Are Nike Air Forces 1 Good For Basketball?
Shoes are one of the major components of what makes a good basketball player. So, if you have some top-rated basketball shoes, you’re already halfway through success. But there weren’t many options available in the past so people used to practice in pure sneakers and play in special shoes.
During those days, there weren’t many special basketball shoes so Nike made a big move like Adidas and introduced the Nike Air Force 1 shoe. But Are Nike Air Forces 1 Good For Basketball? Yes, they are.
Let me tell you some important information about Nike Air Force 1s.
Are Nike Air Forces 1 Good For Basketball?
Yes, Nike air force 1s are very good basketball shoes these were some dedicated shoes for basketball back in the day. This was the time when not many brands used to make shoes, particularly for basketball. They have a thick midsole to give you extra comfort, and shock-absorbing functionality during the jumping and landing.
But don’t ever think that if the midsole is thick the shoes will be heavier, they’re very lightweight. Nike has kept them lightweight on purpose so you don’t feel heavy or pressure on your legs during jumping. The Nike Air technology was specifically made to give players ease of movement.
History of Nike Air Force 1
It started in 1982 when Nike found a new way of lightening the basketball shoes and this genius idea was by one of their engineering designers. So, they just took out all the extra foam from the midsole of the shoes and made an air pocket in that place. This air pocket lessened the total weight of the shoes and remember the lighter the shoes the better the performance.
When NBA found out about these shoes they allowed their players to wear them on the court. And finally, the performance results started to come out like all the players were happy about these shoes. They used to perform better in these shoes because them being very lightweight and easy shoes to jump with.
Nike Af1s And Their Trend In The Current World
Well, AF1s were a pretty amazing invention and they have been on the market for decades. But if it was for any other shoes, they would have gone by now but these shoes did not. Even though some big players like Lebron or Curry don’t wear them these days these are still very important in high school life.
We’ve seen many high school players wearing them during their matches and normally. They still love these shoes but it didn’t just stop there.
These Nike AF1s started a new trend of making air pockets inside the midsole so they become lighter and lighter. So, almost every other manufacturer started making bigger and bigger air pockets and this trend took off too fast.
Now if we talk about their out-of-the-court usage, then you can pair them with anything. And by anything, we mean anything like jeans, tear jeans, t-shirts, casual shorts, and whatnot. Would believe it if we said that we’ve seen people wearing these shoes with a suit at the wedding? Yes, we have, and that proves that their white-on-white color scheme makes them prominent everywhere and you become even more stylish.
Are Nike Air Force 1s for me?
Yes, these shoes are for you. We can say this because no matter if you want to wear them on the court or at a party. You can wear them wherever and however you want and still use them casually as well.
This is because dedicated basketball shoes are very expensive compared to normal fleets. Therefore, nobody wants such shoes just to wear in the court especially when they can’t afford them.
Air Force 1s are for everyone who doesn’t want to wear them just in the court but at a party with their jeans. You can buy and enjoy the dual benefits of these shoes rather than getting sneakers just for fashion or basketball shoes just for the court.
Pros and Cons of Airforce 1s
All things aside, every kind of shoe has different benefits and disadvantages. So, here are some pros and cons of the Nike Airforce 1s that you need to know before you make any solid decision.
Traction
These shoes have pretty good traction underneath like the deep treads under the sole and the solid construction. When you play a few small sessions in an outdoor court, their sole becomes rough and then they feel a lot more comfortable as they’ve got more traction.
There is a rubber sole construction option as well but those are very heavy and you cannot expect to help you in jumping from them. Also, they easily pick up dirt and dust from the floor, especially if it is an outdoor court.
Pros
- Deep treads
- Added traction
- Rubber sole
- Durable
- Dual pivot point
Cons
- All these features make them a little bit bulky
Comfort
The level of comfort that your Nike Air Force 1s will provide is amazing and you can only relate to this phrase if you were born before 1982. In those days, the invention of these small air pockets inside the shoe sole was amazingly useful.
Since we’re talking about comfort, all the shoes in those days used to be made with pure leather. It was to provide comfort and another benefit of using leather was that it molds itself according to your feet shape. It becomes like another skin for your feet although they seem a little rough or unstylish after they’re reshaped. But you will feel a lot of comfort in them.
Pros
- Strong
- Durable
- Pure leather material
- Small air pockets inside the sole
- Perform well even in the outdoor court
Cons
- Not enough impact protection
Ankle Support
Ankle support is one of the best features of the Airforce 1s because it prevents your feet from getting seriously injured. Those with heavy weight or weaker ankles need to buy these shoes because it’s something wouldn’t want to miss out on.
These high-top shoes from Nike are the best example of complete support having midsole air pockets and a high-top ankle support design. They come in multiple different colors and you can choose them according to your preferences.
Pros
- Additional Velcro straps for support
- High-top design to lock your ankle in the upright position
- Mid-top also available for added maneuverability
Cons
- A little less flexible than mid-tops.
Which NBA big players have worn these shoes?
Some of the famous players have worn these shoes fondly in their matches and they didn’t even realize how big of a statement it will become. They just tried them out and found them comfortable and beneficial during the matches, therefore, they started wearing them.
But after that, these shoes became a phenomenon in the industry and a non-existent term took birth that is “Players exclusive.”
Here are the names of the players who wore these shoes in their big matches in the NBA.
- Moses Malone
- Mychal Thompson
- Jamal Wilkes
- Calvin Natt
- Bobby Jones
- Michael Cooper
- Rasheed Wallace
- Jerry Stackhouse
Read More:
Can You Play Basketball In Af1?
Of course yes, you can play basketball in the AF1s. These shoes are specially designed for delivering the best performance during your layups and hoops. You can wear them in your professional national-level matches as well as your street matches.
Is Nike Air Force A Basketball Shoe?
Yes, the Nike Air Force 1 is a basketball shoe that can also be worn as a fashion statement. You can pair them with literally anything but their features are mostly circled the basketball performance.
Can Air Forces Be Used For Sports?
Yes, you can use the Air Forces as your sports shoes because they have all the features that you may need in your games. You can use them while lifting heavy weights, running, basketball, or literally in any sport and they will make you feel comfortable in everything.
Is Air Force 1 Low For Basketball?
No, they aren’t, you can play basketball in your Air Force 1s. As we have already told you in the article above that airforce 1s were specially designed for playing basketball in 1982. But you can also wear them to parties and they will rock the same.
What Shoes Do Most NBA Players Wear?
In basketball, there is a huge chunk of the 66% of minutes played in an NBA match given to Nike because most players wear Nike till now. The second number is for Adidas having 11% of the total minutes played in the match followed by Jordan and Puma afterward.
Conclusion
Nike Air Force 1s have been and still are the best basketball shoes that can be worn for a dual purpose like fashion and playing. One can wear them at parties and still use them on the basketball court. They have most of their features as basketball shoes as they were originally designed for this game.
But you can look at them and can’t judge based on their looks that they didn’t mean to enhance the fashion industry as well. So, Are Nike Air Forces 1 Good For Basketball? Yes, they are very good for basketball the fact that they are specially designed for this purpose.
