Streetwear or fashion now is determined by a lot of different factors but one major contributor is what you are wearing on your feet, shoes. Everyone knows popular shoe brands like Nike, Jordan brand, and Adidas but not a lot of people know that these companies started making their most popular shoes today all the way back in the eighties for one purpose: basketball. Some popular models worn casually today like the Jordan 1, Air Force 1, Nike Dunk, and Adidas Forum were all created for basketball back in the day but looking at the shoe today it’s hard to tell.

Shoe technology for performance has increased so much in just these 40 short years. Back in the 80’s Nike and Jordan brand started placing air bubbles in the sole of a shoe to help it be more comfortable for the players and this strategy is still being used today even in shoes outside of sports. One example of a shoe that has this technology is the Air Max 90 which is a shoe made by Nike for lifestyle purposes, but technology advancements far exceed those made in the 80’s. Now, shoes are so advanced that they can lace themselves with the push of a button. One shoe that does this is the Nike Adapt BB which is a shoe once again designed for basketball so it is still quite functional on the court but it also lights up and can lace itself.

Everyone loves to represent their favorite athlete in any way they can and what better way to represent them then to wear their signature sneaker. In the present day many athletes have sneaker deals with big companies like Nike, Jordan, and Adidas. One such example is the Utah Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell, who has put out a few different signature models with Adidas. It is not uncommon to see kids wearing his sneakers both on and off the court because of their support for Donovan or just the brand Adidas itself. It’s these kinds of loyal supporters that have made basketball shoes such a big influencer in fashion today. So, whether you’re representing a brand, supporting a player, or paying homage to a legend that once played, basketball has had a lasting impact on sneaker culture. 

 “Basketball culture has influenced sneaker culture because with the Jordan brand they have released many different models up until the Jordan 36 and each Jordan model has been specified for a different playing style or specialized for comfort and to help your playing on the court,” senior, Isaac Teeples said.

What Isaac is talking about is the effectiveness of each shoe and what it’s designed for. One such model he mentions is the Jordan 36 which is Jordan Brand’s most recent release and its designed to heighten a players performance with a sleek model with good grip meant for the ultimate performance.

“The Air Force 1 was originally made for basketball sneakers but is now being used as a lifestyle sneaker,” senior, Will Swain said.

He speaks on one of the first basketball sneakers produced by Nike. This is just another example of how a basketball sneaker from the 80’s evolved into one of the most popular shoes worn in today’s social settings.