The cushioning setup of basketball sneakers can differ wildly. There are shoes like the Kyrie 3 that make you feel like walking on a slab of concrete while others (Lebron 15) provide cushion that feels like a soft pillow.
Not everybody needs soft and comfortably-cushioned basketball shoes, but there are a lot of reasons why basketball shoes with a lot of impact protection might make sense for you:
- You are a big and heavy guy
Large players put a lot more stress on their joints and profit the most from well-cushioned shoes - You experience a lot of knee pain
If your knees are hurting after every game you should look for more impact protection! - You play a lot
If you are absolutely crazy about basketball and play hours every day it might make sense to get a second pair that provides additional cushioning to relieve the stress on your joints
To help you find the best cushioned basketball sneaker I am constantly checking out the latest shoe releases and record the ratings of every honest and qualified performance review I can find. So far I have summed up the findings of 610 reviews of 116 different performance basketball shoes.
The following overview shows the top ten sneakers, ranked by the average score they received for their cushioning. This list was last updated on Jan 20, 2020. Scroll down further to see a more detailed summary of each shoe, or click on the links to see quotes and ratings from every review I gathered for each shoe.
- 9.9 cushion rating based on 7 expert reviews
- Great overall-performer with awesome full-length Zoom cushioning
- A well-balanced shoe that works for a wide array of basketball players
- 9.6 cushion rating based on 6 expert reviews
- Retro look with very comfortable, modern Boost cushioning
- Works for a wide array of basketball players
- 9.6 cushion rating based on 8 expert reviews
- The lightest Air Jordan ever is a great all-around performance basketball shoe
- A great option if you are looking for a light & stylish shoe with no real weaknesses
- 9.5 cushion rating based on 8 expert reviews
- Amazing performer with outstanding cushioning and top-notch traction
- Perfect for players of all positions who value court feel and freedom of movement
- 9.5 cushion rating based on 4 expert reviews
- The huge Max Air unit in the heel and 2 Zoom Air units in the forefoot provide crazy cushioning.
- Top choice if you are looking for a comfortable, supportive shoe with a ton of impact protection.
- 9.4 cushion rating based on 5 expert reviews
- The Dame 6 is an affordable signature sneaker with comfortable full-length Lightstrike cushioning.
- Works best for guards who play on clean courts most of the time.
- 9.1 cushion rating based on 5 expert reviews
- No lacing system - no problem. Adidas' most futuristic basketball shoe so far
- Works well for explosive players looking for a light shoe with a well-balanced, responsive cushioning setup
- 9.0 cushion rating based on 6 expert reviews
- Great all-around performer at a very fair price
- Versatile shoe that works for all positions
- 9.0 cushion rating based on 8 expert reviews
- Great allrounder with well-balanced cushioning and a lot of support
- Works best for explosive players looking for a supportive shoe
- 9.0 cushion rating based on 8 expert reviews
- Provides balanced cushioning, traction that works on all surfaces, and premium BattleKnit upper
- Especially recommended for explosive and powerful wing players.
Top 10 Best Cushion Basketball Shoes
1. Nike KD 12
- Full-length Zoom cushioning
- Much more stable than previous KD models
- Materials could feel more premium
2. Adidas Marquee Boost
- Well-balanced Boost cushioning
- Very supportive
- Traction on dusty courts is problematic
3. Air Jordan 34
- Super bouncy cushioning
- Herringbone traction stops on a dime
- Expensive retail price
4. Adidas Harden Vol. 3
- Amazing traction
- Well-balanced Boost cushioning
- Break-in required to get rid of heel slip
5. Nike Lebron 17
- Insanely comfortable cushioning
- Premium upper materials
- Steep $200 retail price
- Heavy
6. Adidas Dame 6
- Lightstrike cushioning is super comfortable
- Affordable signature sneaker
- The outsole attracts a lot of dust
- Materials are not very durable
7. Adidas N3XT L3V3L
- Very comfortable Primeknit upper
- Well-balanced Lightstrike cushioning
- Traction is problematic on dusty courts
8. Nike PG 3
- Great traction
- Very supportive shoe
- Materials feel cheap in-hand
- Long break-in period
9. Jordan Why Not Zero.2
- Very supportive shoe
- Great all-around shoe
- No outstanding features
- Pretty bulky materials
10. Nike Lebron 16
- Premium materials
- Traction works well even on dusty courts
- Expensive retail price
Frequently asked questions about cushion in basketball shoes
What types of cushioning are there? And which cushion is the best?
It is impossible to say which type of cushioning setup is the best because they each cater to different needs and styles of play.
There are firm cushions like pure Phylon that provide great court feel and responsiveness which are perfect for light and quick guards. Other types of cushion like Nike Zoom Air provide a lot more impact protection and are better suited for heavy players or older athletes that want to go easy on their joints.
These are some of the most popular cushioning systems often used in basketball sneakers:
Nike Zoom Air
Zoom Air was first released in 1995 and is one of the oldest and most popular cushioning systems. It is made of tightly stretched tensile fibers in a pressurized “Air” unit. It is most often used in high-end basketball shoes and expensive signature lines like the Lebron or KD shoes.
Nike Zoom Air is a very bouncy cushioning that provides great energy returns through the way the fibers expand back to their initial state after every impact. It is also very versatile and can be used in different ways: from small Air units like in the heel of the Kyrie 4 to one huge full-length Zoom unit like in the Jordan Why Not Zero.1
Adidas Boost
Adidas Boost is still relatively new and was first used in basketball shoes for the Adidas Crazylight Boost in 2014. Since then it has taken the sneaker world by storm because of the incredible comfort it provides and is used in popular lifestyle models like the NMD or the Yeezy Boost
Boost outsoles are made of hundreds of tiny thermoplastic urethane pellets that are fused together using hot steam. What makes these pellets unique is that they are incredibly soft while still remaining springy enough to provide great energy return. This allows Adidas to make shoes that are insanely comfortable but still provide enough responsiveness to be used in quick sports like basketball.
Boost is used in most of Adidas’ high end basketball sneakers like the Crazy Explosive, D Rose 8 or the Harden Vol. 2. Check out this video to learn more about the Boost technology:
Other foam-based cushioning
Every shoe brand has multiple versions of foam cushionings usually made of EVA which is a mixture of two plastics (Ethylene and Vinyl Acetate). EVA is a foam that includes a lot of tiny air bubbles which provide the intended bounciness and comfort.
A well-know example of a simple EVA cushioning is Phylon which is used in a lot of Nike sneakers. Other more advanced forms of cushioning like Nike Lunarlon, Adidas Bounce or Under Armour Micro G use a mix of EVA and other rubbers to create lighter and more comfortable foam.
While the characteristics of foam cushioning can vary wildly, they are usually very responsive and provide great court feel but lack elite impact protection.
