The 10 Best Basketball Shoes of NBA Opening Night 2025

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NBA Opening Night is officially in the books, and the new season is underway. Similar to the first day of school, many players laced up a fresh pair of kicks to get their season started on the right foot.
While no players debuted new models, there were plenty of popular sneakers in player-exclusive and general-release colorways. Below are the ten best basketball shoes worn on NBA Opening Night 2025.
10. James Harden

Player: LA Clippers guard James Harden.
Shoe: Harden wore the upcoming adidas Harden Vol 9 'Snakeskin' colorway.
Shopping Information: The adidas Harden Vol 9 'Snakeskin' colorway drops on October 31 for $160 in adult sizes at adidas, Foot Locker, and other retailers.
9. Trae Young

Player: Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young.
Shoe: Young wore the upcoming Air Jordan 40 'Chicago' colorway.
Shopping Information: The Air Jordan 40 'Chicago' colorway will be released on November 1 for $205 in adult sizeson the Nike SNKRS app.
8. Stephen Curry

Player: Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry.
Shoe: Curry wore the Curry Series 7 in the 'Cotton Candy' colorway.
Shopping Information: Online shoppers can buy the Curry Series 7 'Cotton Candy' for $160 in adult sizes at UA.com.
7. Jalen Brunson

Player: New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson.
Shoe: Brunson wore the upcoming Nike Kobe 6 'Statue of Liberty' colorway.
Shopping Information: The Nike Kobe 6 'Statue of Liberty' is expected to drop later this year. In the meantime, fans can shop Kobe Bryant's retro shoes at Nike.com.
6. Victor Wembanyama

Player: San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.
Shoe: Wembanyama wore the Nike G.T. Hustle 3 in the newly released 'Haunted Heights' colorway.
Shopping Information: Online shoppers can buy the Nike G.T. Hustle 3 'Haunted Heights' colorway for $210 in adult sizes at Nike.com.
5. Cooper Flagg

Player: Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg.
Shoe: Flagg wore the New Balance Hesi Low v2 in the player-edition 'Cooper Flagg' colorway.
Shopping Information: The Hesi Low v2 X 'Cooper Flagg' colorway dropped on October 22 for $120 in adult sizes and sold out quickly online. Online shoppers can find the shoes for above retail price on sneaker resale websites like StockX.
4. Kevin Durant

Player: Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant.
Shoe: Durant wore the newly released Nike KD18 'Slim Reaper' colorway.
Shopping Information: Online shoppers can buy the Nike KD18 'Slim Reaper' colorway for $170 in adult sizes at Nike.com and select retailers.
3. Anthony Edwards

Player: Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards.
Shoe: Edwards wore the upcoming adidas Anthony Edwards 2 'Blue Fusion' colorway.
Shopping Information: The adidas Anthony Edwards 2 'Blue Fusion' drops on October 25 in adult ($130) and kid ($100) sizes at Foot Locker, adidas, and other retailers.
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Player: Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Shoe: Gilgeous-Alexander wore the player-exclusive Converse SHAI 001 'Banner' colorway.
Shopping Information: The Converse SHAI 001 has dropped in four colorways, all of which have sold out. Fans can expect more colorways to drop in the future for $130 in adult sizes at Converse.com.
1. Ja Morant

Player: Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant.
Shoe: Morant wore the Nike Ja 3 in the upcoming 'Scratch' colorway.
Shopping Information: The Nike Ja 3 'Scratch' will be released on November 5. Online shoppers will be able to buy the basketball shoes for $125 in adult sizes and $117 in kid sizes at Nike.com and select retailers.
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Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. As a leading voice in footwear journalism, he breaks news, spotlights important stories, and interviews the biggest names in sports. Previously, Pat has reported on the NBA and authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)." You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.
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