about jump starting an Era.
Mid to late 1980's: Adidas Ewing Rivalry & The EWINGS – Patrick has always lived under Michael's shadows. His shoes were no exception. Despite the success in the Adidas Ewing Rivalry, Ewing went on his own to produce The EWINGS.
1988: Ewing wasn't the only one thinking his own shoe company. Jordan reportedly thought the same thing. The rumor in '88 was that Michael was going to jump ship from the Swoosh. Nike brought Tinker Hatfield to the rescue by designing the Air Jordan III to convince Mike to stay. Once Mike saw the III's, the rest was history. The shoes went down to this day as arguably the greatest Air Jordan ever.
1989–1990: The Original Pump. The war for basketball market share between Reebok and Nike in the late 80's and early 90's was heating up. Reebok struck back against Air by releasing The Pump. The innovative technology allowed air to be pumped into the shoe by pressing repeatedly on an orange basketball (and later with InstaPump). Think Nike wasn't concerned? They introduced their own pump - The Air Pressure but with no success.
1990–1993: Air Jordans dominated the scene. Everyone wanted the latest pair as they represented the pinnacle of basketball shoes. From the black shoe hysteria of the '89 Bulls Playoff run; to the clear soles & reflective tongue V's; to Mars Blackman's "DoYouKnowDoYouKnowDoYouKnow" and "It's Gota Be Da Shoes"; to Bugs Bunny; the sneaker scene was all about the Air Jordan. The mystic behind the legend and the icon not only conquered market share but also went global after the Barcelona games.

GOLDEN ERA (1994-1998)
"Could ya do that for a brotha?""Hey Tyra. You left your toothbrush at my house." ~ Lil Penny "Me and Penny are going to be the Magic and Kareem of the 90's," ~ Shaq, then Magic Mike's 1st retirement sent the industry reeling. Will basketball shoes continue to sell without its main cornerstone? Nike realized it needed to find alternative methods other than relying on just one man. Barkley, Pippen, Admiral, Reggie and Penny all stepped up to the plate for the company. Reebok found their main man in Iverson. The Golden Era was a period of time where no one model line or person would dominate the entire industry. Yet due to new technologies, materials and design concepts, near everything manufacturers produced during this Era became golden and instant classics

1993–1994: Barkley's signature shoes became the flagship of Nike's lineup at nearly $150, surpassing Air Jordan's in terms of price, technology, design, functionality and popularity. This was during the same time Mike had retired the first time. Coincidence? We think not.
1996: Iverson's Questions puts Reebok back into basketball contention. Arguably the best Rbk basketball sneakers ever made, the Questions continued to sell to this day. AI, with his tattoos and corn rows appealed to a new generation of NBA fans. In response, Rbk quickly signed him to a lifetime deal.
1995–1997: Little Penny commercials were more than just hype. The Air Penny signature line was among the best Nike ever produced. At the peak of its popularity was the Foamposite One - the beginning of a new breed of shoes that were border line Sci-FI, yet made into reality.
1998: Adidas finally returned to the basketball segment with the signing of Kobe Bryant. Success of early Kobe "Feet You Wear" models led to the eventual creation of the Audi TT inspired The Kobe that proved the 3-Stripes had what it takes to compete with the big dogs.

THROWBACK ERA (1999-current)
"It was slow a few years ago when Michael exited, but it's going to be that way when the greatest player in the world retires. The young guys like myself had to gain respect to get the big deals and pick up where Mike left off. It will be impossible to do what Mike did off the court. But some of us are getting there." ~ T-MAC Mike's 2nd retirement set the industry back once again. This time, Nike was prepared with the establishment of Brand Jordan. Unfortunately, the lack of interest in the NBA and lack of signature superstars caused consumers to look backward rather than forward. Throwback Jerseys and Retro'ed shoes became more popular than anything new the manufacturers could create. Is it the lack of imagination and creativity of the shoe companies or the unwillingness by the consumers to move onward?

1999: The remake of the Air Jordan IV in '99 launched the Retro craze that caused a landslide of remakes of old classics. The Air Jordan line alone re-released the AJ I, II, III, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, XI, XII in one form or another. When old household names like Avia and British Knights started to make shoes again, you know you've turned back the clock.
1999 – current: the AF1 and Dunk craze personifies the Throwback Era. Every color combination possible under the sun has been applied to the AF1 and Dunk. Sometimes we wonder if Nike themselves even know what colorways has been released to date.
2000: The Shox is the lone major technology breakthrough for this Era. It took over 10 years of R&D and refinement to come out. The wait was well worth it when Vince Carter jumped over a 7-footer during the Olympics in his Shox BB4. Adidas and Reebok quickly responded by launching their own versions of the technology to stay competitive.
2000 – 2003: Proving that the sneaker industry has become all business and no love, gone was the loyalty from the players to their brands. VC jumped ship from Puma to sign with Nike after a heated legal battle. Garnett leaped from Nike to And1 to Adidas. Kobe took off for Nike after 5 years with Adidas. Even Yao Ming, a Nike groomed and sponsored athlete at his native country China since the early age of 13, had skipped over to rival Reebok. Battle lines are definitely drawn but have no fear, fierce competition usually means win-win for the consumers.

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