All the major sportswear brands have begun to unveil their latest basketball sneakers in time for the upcoming NBA season which returns on October 24. Here’s a guide to some of the best basketball sneakers you will see on court during the NBA 2023-24 season. 

Each year, the major players in the sneaker game release their best basketball shoes in the lead-up to the start of the NBA, and its no different for the 2023-24 season. They combine new designs with the latest technologies each brand has to offer. Brands like Nike and Adidas have been at the forefront for decades while the progress made by new entrants like New Balance has shown they aren’t messing around. Their innovative designs incorporate cutting-edge technologies like responsive cushioning systems, lightweight materials, and breathable uppers, which can take your game to the next level.

But it’s not all performance, how a sneaker’s design is received on social media is just as important. A newly launched sneaker needs to look good in hand and on-court to win over the court of public opinion. These shoes emphasize both aesthetics and functionality, allowing you to not only enhance your performance but also showcase an unmatched look on the basketball court.

Here is our list of the best basketball shoes you need to keep an eye out for in the upcoming 2023-24 NBA season.

Nike Ja 1

Flight Club

Product: Nike Ja 1‘Day One’
Price: S$251 (US 9)
Buy here: Flight Club

The debut signature shoe for Temetrius Jamel “Ja” Morant, the Nike Ja 1 combines a breathable mesh base with fuse material and leather overlays, offering a balance of breathability and durability. It proudly features his official logo, “JA” above a chevron, on the tongue label, symbolizing his attributes of verticality, speed, and sharpness. Additionally, the shoe incorporates Morant’s personal motto, “Beneath No One,” and his daughter’s name, “Kaari,” is elegantly displayed on the side of the Ja 1.

Nike Air Zoom GT Cut 2

Flight Club

Product: Nike Air Zoom GT Cut 2 TB ‘Wolf Grey’
Price: S$267 (US 9)
Buy here: Flight Club

The Nike Air Zoom GT Cut 2 is a game-changer for athletes and casual players alike, sporting a design meant to optimize speed and agility. It features a low-profile design for swift directional changes and combines a React drop-in heel with a full-length Air Zoom Strobel and a Zoom Air unit in the heel for exceptional responsiveness on court. 

New Balance Two WXY V3

Flight Club

Product: New Balance Two WXY V3 ‘White Black Grey’
Price: S$206 (US 9)
Buy here: Flight Club

After recent trades, successful stints in the Midwest, and injury comebacks, Dejounte Murray, Zach Lavine, Jamal Murray, Darius Bazely, and Aaron Nesmith are all on a mission to prove themselves this season – they’ll be doing so in the New Balance Two WXY V3. This latest installment in the Two Wxy series maintains the brand’s popular Fuelcell cushioning technology and introduces added ABZORB foam in the heel for enhanced energy return with every step. 

Jordan Luka 

Flight Club

Product: Jordan Luka 2 ‘Quai 54’
Price: S$258 (US 9)
Buy here: Flight Club

During the 2022-23 NBA season, Luka Dončić introduced his second signature sneaker. Named the Jordan Luka 2, the shoe is set for a full release cycle and has already made appearances in special colorways like the bold rendition created for the Quai 54 basketball tournament. The Luka 2 is known to be a little “bouncier” underfoot as compared to its predecessor, even though they use a similar setup that houses a full-length slab of Jordan’s Formula 23 Foam within a Cushlon 3.0 midsole carrier. The Luka 2 also has a  spring plate in the forefoot that wraps around the midsole which improves torsional support and lateral containment.

Nike Lebron 21

Flight Club

Product: Nike LeBron 21 ‘Violet Dust’
Price: S$266 (US 9)
Buy here: Flight Club

Lebron James follows up a history season as the league’s top scorer with the announcement of the brand new Lebron 21. The new sneaker builds on the design of the Lebron 20 and continues as a low top, Kobe-like design. It will now arrive in lightweight materials with the upper’s venting striated to look like the veining of a shell. It is coupled with a lightweight mono-mesh reinforced by 360 degrees of zonal cables for added support. The midsole is comprised of Zoom Turbo unit in the forefoot and a bottom-loaded Zoom unit paired with a full-length Cushlon 2.0 foam carrier for a pillowy feel and a TPU midfoot shank to provide stability. 

Nike Sabrina 1

Flight Club

Product: Nike Sabrina 1 “Spark”
Price: S$211 (US 9)
Buy here: Flight Club

Designed for Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty, this Nike Sabrina 1 follows Nike Basketball’s recent trend of low-top designs. The shoe features a blend of mesh and textile materials, making it Sabrina’s first signature model. She wore it while setting an NBA and WNBA record in the 3-point contest last month. With Nike React and Zoom Air cushioning working together, it provides both comfort and responsiveness. Sabrina’s logo appears on the tongue and sockliner, solidifying her status as one of Nike’s signature athletes.

Nike Zoom Freak 5

Flight Club

Product: Nike Zoom Freak 5 “Oreo”
Price: S$289 (US 9)
Buy here: Flight Club

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s fifth signature, the Zoom Freak 5 recently emerged in a minimalist “Black” and “White” color scheme, in line with the brand’s Team Bank collection. Unlike prior Zoom Freak models with exposed Zoom pods, the Zoom Freak 5 has a firm phylon midsole with an encapsulated Zoom Air unit in the forefoot. This setup offers a low-profile, reactive footbed with enough compression and impact protection. The uppers are usually comprised of a mix of textiles and synthetic leather to give rigidity and flexibility where required.

Harden Vol. 7

Flight Club

Product: Harden Vol. 7 ‘Stormtrooper’
Price: S$322 (US 9)
Buy here: Flight Club

Fresh off hiring his first full-time agent since 2017, James Harden is quietly having one of his most efficient seasons in the League, averaging 10.8 assists per game for the Sixers. He’s been seen in various color schemes of his seventh signature sneaker, the adidas Harden Vol. 7. The sneaker’s midsole is comprised of adidas’ Lightstrike foam and adidas’ Boost in the heel – a combination that offers the perfect balance of stability and impact protection. Offering added stability and responsiveness is a full-length, bottom-loaded shank plate.

Nike Book 1

Flight Club

Product: Nike Book 1 ‘Chapter One’
Price: Approx S$204 (USD$150)
Buy here: Flight Club

Over the Labor Day Weekend, Devin Booker teased his upcoming signature shoe on Instagram through carefully timed videos. Called the Nike Book 1 ‘Chapter One’, the sneaker reflects Booker’s classic style, drawing inspiration from past Nike Basketball models. The end result is a sneaker that looks amazing off-court but with the technology to keep up on the NBA court. It sports a Cushlon 2.0 foam midsole, a rigid TPU sidewall for enhanced support, and a top-loaded Nike Zoom Air bag situated in the heel.

Make it rain with your own basketball game with our selection of the best basketball shoes from the NBA 2023-24 season from Flight Club and GOAT.