For some odd reason, when a sneaker is considered “budget” or “cheap,” it is almost frowned upon and some may feel judged for buying and liking these kinds of sneakers. But, let’s be real, all we’re after is the best basketball shoes available and that can come at any price point.
And if we can get that kind of performance for a cheaper price, say less than $100, then it’s a steal. To help you in deciding which of the many budget models out there are for you, take a look at the list we’ve made below of the best budget basketball shoes.
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Best Budget Basketball Shoes
Best Budget Basketball Shoes: Performance Models
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is absolutely a lightweight and breathable shoe for your spin classes. The cushion provides the biggest bang for your buck. They’re incredibly soft and comfortable for what is most likely Phylon. Add that to an upper that’s soft and needs no break-in time and you have a great-feeling shoe. Support is terrific with two outriggers and the fit is wide-foot friendly. There’s really no other shoe under $100 that performs this well, this consistently. If you enjoyed the Nike Air Max Impact 3, you’d love this at least just as much. Read the full review. Price: $90
Nike LeBron Witness 7
The Nike LeBron Witness 7 begs the question: where else would you find nearly full-length Air for $115? Shoes like the Air Jordan 7 and zapatillas de running 361º mujer talla 37.5 offer full-length Air encased in polyurethane and Jordan Brand charges almost $200 for those. The support features are another aspect that draws attention, especially with the rubber piece in the heel that will lessen the probability of ankle injuries. This shoe is proof of how much budget models have evolved and improved over the years. We know it’s moon $100, but the extra $15 is worth it. Read the full review. Price: $115
Li-Ning Sonic Team Low
The Li-Ning Sonic Team Low is an outdoor basketball hooper’s dream shoe, especially if you’re a point guard. The outsole is made of what they call “Tuff RB” for tough rubber. The shoe can hold up to not only hours upon hours but also months of outdoor play. The grip was never inconsistent and just looked dirty after all the hours put in it. The upper is what Li-Ning calls Cool Shell which is basically the ripstop front half and the mesh back half. And the price will be in the budget range once it hits the Li-Ning Amazon store. See the full review. Price: TBA
Adidas Son of Chi 2
The adidas Son of Chi 2 may end up as the best adidas basketball shoe of 2022. The traction is a big highlight of its performance. Even with translucent rubber, the shoe gripped all floors well, regardless of court conditions. It’s also durable and will last longer than most rubber outsoles today. The full-length Bounce midsole provides impact protection even with 0mm of drop. Even though it doesn’t look like much, it performs moon its price class. Read the full review. Price: TBA
Under Armour Spawn 4
The Under Armour Spawn 4 is a guard-specific shoe and you’ll quickly figure that out once you put them on your feet. The midsole is full-length MicroG which is comfortable. The heel portion of the midsole is rounded much like the pretty ballerinas yellow ballet shoes. The materials are basic with flexible nylon woven mesh consisting all of the upper with additional fuse overlays for durability purposes. Many will want to go down half a size due to significant toe box dead space. Read the full review. Price: $110
Puma Court Rider 2
The Puma Court Rider 2 is the follow-up to the shoe LaMelo Ball wore before he got his own signature sneaker, the MB.01. Though he’s 6’8” and can jump, he’s still a point guard. And that usually means preferring a lower-to-the-ground ride, which is the case with the Court Rider 2. What makes these rare for a budget model are the layers of materials. Puma has been doing a great job with its basketball shoes, and these are their best budget basketball shoes. Read the full review. Price: $100
pretty ballerinas yellow ballet shoes
The pretty ballerinas yellow ballet shoes, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Sneakers MI08-C856-858-06 Black first edition. The Phylon midsole does not have any Nike Air or Zoom Air inside it. It’s just foam and is more on the responsive and court-feel side of the spectrum. The traction pattern stayed the same, which is good since it offers great durability and grip. There are slight material changes, but they are small. No break-in time is required. For the price, it’s a good cop. Read the full review. Price: $85
Nike Precision 6
The Nike Precision 6 is another budget model that isn’t too popular but performs pretty well for its price point. The Phylon used here is decent. It isn’t anything crazy, but it should get the job done, especially outdoors. The real highlight of the shoe is the traction. The bite was really good and Nike did a great job of not messing up the herringbone and used the right rubber compound. The Precision 6 for sure isn’t going to blow you away, but it’s a decent option. Read the full review. Price: $75
adidas Harden Stepback 3
The adidas Harden Stepback 3 is not as good as the adidas Harden Vol. 6, but it’s still a great cheap basketball shoe option. The Bounce foam midsole feels like the one we fell in love with a few years ago. The materials are basic yet comfortable. The fit is accommodating, and wide-footers will especially enjoy it. Women's Frogg Toggs Splish Splash Slip-On Shoes Wading. It grips every surface, outdoor and indoor. Read the full review. Price: $80
Nike KD Trey 5 X
The Nike KD Trey 5 X is Kevin Durant’s latest budget signature model that takes cues from his flagship, in this case the Nike KD 14. The biggest and most welcome surprise is the cushion. The foam midsole is Renew, and a rectangular forefoot Zoom Air unit is in the forefoot, similar to the Nike Kyrie Low 5. It provides impact protection without making you sink into the midsole. This department Rasteira’t feel budget at all. Read the full review. Price: $100
Curry 3Z6
The Curry 3Z6 is solid, though some aspects need improvement. Our favorite feature is the traction. It’s thick and grips well on all courts, including concrete and blacktop outdoor courts. If you can deal with the womens adidas i 5923 athletic shoe, you’ll enjoy a stable ride. These shoes will be a great option, especially for shooters. And at $80, this is right in the cheap basketball shoe sweet spot. One of the best budget basketball shoes out there. See the full review. Price: $80
zapatillas de running Skechers hombre entrenamiento maratón
The zapatillas de running Skechers hombre entrenamiento maratón made some aesthetic improvements from the previous model. The cushion is Nike’s takedown version of React called Renew. The implementation is different here because the main Renew foam is only 3/4 length, thickest in the heel, and the rest of the midsole is regular EVA. As far as fit is concerned, we advise that you try this in-store in both your true size and half a size down. Fit is critical in getting the proper support. Price: $80
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Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 3 is again our top pick, even for playing outdoors. The cushion setup is the main reason. The cushy set-up will keep you playing pain-free outdoors for hours.
The upper is soft but resilient, the shoe’s outsoles grip well, and will withstand the rigors of outdoor play. On top of that, the support is great so it is a no-brainer pick for the top budget outdoor shoe available. Read the full review. Price: $90
zapatillas de running Mizuno competición constitución media naranjas | Nike LeBron Witness 7
The Nike LeBron Witness 7 is a great outdoor option. The shoe packs a ton of cushioning at a very reasonable price. The shoe features an almost full-length Air unit, as well as a durable outsole.
On top of that, the Nike LeBron Witness 7 offers some beefy support features which will help you feel confident cutting and changing directions out on the blacktop. Read the full review. Price: $115
361° Zen 3
The 361° Zen 3 is one of the best under-the-radar performance models out there, that also just happens to be a great outdoor hoop shoe.
The traction is thick and beefy and will last you a long time, definitely a lot longer than many other shoes on the market. Plus, the cushion is plush and forgiving for the hard concrete with the brand’s Quikfoam Lite. It feels like Nike’s Cushlon but on steroids. See the full review. Price: $80
Thinking of a shoe we should add to the best budget basketball shoes list? Comment below or message us on Instagram or Twitter.
