We're now well into the second round of the NBA playoffs. A slew of future hall-of-famers have gone home early, while a few likable underdogs are still scrapping their way forward—just the kind of hardscrabble drama we’ve come to expect from arguably the most fun postseason in all of sports. But while the superstars are out there giving the game their all night after night, they’re also showing off a less obvious skill set: the ability to pick a great pair of shoes.
From player exclusives to certified classics, here are some of the best sneakers we’ve seen in the NBA playoffs so far.
These playoffs have been a coming-out party for Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who has been making good on claims that he’s the new face of the league. Adidas helped kick the party off in the first round with an ad unveiling of the upcoming Adidas AE 1 Low—a low-top version of the already wildly successful AE 1, Ant’s first signature sneaker. It’s a slick-looking spin on an excellent shoe, made all the better by watching Edwards completely dominate the Phoenix Suns in them. If Minnesota is headed to a title, their star player certainly has a nice set of shoes for the parade.
First revealed last month, the new Jordan Luka 3 is the Slovenian star's latest well-engineered, signature sneaker. In both the supremely crisp “Photo Finish” and moodier “Midnight Racer” colorways, the shoes dazzled throughout the first round as the Mavericks overcame the struggling Clippers—even as Doncic suffered a minor knee injury and seemed somewhat out of sorts. We hope Luka steps it up in the second round against the Thunder, but at least he’ll look good out there no matter what.
Jordan Brand surprise-dropped the latest Air Jordan model right at the start of the playoffs, with upstart Magic star Banchero (who was phenomenal in Orlando's disappointing first-round matchup against Cleveland) debuting the AJ 39 on the hardwood. Decked out with full-length Nike ZoomX foam to provide huge energy return and cushioning, the sneaker continues Jordan Brand’s reputation for top-of-the-line performance paired with best-in-class design. “Sol,” the first of nine initial colorways, is an all-white stunner meant to pay homage to Michael Jordan's peerless legacy.
The Adidas DON Issue 6 was revealed at an All-Star Weekend event in Indiana earlier this year, but it made its official on-court debut during the first round of the playoffs. Mitchell wore the curvaceous low-tops in the spectacular “Camp” colorway, with its lurid pink-and-purple highlights, through seven exhilarating games to send the Orlando Magic packing.
Despite putting up characteristically heroic numbers, Durant's Phoenix Suns were swept by the Timberwolves in four measly games—not much time, then, to show off the new KD 17, which he debuted in Game 1 in a menacing all-black colorway. There’s some consolation, however, in seeing the KD 17s on the massive feet of rookie Chet Holmgreen, whose Oklahoma City Thunder are still going strong in the second round.
Things didn’t go much better this year for two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard, who was injured for all but two games as his Los Angeles Clippers were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks. Despite the disappointing outcome, however, Kawhi still managed to debut his latest signature shoe with New Balance: the excellent NB Kawhi 4. The shoe features Energy Arc technology and a carbon fiber plate, making it one of the most innovative and dynamic technical shoes on the market.