Best Basketball Shoes For Big Men

Big men are tall, strong and heavy. Because of that, they put a lot of strain and stress on their joints, knees and ankles. That’s why they need the right type of shoes for the job.

Today I’ll talk about the best basketball shoes for big men! Let’s get right into the list.


MY #1 RECOMMENDATION

AIR JORDAN XX9

You might be wondering, why am I featuring some random mid-top shoe? Well that’s because a big men’s shoe doesn’t have to be extremely high and heavy. The Jordan XX9 is actually one of the best shoes EVER, regardless of what type of player wears it.

It has awesome cushioning, FlightPlate technology for smooth transition, killer support provided by its snug and comfortable fit. The key to its great cushion is the balance between softness and responsiveness. It does that magically.

Materials are also top-notch, featuring Performance Woven which is, seriously, awesome.

I strongly think that it is the #1 pick even for big men.


FOR CUSHIONING WITH IMPACT PROTECTION

NIKE HYPERPOSITE 2

Not a lot of shoes are being made entirely FOR big men these days. This shoe however, is still one of the few. It has great performance all-around, but cushioning is its highlight no doubt.

Full-length 360 ZOOM AIR is there for the cushioning setup. That’s a crazy deal, considering just how much softness, bounciness and impact protection you’re getting. This is the go-to shoe for people who like to experience that soft, springy feel while playing in their basketball shoes.

The HyperPosite 2 exactly does that, along with solid traction, support and durability.


GREAT COURT FEEL & STEP TRANSITION

AIR JORDAN SUPER.FLY 4

The Super.Fly 4 is definitely a good contender in all performance aspects. It has a great, durable upper, proper traction and responsive ZOOM AIR cushioning.

But most importantly for this category, it has the FlightPlate technology. What that does, is fully unlock the cushion to its full glory. It also basically acts like a soft, flexible bridge between the heel and forefoot areas. That greatly enhances your experience on movements and smoothens out the heel-to-toe transition.

The Air Jordan Super.Fly 4 is easily one of the best in the business for this category.


ANKLE & HEEL LOCKDOWN

UNDER ARMOUR CLUTCHFIT HIGHLIGHT DRIVE 2

Basically, a modified version of the Clutchfit Drive 2, this shoe is HIGH. It doesn’t need that much more explanation, as the shoe has a super high ankle collar, which locks in your ankle very well. For bigs, that’s exactly what you want.

It also features the SpeedForm technology, which is a heel cup that adds comfort, movement power and, importantly, locks in the heel.

You just can’t go wrong with these ones of you’re a big. And I’m not trying to boast about them for some reason. If I say that they’re really good, I really do mean they’re really good. For a detailed review, click the link above.


BALANCE BETWEEN WEIGHT AND COMFORT

NIKE LEBRON SOLDIER 9

I can’t stress enough how much I love these LeBron’s. It is technically not made for bigs, but LeBron is one big dude. The shoe weighs 415g. / 14.64 oz, which isn’t that light, but not too heavy as well.

Comfort is no joke in these kicks. Firstly, that strap system wraps around your feet and locks you in SERIOUSLY. Then, the soft mesh upper is light and feels really good. And lastly, the snug fit and good cushioning makes an awesome experience.

It is light enough to be comfortable and heavy enough to perform great for big men. That’s all you want.


WELL BALANCED PACKAGE

NIKE HYPERDUNK 2014

It is 2 years old, but it is one of the best shoes in the Hyperdunk series. If you’re having a tough time picking what’s right and what’s wrong, just go with the Hyperdunk 2014.

It simply has all the checks for a good big men’s shoe: strong ankle support, proper heel lockdown, solid ZOOM AIR cushioning, ventilation, durability and the FLYWIRE technology.

Traction could be better, but I think that’s not the key component for bigs.

Also, the shoe doesn’t look that big or bulky, so if you hate those “center” shoes which are large, this one’s for you. It weighs 323g. / 11.4 oz. So it is a very light shoe for a big. Don’t let that scare you though, it doesn’t really lose its impact protection or cushioning because of that.


I hope you found this spotlight helpful! I’m always looking forward to do these kind of lists, it really helps people find what they’re looking for.