The 15 Best Low Top Basketball Shoes For Men

Alright listen, we know these aren’t the exact model you’re going to take to the court. Regardless, the Jordan 1 lows hold a special place in the heart of a lot of nostalgic sneaker heads. And although the ‘Reverse Bred’ color-way certainly isn’t as iconic as the original Bred, the exponentially smaller price tag makes them a great alternative. Jordan 1 Lows are immensely comfortable; these are a great travel shoe and make a good fit for any sort of extended wear.

The Lebron 17 can absolutely be taken to the court. I think this is a deeply slept on color-way. The rich black punctuated with vibrant reds makes them a great low-key court shoe. The low tops won’t provide as much support as the full sized counterpart, but they’ve still got a full Max Air unit and React foam tech. This iteration of the Lebron 17 Low would be a great choice for a backup pair of basketball shoes, and could even be worked into some casual outfits off the court.

Now this is a performance shoe. Don’t be fooled by the minimalist aesthetic; between the Lunarlon and the icy rubber outsole, these sneakers provide lightweight cushioning and great grip on a hardwood court. They’re also just so fresh. The white paired with the icy rubber outsole gives these a minimalist flair like no other.

These are somehow simultaneously sick and so goofy. The little Sandy Cheeks details—the pink flower and the acorn embossed on the heel—give them a little extra spice. The overall color-way invokes Sandy’s trademark space suit, while the Zoom Air midsole and rubber outsole make this a great pair of performance sneakers as well. These kicks were released in 2019 as part of Nike’s collab with Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants—a five-piece collection dedicated to the cartoon full of absolute bangers.

Although these may not be as recognizable as some of the other silhouettes on this list, they still make a great addition to a well-rounded collection of low top basketball shoes. These are a great entry-level basketball sneaker, and their relatively low price point makes them a good accessible option if you just need something low-commitment to take to the court.

These kicks released in 2019 as one of four colorways in the Undefeated / Nike collab. It’s a Lakers-inspired color-way, honoring Kobe’s 20-year tenure on the team as well as Kuzma’s past few years on the now-champion Lakers team. Each heel features one of Kobe’s numbers (8 and 24), and there’s a subtle “Undefeated” printed below on the heel. These kicks are a great option for diehard Lakers fans or anyone who enjoys a good Kobe 4, as it’s still one of the best low-top silhouettes around.

These are so fresh. Launched this year as part of a special commemorative collection honoring the memory of Kobe Bryant, these Kobe 5s are such an amazing homage to the late and great Black Mamba. The color-way takes cues from the design of the championship jackets donned by Kobe after his second and third championships, featuring glossy patent leather purple contrasted against pops of gold. All of that paired with the icy outsole makes this an undeniably clean pair of kicks.

These are an absolute classic. This was the inaugural color-way of the Kobe 6 back in 2010; the all black upper features a slew of polyurethane ‘islands’, which give the shoe a texture resembling snakeskin. From a performance perspective, the Phylon-injected midsole includes a Zoom Air unit in both the heel and forefoot for added cushioning. It’s hard to come by a new pair of these, but there are definitely used pairs floating around in reasonable price ranges.

As with a lot of the Black Mamba’s signature shoes, this iteration of the 8 features a snake-inspired pattern in a crisp, vibrant yellow. These kicks are super lightweight; from the Engineered Mesh upper to the web rubber outsole, these were designed to reduce weight without decreasing traction and support. These sneakers dropped in 2012, and so finding a brand new pair is a bit of a journey (or just a financial burden), but there are plenty of used pairs around.

The ‘Beethoven’ is honestly one of the most timeless and aesthetically pleasing basketball shoes of all time. The kicks are entirely made up of black and white, utilizing a Flyknit upper. This iteration of the Kobe 9 Low was inspired by Beethoven himself; the color-way was meant to invoke an idea of timelessness. These have been a pretty hot ticket since their release in 2014, but you can find used and new pairs available at GOAT.

Another entry on this list for the lovers of minimalist color-ways, this iteration of the Lebron 15 Low makes great use of Nike’s tech to form a beautiful, performance-oriented low top basketball shoe. These released back in 2018, and feature a BattleKnit upper atop an Oreo midsole, which exposes a clear Air Max unit, and an icy translucent outsole. The BattleKnit tech gives these a structure unlike some of the other low-tops on the list, giving them an additional boost of support.

Low top iterations of classic Jordans may ruffle a few feathers among vintage sneaker purists, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a great, more affordable low-top option to add to your rotation. These Lows are visually very similar to the classic Jordan 5s in the ‘Fire Red’ color-way, but just more compact. Their smaller size makes them more casual and much easier to take on and off. These aren’t necessarily the most technologically advanced kicks to take to the court, but they’re an amazing option for daily wear, and I’m sure the right player could still flex them on the wax.

These are so fresh, and at their relatively low price point, they’re a great option for anyone wanting to dip their toes in the water of basketball sneakers. Similarly to the above 5 Lows, these aren’t exactly a classic sneaker, but they function as a wonderfully comfortable play on one of the most iconic sneakers of all time, the Jordan 6 ‘Infrared.’

These were released in 2015, back when the Slim Reaper was still playing for the OKC Thunder. The color-way is modeled after KD’s alternate jersey from the season. The upper is constructed of Flyweave and the sneaker sits atop a full-length Zoom Air unit. The vibrant blue lagoon gives these a striking aesthetic, while KD’s signature logo on the tongue pulls the whole thing together.

When Under Armour got the Steph Curry contract, it was huge news for the sneaker world. The Curry 1, which released in 2015, features signature Golden State Warriors colors gracing an Anafoam upper. The sneakers feature a lot of UA’s signature tech, including a black Charged midsole and TPU shank around the midfoot, which gives a boost of stability. Although Under Armour isn’t necessarily the same caliber of sportswear juggernaut as Nike or Adidas, in Curry, they’ve got an iconic pair of kicks for an iconic player.