The Greatest NBA Finals Sneakers Since 1987

Converse Weapon (1987)

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson famously faced off in the 1979 NCAA Championship Game, setting the tone for a rivalry that would come to define an era of hoops. In the following decade, Bird and Magic took home a combined eight Larry O’Brien trophies.

Much of that damage was done in the Converse Weapon. Brothers through brand, both Bird and Magic gave the model meaning as Converse transitioned to a new era of basketball. Larry Legend’s pair was no-nonsense just like him, dressed in black leather with subtle white contrast. On the West Coast, Magic’s colorway helped usher in the tri-tone era of oncourt kicks, boasting Showtime hues in bold fashion.

Each laced up their respective pairs in the 1987 NBA Finals, helping the Weapon become one of the most popular shoes of the decade. The 2002 retro release hit at the heart of the movement, paying tribute to the era that shaped the NBA landscape as we know it today.

Air Jordan 6 (1991)

Bruised and battered for years by the Detroit Pistons, Michael Jordan ascended to alpha dog of the NBA in 1991. Jordan led the Chicago Bulls past the Bad Boys for the first time ever to face Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals.

MJ made his big stage debut in the Air Jordan 6 'Infrared.' Despite a Game 1 loss, Mike was sure the Bulls could best the Lakers and he proved right. Defending his hero in full-court fashion, MJ took the torch from Magic once and for all. Since then, the AJ6 'Infrared' has returned many times, including in 2019 when Jordan Brand released a faithful retro with Nike Air heel branding.

Air Jordan 11 (1996)

Michael Jordan’s miraculous 72-10 season was capped off with two shiny rewards: a fourth championship ring and another colorway of the Air Jordan 11. The 'Bred' or 'Playoff' AJ11 was the last mid-top sneaker from the model’s inaugural run, made for Mike to wear during the 1996 NBA Finals.

In 2019 the celebrated sneaker returned with the same patent-leather paneling and court construction worn by Mike when he cradled his fourth Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Nike Air More Uptempo (1996)

By 1996, Scottie Pippen finally had a shoe strong enough to match his game. The Wilson Smith-designed Nike Air More Uptempo outfitted Pippen as he held it down on both ends of the court against the surging Seattle Supersonics. Throughout the 1996 NBA Finals, big cushioning and big branding made Pippen’s feet the ultimate Nike billboard as the Bulls won yet another Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Decades later, the Nike Air More Uptempo crossed over from the court to the pavement as one of the boldest and most revered retro models available. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2016 and releasing again in 2020, the original Black/White Uptempo is a transcendent classic that first announced itself on the NBA’s biggest stage.

Air Jordan 12 (1997)

Resting between games during the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, Michael Jordan ordered a pizza from his hotel in Park City. Big mistake. MJ devoured the whole pie himself and woke up in the middle of the night with food poisoning. 

Thought to be out for Game 5, MJ overcame flu-like symptoms and went on to a 38-point, seven-rebound, five-assist and three-steal performance for a win over the Jazz. The Bulls took the lead and soon the series. The 2016 version tells the 'Flu Game' tale in remastered perfection.

Air Jordan 14 (1998)

Michael Jordan rolled the dice in the 1998 NBA Finals by debuting the Air Jordan 14. Frequently wear-testing pairs to and from games in the tunnel, what was thought to be MJ’s posthumous playing sneaker instead achieved eternal life through Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.

Worn by Jordan against the Utah Jazz for his storybook 'Last Shot,' the Ferrari-inspired sneakers quickly became remembered for the moment that defined them. In June 2018, the rogue model returned as a retro, celebrating two decades since Michael’s game-winning jumpshot.

adidas Crazy 1 (2000)

In 2000, after a slew of KB8 models and early exits in the postseason, Kobe Bryant got his name on his shoes and his hands on a championship. Wearing the adidas The Kobe, Bryant’s futuristic namesake signature helped take down Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers in his first NBA Finals appearance.

Completing the 3-peat in 2001 and 2002, Bryant took home the Finals trophy twice more in the same shoe, downing both the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets in Player Edition pairs. Years later, the tonal takes returned as the adidas Crazy 1—renamed for legal reasons—to the delight of Kobe fans everywhere.

Reebok Answer 4 (2001)

Heading into the 2001 NBA Finals, Allen Iverson was the league’s MVP yet an underdog going into the series. His opponents, the red-hot Lakers, had swept the entire postseason up to that point and were expected to do the same to AI and his Philadelphia 76ers. Iverson had other plans.

Zipping up the Reebok Answer 4, Iverson led the Sixers with 48 points in Game 1, pushing the contest into overtime. With the clock ticking, AI hit a baseline jumper over a falling Tyronn Lue  and defeated the Lakers on their homecourt. Though losing the series, the point guard was the only player to best Kobe and Shaq during their goliath postseason run.

Brought back as a retro, this Answer 4 release features the same White/Black palette and velcro closure, recounting the iconic moment Iverson stepped over Lue and cemented himself in NBA Finals folklore.

Nike Zoom Kobe 4 (2009)

Kobe Bryant’s climb back to the top had to take place in a lighter shoe. Enter Nike designer Eric Avar and the low-top Nike Zoom Kobe 4. 

The acclaimed designer’s industry-shifting sneakers were worn by Bryant during his lone MVP season. Both black and white 'MVP' makeups were worn on court by Bryant against the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals, giving KB his fourth title in his fourth Nike signature.

Nike LeBron 10 PS Elite (2013)

Heading into 2013, LeBron James was finally a champion. Michael, Magic, Kareem and Kobe, though? They all accomplished back-to-backs.

Looking to add his name amongst the all-time greats, James and the Miami Heat traveled down the road to repeat. The King led the way through the regular season, securing his fourth MVP award before returning to the NBA Finals. 

The Nike LeBron X Elite PS epitomized his vision and goal, executing the performance upper in the team’s colorway and branding the shoe in championship gold. Besting the San Antonio Spurs, James and the Heat secured their second championship in a row. LeBron’s all-time status was stamped, both in the record books and on foot.

Under Armour Curry 1 (2015)

The NBA Finals is a contest dominated by shooting guards and forwards. In 2015, Steph Curry proved this yet again, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 4-1 victory over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Doing so in his first signature shoe, the Under Armour Curry 1, the kid from Davidson University created a new generation of players inspired by his unlimited shooting range. Changing the game of basketball, Steph reminded skeptics that it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. The sneakers don’t hurt either.

Nike Kyrie x LeBron Four Wins 'Game 7: Fifty-Two Years' (2016)

It’s hard to believe that the most dynamic duo since Kobe and Shaq were considered underdogs in the 2016 NBA Finals. Facing the record-breaking 73-9 Golden State Warriors, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had their backs against the wall when they found themselves on the wrong side of a 3-1 series lead.

Then something changed. Building momentum by taking back-to-back must-win games, the Cleveland combo forced a decisive Game 7. Capped off with a block by James in his recently debuted Nike LeBron Soldier 10 and clinched with a clutch Irving jumper in his signature Nike Kyrie 2, the duo delivered Cleveland its first major sports title in 52 years. 

Underdogs no more and champions forever, Nike crystallized the historic comeback with a celebratory Game 7 Pack that executed both iconic kicks in all their golden glory.

Nike Zoom KD 10 (2018)

The hoops world was shocked when Kevin Durant signed with the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in 2016. Fans across the globe uttered expletives in awe, admiration and aggression as one of the game’s greatest players joined forces with the league’s leading franchise.

Perhaps predictably, the move proved spectacular for both parties. Going back-to-back in the Bay, the Nike Zoom KD 10 'What The' captured the legacy of Durant’s run with one of the greatest basketball teams of all time, bringing together some of the best motifs from his 10th signature silhouette.

New Balance OMN1S (2019)

Kawhi Leonard’s lone season with the Toronto Raptors was no laughing matter for all who got in his way. New team, new coach and eventually new shoes, Leonard jumped ship from Jordan Brand for New Balance and became the face of the OMN1S model. 

In the 2019 NBA Finals, Leonard brought the Canadian franchise their first championship, defeating the Golden State Warriors while becoming the face of New Balance’s reentry to basketball. 

Nike Kobe 5 Protro (2020)

In 2020, with Kobe on his heart and Protros (performance retros) on his feet, Anthony Davis balled out in his debut NBA Finals appearance. The All-Star forward kept it all in the family over the course of the 2020 contest, bringing out the Nike Kobe 5 Protro in player-exclusive, custom and limited-launch colorways. 

AD’s homage to Bryant hit home the hardest with the famed '5 Rings' colorway. Full of Laker lore, the purple and gold Protro celebrated Kobe’s final NBA championship over the Boston Celtics in 2010. Fittingly, AD broke them out when it mattered most against the Miami Heat, delivering the Lakers their first title since Kobe’s last.

Nike Kobe 4 Protro (2021)

2021 saw Devin Booker make his playoff debut for the Phoenix Suns, helping his team reach the Finals by scoring an impressive 601 points throughout his playoff run. Like many NBA stars, Booker is an acolyte of the late Kobe Bryant, routinely citing the Black Mamba as a major influence on his career.

After Bryant signed a pair of Booker’s Kobe 11s with the words “Be Legendary” during his final season, the then-rookie guard got the message tattooed on his arm. The advice and other scribbles were visible on a pair of personalized Kobe 4 Protro sneakers he wore in every playoff encounter during the Suns’ run, proving to be a lucky omen.

Under Armour Curry 4 FloTro 'Vivid Lilac' (2022)

The Under Armour Curry 4 FloTro ‘Vivid Lilac’ was Steph Curry’s go-to sneaker in the 2022 NBA Playoffs as the Warriors went undefeated when Curry wore the bold colorway. If the silhouette itself looked familiar on the hardwood, that’s because it was: the Curry 4 FloTro remasters the Curry 4, upgrading it with UA’s signature Flow cushioning, suede and knit uppers, and a perforated IntelliKnit heel collar. 

The shoe’s creation was a happy accident. According to Under Armour, Curry was wear-testing Flow designs for the Curry 8, which UA had the tooling for but had yet to devise an upper. One of the test uppers was the fan-favorite Curry 4, which Curry immediately fell in love with. The shoe became a reality, with Curry shining while wearing it on the court.

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