Basketball shoe
.JPG)
Basketball shoes are part of the equipment of basketball players .
nature
Basketball shoes differ from other sports shoes in their height. Due to the frequent jumps in basketball and the numerous abrupt changes in direction, it is extremely important that the ankles of the players are protected in order to prevent twisting. Therefore, many basketball shoes enclose the ankles of the athletes and guarantee a maximum of stability. But not only the height of the shoes, their cushioning is also important. After all, strong forces act on the joints when jumping, which is why good cushioning is very important to reduce these forces. Comfort is also important: modern basketball shoes have systems designed to ensure air circulation.
history
The history of the basketball shoe begins in the early 20th century when the player Chuck Taylor ran up with basketball shoes from Converse ; He made suggestions for the company to improve the shoes, and this collaboration resulted in the shoes that are known around the world today as Chucks .
Another milestone in the history of basketball shoes is the collaboration between Michael Jordan and the Nike company . Nike signed an equipment contract with Jordan when he started his career and equipped the future superstar with his own shoe, a so-called signature shoe, which is now continues to appear in new editions despite Jordan's end of career. With this Air Jordan shoe line, Nike rose from an insignificant sporting goods manufacturer to one of the largest and most important corporations in the industry. Independent of the contract with Jordan, they developed a number of other basketball shoes, including the Nike Air Max and Air Force 1 .
Meanwhile, numerous sporting goods manufacturers, including Adidas , Nike and Reebok , are vying for the best basketball players in the NBA to be able to manufacture their own shoes. The companies have these deals cost many millions of dollars on a regular basis, an example of this is the outfitter contract between Nike and the then high school young basketball player LeBron James for over 100 million US dollars. What is particularly spectacular is the fact that Nike paid the money even before James had even played a minute in the NBA .
variants
Due to the different positions and characters in basketball , different directions of basketball shoes have developed. For a point guard, for example, who are constantly changing direction, it is important to have a very light, not quite as high shoe that has enough grip and stability, but also does not look "clunky". Center players should not pay so much attention to the weight, but above all to the stability of the shoes. Due to the specific actions of a center, the risk or likelihood of twisting an ankle or injuring an ankle is significantly higher than with other positions. In such cases you have to wear a shoe that effectively protects against twisting.
Individual evidence
- ^ South German on the first year of LeBron James ( Memento from April 14, 2008 in the Internet Archive ).
