The 5 Most Worn Sneakers On The Floor During The 2021 Regular Season
It's that time of the year again when we find out who are the NBA's top-selling sneakers for this season. And, if it is a little too early to get these statistics for this season, it is still possible to make a pre-ranking of the 10 most worn pairs on the NBA floors during the 2021-2022 regular season. In order to establish this ranking, we re-examined in detail the shoes worn by each player in the NBA.
#1 Nike Kobe 5 Protro
Originally released in 2010, the Kobe V was one of the best basketball shoes of the entire decade. The Kobe series was always known for its outstanding performance and comfort and the Kobe V is a great example of that.
The Kobe V Protro brings back the original version to life with a bunch of new upgrades. The traction pattern has been changed—the pattern is tighter spaced which provides more contact points and more consistent traction on clean courts. Nike also replaced the Zoom cushioning of the original Kobe V with Zoom Turbo known from Kyrie's shoes, which is responsive in the forefoot and super soft and comfortable in the heel.
The support is still as excellent as it was 10 years ago. Overall, the Kobe V Protro truly is an improved version of one of the most popular shoes in the Kobe signature line.
#2 Nike Kobe 6 Protro (Grinch)
The sneaker takes inspiration from the 2000 comedy The Grinch, which was based on the classic Dr. Seuss novel How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Kobe 6 Protro Grinch features an apple green upper with a reptilian look, in reference to the Mamba snake. A rear patent leather reinforcement adds relief to the silhouette. Several shades of yellow on the heel and laces offer a touch of dynamism.
The Nike Kobe 6 Protro is a great performer, with well-balanced responsiveness, bounciness, and impact protection.
The traction on the Kobe 6 Protro is amazing. It performed very well on indoor courts and needed very little wiping. On outdoor courts, it only needed minimal wiping.
The cushion is phenomenal with reviewers mentioning that the Zoom Turbo unit in the forefoot is a welcome upgrade. They also mention that the Cushlon foam is an improvement from what was used in the Protro 5.
Like many other Kobe models, the fit on the Kobe 6 leans toward the snug side. They can also feel narrow for those with wider feet.
#3 Nike PG 5
It's the traction of the PG 5 that makes it such a fan favorite, and that's no surprise given how much of an improvement it is over the PG 4. This traction pattern is similar to the Kobe 9 and provides top-tier traction indoors.
The cushion tech of the PG 5 is similar to last year but feels pretty different. The PG 5 isn't as plush but provides a better court feel and more responsiveness.
The materials are similar to what you've come to expect from Nike—they may not look like much at first glance, but they feel fantastic on foot.
The fit is pretty standard for the PG line: a little narrow and snug, so if you're in between sizes or have wide feet, we recommend going up a half size or full size.
The support is excellent thanks to a wide base and large outrigger—reviewers had no problems running around in these shoes without worrying about their ankles rolling over.
#4 Nike KD 14
The Nike KD14 takes the best parts of the KD13 and improves them, making it a great overall performer.
Most reviewers agreed that the traction took a little bit to break-in, but they all agreed that it provided plenty of grip on clean courts and didn't have much trouble with dusty courts either.
The KD14 is a solid performer that offers a comfortable fit and great cushioning.
The Nike Zoom Strobel and Cushlon midsole provide excellent impact protection, a responsive ride, and were described by one reviewer as the softest of any KD model.
The materials are a bit cheap to the touch but they are still comfortable on foot and combined with the wide base and plastic reinforcement on the sides they provide plenty of lockdown and support.
The fit is less narrow than previous KD's and should work for most players unless you have super wide feet.
Overall, reviewers agree that the KD14 is a slight improvement over the KD13 and a great overall performer that is worth every penny.
#5 Air Jordan 36
The Air Jordan 36 is the latest signature shoe to come out of Nike's Jordan brand, and it continues the recent trend from Jordan brand—picking up right where the last two models left off.
Starting with the outsole, the traction is phenomenal on both clean and dusty courts. The cushioning is also pretty great, but we think that the protruding Air unit on the outsole is unnecessary.
The Air Jordan 36 is a performance basketball shoe with a lightweight design, durable materials, and solid support.
For a snug fit and an incredibly lightweight feel, the upper is slimmer than ever and the outsole wraps upward towards the midsole. This makes for a surprisingly strong upper and overall solid support system. However, if you prefer something with a little more room in the toe box, be sure to size up.
Overall, these are yet another high-quality performance basketball shoe, so if you're looking for your next pair of Jordans these are definitely worth checking out!
