5 Best Basketball Shoes For Jumping [September 2023]

When it comes to excelling as a basketball player, jumping truly is the key mechanic; few skills are as captivating, effective, and impactful as an explosive vertical jump.

Whether you’re aiming for jaw-dropping dunks or striving to out-rebound opponents, having the right basketball shoes can significantly elevate your skill in the air.

In this comprehensive review, we delve into the 5 top basketball shoes for jumping meticulously handpicked and tested by myself – a professional basketball player. and our expert team of researchers and professional players.

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Quick Answer: The best basketball shoes for jumping in 2023 are “Nike Zoom Freak 4.“

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We’ll examine the cushioning, support, traction, flexibility, and overall performance of each basketball shoe. By the end, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to make the most informed buying decision and soar to new heights on the court.

Best Basketball Shoes For Jumping – A Comparison Table

Image	Product	Features	Price
Top Choice	#1 Nike Zoom Freak 4	Size: 7.5—14 Ankle: Low-Profile Cushion: Dual-forefoot Zoom Air Unit	Check Price At Finish LineCheck Price At Amazon
Premium Choice	#2 Nike LeBron 20	Size: 7.5—16 Ankle: Low-Profile Cushion: Top-loaded forefoot Zoom bag	Check Price At Finish LineCheck Price At Amazon
Budget Choice	#3 Air Jordan One Take 4	Size: 7.5—14 Ankle: Low-Profile Cushion: Top-loaded Zoom Air unit	Check Price At Finish LineCheck Price At Amazon
	#4 Adidas D.O.N. Issue #4	Size: 7.5–14 Ankle: Low-Profile Cushion: Lightstrike	Check Price At Finish LineCheck Price At Amazon
	#5 UA Curry Hovr Splash 2	Size: 7—16 Ankle: Low-Profile Cushion: HOVR™ energy wrapping	Check Price At Under ArmourCheck Price At Amazon

How We Reviewed

To bring you the most in-depth, comprehensive reviews, our team of expert researchers and pro ball players play-tested each basketball shoe considered, weighing everything from positional needs to lateral security, from heel slippage and indoor vs. outdoor play to, most importantly, vertical jump capacity.

Below you’ll find the research approach we applied to our thorough, top 5 best basketball shoes for jumping review.

• We invested over 40 hours of research into the best products, which includes studying buyer feedback, transaction trends, customer service, and overall customer satisfaction.
• Locked in on the key features basketball players look for in basketball shoes for jumping
• 33 products were considered based on stability, weight, traction, support, durability, cushioning, price, and look, among other factors 
• I personally tested our top 5 picks, judging performance and court feel

The 5 Best Basketball Shoes For Jumping—In-Depth Product Reviews

I was super excited to take the Freak 4’s for a test drive after our team of researchers highlighted the dual forefoot Zoom Air units as the top-tier feature for cushioned jumps with a powerful release. After trying them out, the Freak 4’s did not disappoint.

Flying High & Explosive Power

The Freak 4’s sport dual Zoom Air units along the forefoot were designed and championed by Nike to quickly rebound with reactive compression to generate impact forces.

These pockets of pressurized air are found within the 4’s hollowed-out midsole, giving you the energy absorption and expansion you need to keep attacking, play hard, and fly high.

I really enjoyed the heel-to-toe transitioning in the 4’s as well, observing that the molded grooves running the length of the shoe’s outsole tread make for a smooth, consistent court feel that creates an even, balanced weight distribution as you cut.

This makes for supported, explosive power, especially when you weigh in the topographical grip pattern that redistributes traction effectively as you create scoring chances to spring past defenders.

Whether it’s in your ability to get up and jump and dunk with power or in driving the lane and running through defenders, the Freak 4’s are a more than suitable pair for today’s game, where explosivity is everything for the basketball player.

The Low-Profile

As a Giannis shoe, I was happily surprised by its uncharacteristic low profile. Unlike the Immortality 2 mid-tops, the Freak 4’s maintain a low cut that only enhances their feel.

This elevated feel also comes from the stripped weight of the shoe, thanks in part to the foam core cutouts running through the heel and toebox.

And with maximal court responsiveness comes exceptional lateral containment with reactive, dynamic play. The external, lightweight foam adds an extra layer of protection to your shoe’s outsole alongside the outrigger, giving you full confidence your shoe can run the length of the floor creatively without slips or missteps.

I have these shoes and I’ve been playing in them on indoor courts since almost a year. They are absurdly comfortable.

Speed & The Zoomies

In the forefoot, you’ll find a top-loaded Zoom bag, bringing you a more comfortable, dynamic ride on the court. What’s more, this insane energy return with a top-loaded design propels you forward, making second-chance points and grabbing rebounds that much easier.

Acting as an internal TPU heel counter that offers you ample impact-absorbing tech while giving you a firm, stable hold, you’ll find the second batch of Zoom Air Units along the heel.

I concluded that the Nike Lebron 20s gave me a greater sense of stopping power, especially when changing routes laterally, penetrating, and Euro-stepping my way to the rim.

This hold comes from a 13mm thick underfoot, where you’ll get the stable base you need to outperform at both ends and at any position.

Offering a patterned rubber outsole that keeps a tacky, grippy hold that works best with indoor court conditions, these multi-directional thin grooves perform aggressively.

I loved accelerating and decelerating at top speed in the Nike Lebron 20s, knowing full well I could stop on a dime and baffle defenders.

All In The Details

The 20’s carbon fiber midfoot shank plate provides even more explosive energy return alongside the Zoom Air bags, providing the essential “counterweight” necessary for steady heel-to-toe transitioning and in the prevention of overfolding.

The redistribution of pressure takes the trauma of force after a jump off your feet and joints and, rather, spreads it throughout the body.

Meanwhile, the airy, mesh overlay design of the Nike Lebron 20’s keeps your foot dry and comfortable while preventing the dreaded interior slippage that could affect your foot’s biomechanics and your ability to perform safely.

Inspired by Russell Westbrook, the One Take 4’s by the ever-innovative Jordan brand spearheaded by Michael Jordan, are a durable, supportive, and bouncy ride.

And as you can see from my pics, the shoes look awesome.

Stability & Security

Starting off with the outsole, the Air Jordan One Take’s high outsole tread pattern with wrapping support gives you additional stability when it comes to looking for an opening and accelerating along a lateral plane.

Add in the herringbone traction pattern, and you get a widely grippy bite that tacks itself to any play surface.

As with the Zoom Freak 4s and the Lebron 20s, the One Takes feature revolutionary Zoom Air technology that helps to sustain and redistribute impact as you jump and land, allowing you to play in comfort while setting the pace and the tone.

Factor in the midfoot shank plate that runs the entire length of the shoe, and the Air Jordan One Takes offer exceptionally stable play.

Keep Having Fun, Bro

The One Takes make your competitive, high-arching vertical jumps repeatable, supported, and, like the man himself said, fun. Budget ballers will have a lot of fun in these because they take all the great things about Nike performance basketball sneakers and boil them down to a competitive, low price.

This is the lightest basketball shoe making our top picks list, at only 310 grams, making the high-speed thrills higher and dominating the glass easier than ever.

You’ll really be showing out and showing off in the One Takes, as shoe weight can impact your on-court conversion rate and overall performance by up to 2.1%.

In a game of inches where every step and every possession matters, 2.1% over the course of a game can make the difference between an L and a W in the win column.

And these basketball shoes are sure to keep the intensity up and going for tons of games to come, with a durable mix of synthetic leathers, ripstop, and ventilated mesh woven into construction. Quality construction, as my personal experience with them showed.

If you’re looking for more shoes on a budget, check out these under 50 bucks, under $150, and these below $200.

Among The Best Shoes For Point Guards

If you’re at the 1 and command the floor space, the 4s are the perfect jumping shoes for you. You’ll be able to maintain optimal control when jumping thanks to the LIGHTLOCK and Lightstrike coverage pioneered by Adidas and born out of the Brooklyn Creator Farm in 2019.

My tests concluded that the Issue #4s LIGHTLOCK tech brings you a lockdown, secure fit that doesn’t make the shoe feel too rigid.

I noticed that my landings were crisp, while the shoe gave me the added flex and comfort you wouldn’t find in other, lockdown-fitting basketball shoes. The wider base is perfect for landing safely while elevating your stability when attacking the rim.

And where the Lightstrike tech comes in is in getting you as close to Spida-inspired play without moving to Clevland and starting for the Cavs. These are incredibly reactive, agile shoes designed with an ultralight midsole; when you factor in the low-profile, you’re looking at an inspired performance full of speed, high jumps, and power.

Support

The additional heel counter and underfoot support of the 4s take the pressure off the balls of your feet, meaning your Lightstrike shoes for jumping will get your vert up and moving without the pain and discomfort.

The 4s also feature a full-length shank plate that successfully redistributes the stress of impact through your inner foot’s mechanics.

Meanwhile, the 4’s multidirectional, pixelated traction pattern has a bite that’s harder than a step-back jumper; you’ll be moving with confidence, knowing your shoes are up for any challenge and any defender.

The 4s have raised traction heads that offer real-time traction adjustments while you play, making coast-to-coast ball a smooth ride.

Moreover, these types of patterns are perfect for outdoor courts, as we discovered in our review of the best outdoor basketball shoes. You can read it here.

One of my team players in Potenza often plays in these shoes and praises them for their comfort and cushioning. So I was eager to test them myself.

H to the Izzo

And I’m not talking about the King of New York. Where HOV is concerned here is in Splash’s trademark HOVR technology, offering you remarkable stability in your jump biomechanics, even on outdoor courts.

HOVR wraps the shoe in an energy web that’s designed to bring you as close to zero gravity as possible.

While retaining much of the court feel and responsiveness found in today’s best basketball shoe debate, the Splash 2 heat-welded HOVR materials energy-harnessed design provide excellent impact reduction while giving you an elastic-like energy return along the molded-textile heel. That’s why they’re awesome for plantar fasciitis.

Once you factor in the wave-bone-inspired traction pattern, you get a ride that’s cushioned without sacrificing much of the mobility and flex you’ll need to perform as a 1 or 2 like the Chef. And Curry’s vertical jump will surprise you.

Comfort That Lasts

My research observations noted that the Splash 2s are one of the more comfortable shoes I tested among the 30+ pairs I saw.

This is, in part, thanks to a plush foam sock liner that strikes the perfect balance between cushioned, supportive comfort and light, springy mechanics.

The sock liner conforms to your foot over time, offering increased underfoot comfort while not being constrictive or too tight. It’ll feel like it’s tailored to you, almost like your own signature shoe.

For the upper material, the Splash 2s are comprised of breathable mesh and EVA thread that refreshingly cools the feet as you play. Add in the abrasion-resistant design with 3D-printed decals, and you’re getting a flashy basketball shoe that’s ready to hit the court and perform, game after game. And they require little to no break-in time.

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Features To Look For Before You Buy Shoes For Jumping

Everyone’s foot is different, so be sure to have a list of priorities you value before hitting the ‘Buy Now’ button.

Here are the main features that the best basketball shoes for jumping have.

Cushion (important for landing)

When you jump, your body exerts a significant amount of force onto your feet and lower limbs upon landing. Without proper cushioning, this impact can place excessive strain on your joints, muscles, and bones, potentially leading to discomfort, fatigue, and even injury over time.

For the best basketball shoes for jumping, each brand offers state-of-the-art cushioning that’s meant to not only protect you but elevate your vertical jump to give you that extra boost to the rim.

Here’s a table comapring the cushion technologies of the most popular basketball shoe brands.

Brand	Cushion technology	Features
Nike	Zoom AirBag	-Exceptional responsiveness that quickly compresses and returns back to shape -Maximized impact absorption -Top-tier comfort -Expensive engineering (i.e. a more expensive shoe)
Adidas	LIGHTLOCK and Lightstrike	-Secure LIGHTLOCK fit and feel without being too rigid -Explosive support with Lightstrike force absorption -Adiprene construction provides a nice blend of softness with resilience -Limitations in its impact distribution
UA	HOVR	-Elastic-like return through the molded heel design -Lightweight materials focus on mobility and flex without compromising on comfort -Low-to-the-ground cushioning that offers a more stable, secure base -Slightly above average cushioning

Traction

A good traction pattern ensures secure foot-to-court contact, allowing for powerful push-offs, precise landings and minimizing the risk of slipping, enabling you to generate maximum force and height in your jumps.

Think about how your traction pattern interacts with the type and quality of your playing surface. In our play-testing, we noted that basketball shoes like the Lebron 20s don’t interact well with an outdoor surface, as the tacky rubber outsole sticks and collects dust and/or dirt.

The 20s are best on clean, indoor courts to really make use of their unique traction pattern. And they are great for players with shin splints.

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Further Read: Check out my extensive review of the Jump Manual vertical jump program.

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Support

With the list of our top picks being low-top heavy contenders, it was important for us to consider just how much ankle support we’d be working with on the floor.

Ankle injuries are the most commonly injured joint you’ll see in NBA players; how do players rocking low-tops protect themselves?

For basketball shoes like picks 1-4, the presence of a midfoot shank plate or carbon fiber plates running the full length of the shoe, seen in the Lebron 20s and the D.O.Ns, act as a firm support structure.

A shank plate limits the range of motion and providing resistance against lateral forces. This helps to stabilize the foot and offer ankle support, reducing the risk of sprains or other ankle injuries during jumping, cutting, and other dynamic movements on the basketball court.

What’s more, basketball shoes like our top pick, the Freak 4s, have a wider base with outrigger that increase the shoe’s overall footprint, spreading weight and force more evenly across the shoe, optimizing ankle support by harnessing and releasing energy.

Based on experience, some of the worst shoes for support are Vans.

Weight 

The weight of your basketball shoes can impact your jump by affecting your explosiveness and agility, with lighter shoes often allowing for quicker, more powerful jumps.

The best shoes for jumping allow your vertical jump to reach higher by not weighing you down with an excess of cushioning through thicker, heavier materials.

Shoes like the One Take 4s, weighing all of 310 grams, make translate to your jumping ability by allowing you to fight fatigue and inconsistencies by keeping your shoes light, breathable, and with an advanced, low-to-the-ground court feel.

Flexibility

The best basketball shoes enable optimal range of motion through flexibility, giving you a more efficient and fluid jumping motion while reducing the risk of strain or discomfort.

The UA Splash 2’s have a flexible ride that allows for natural foot movements and proper biomechanics to operate during takeoff and landing.

How To Jump Higher: Explained By A Pro Player

There’s no evidence that basketball makes you taller. However, here are some tips and tricks I’ve leaned on over the years to increase my vertical jump:

1. Jumping Rope—Incorporate skipping exercises into your training routine, such as high knees and single-leg skipping to improve coordination, leg power, and quickness.
2. Strengthen Your Lower Body—Focus on exercises that target your leg muscles and plyometric exercises like box jumps and jump squats. Building strength in your lower body will provide a solid foundation for generating power in your jumps.
3. Improve Core Strength—A strong core helps stabilize your body during jumps. Include exercises like planks, Russian twists, and medicine ball throws to strengthen your core muscles; you’ll be able to jump as high as ever, knowing you can make it back to the ground safely.
4. Sign Up For A Vertical Enhancement Camp/Training Program—Check out our in-depth case study of the Elite Vertical Academy for customized jumping exercises.

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