The best sneakers worn in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game

The 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend is in the books. While fans and commentators continue debating the weekend, the sneakers on display are unquestionable. Sneakerheads were treated to a mix of new colorways, kicks inspired by family, a few retros, and even first-edition debuts from some of the biggest stars in the NBA. 

Players aren’t the only ones in the spotlight during this event; footwear companies always use the All-Star Game as a runway moment. Although on-court models may not enjoy the same level of popularity they once did, the basketball category remains a key segment for innovation and the debut of cutting-edge footwear technology. The All-Star Game is one event where all the attention is focused on a single game and the stars who make the sport what it is. And what shoes those stars have on their feet is just as important as which conference wins.

Here’s a look at some of the best shoes seen in Indianapolis.

Kevin Durant – Nike KD 4 ‘Galaxy’ and Nike KD 16 ‘All-Star’

Kevin Durant showed up to All-Star Weekend with a heralded retro and a fresh Nike KD 16 colorway to commemorate the weekend. The new Nike KD 16 “All-Star” is the ninth colorway for his latest signature model.  However, the Nike KD 4 ‘Galaxy’ was the real star of the evening. Seeing Durant wearing the retro brought back memories of 2012 when he sported the shoe during the All-Star Game and won MVP honors.

Paolo Banchero – Air Jordan 38 Low PE

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero made his All-Star debut with a handful of special Jordans to mark the occassion. The best of the bunch was this snazzy electric green Air Jordan 38 Low PE inspired by his Seattle hometown and his mom Rhonda Smith-Banchero, who played professionally for the Seattle Reign of American Basketball League, a short-lived predecessor to the WNBA.

Devin Booker – Nike Book 1 ‘Mirage’

The initial rollout for Devin Booker’s first signature shoe, the Book 1, has been a bit bumpy. Still, Nike’s worked overtime to reset the narrative. The new ‘Mirage’ colorway was released over the weekend and Booker, speaking to media in Indianapolis, said the brand told him the sail-colored shoe sold out in “two or three” minutes. So maybe brighter days are ahead for the Phoenix Suns star’s sig.

Tyrese Maxey – New Balance Two Wxy V4 ‘Gamer Tag’

Tyrese Maxey celebrated his first All-Star Game appearance by wearing a bright red version of the newly released New Balance Two Wxy V4 ‘Gamer Tag.’ As the sole 76er on the court due to a Joel Embiid injury, Maxey chipped in 10 points, three boards, and three assists in his 17 minutes on the court. A bigger moment for the Philadelphia guard might have happened off-court, as Kevin Durant listed him as one of the players who are inspiring the next generation of hoopers.

Nikola Jokic – 361 Big3 Future High PE

The two-time league MVP, Finals MVP, and leader of the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets recently left Nike to become the face of the Chinese footwear brand 361°. While his signature shoe is still in the works, Jokic wore a cotton candy-colored version of the 361° Big3 Future for Sunday’s big game, using the spotlight to unveil his new logo, a jester hat made from the letters “N” and “J.”

Tyrese Haliburton – Nike Kobe 6 Protro PE

As the weekend’s unofficial host, Tyrese Haliburton deserved for Nike to cook up something special, which they did with a white-based Kobe 6 Protro with green accents. The Indiana Pacers guard lived up to the moment by putting up 32 points, including knocking down his first five shots – all three-pointers – in the first quarter, racking up 15 points in less than 90 seconds. Not a bad showing in front of the home crowd.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Converse All Star BB Trilliant CX ‘What The’

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the most stylish guys in the league. Therefore, it’s only right he hit the court on a one-of-one custom Converse by artist and custom sneaker designer darkphilknight. The loud, colorful knit concoctions stood out as one of the more unusual numbers seen on All-Star Sunday since Chris Webber wore the chrome Dada CDubbz.

Damian Lillard – Adidas Dame 8 EXT PLY

There are only two players in league history to win a Saturday event and also be named an All-Star Game MVP: Michael Jordan and Damian Lillard. Lillard won the 3-point contest on Saturday before dropping 39 points to lead the Eastern Conference to victory during Sunday’s All-Star game. On Sunday, he rocked a red and blue version of the Adidas Dame 8 EXTPLY designed Stadium Custom Kicks, complete with the names of his three children etched along the ankle collar and “Dame Time” on the forefoot straps.

Adidas also used the weekend to offer a preview of the Dame 9 and it looks fierce. The Stripes’ hoops design team is really in their bag these days.

Giannis Antetokounmpo – Nike Zoom Freak 5 ‘Thanasis Thanks for Sharing’

The Milwaukee Bucks star paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant and his brother and teammate, Thanasis, all in a single shoe – the Nike Zoom Freak 5 ‘Thanasis Thanks for Sharing.’ The shoe borrows its white and red color scheme from Bryant’s signature Nike Kobe 4s, which happened to be a shoe Thanasis would share with his younger brother when they were growing up together in Greece. 

Stephen Curry – Curry 4 Flotro Low ‘Curry Jam’

Stephen Curry’s sneakers for the festivities borrow their colors from the graphics of the legendary NBA Jams video game. The red, yellow and blue Curry 4 Flotro Low ‘Curry Jam’ kicks were part of a collection, which also included a Curry 1 Retro decked out with a flame graphic, a callout to Jam’s “He’s On Fire!” catchphrase.

Jaylen Brown – ANTA Kai 1 and a mystery model

Brown wore a purple-hued pair of Kyrie Irving’s new Anta model in the first half of the All-Star Game. But the real head-turner was when he switched to an all-black mystery shoe in the second half. Brown’s been a sneaker free agent for a while now, so could this be a preview of what’s ahead?

LeBron James – Nike LeBron 21 ‘Prime Year’

LeBron James continued paying homage to Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders with his Nike LeBron 21 ‘Prime Year.’ The shoes draw inspiration from Deion Sanders’ iconic Nike Air DT Max ‘96 – originally known as the Diamond Turf 3. James has called Sanders one of his childhood heroes and paid homage to Coach Prime’s shoes in the past, most recently with two Diamond Turf-themed versions of the LeBron 15 in white and red.

Anthony Edwards – Adidas AE1 ‘The Future’

The best new signature sneaker this season belongs to Anthony Edwards, and the metallic hues of ‘The Future’ colorway of the Adidas AE1 he wore on Sunday night looked marvelous under the bright lights. Adidas is now three-for-three on colors released for this model, and it doesn’t seem like they’ll be slowing down anytime soon.