Basketball, perhaps more than any other sport, blends form with function. Magic’s Showtime Lakers. MJ’s high-flying dunks. Allen Iverson’s crossover. These remain in our memory not only because they affected winning at the highest level but also because they are beautiful reflections of the artistry of basketball. The hardwood is the canvas, the players the artists, and history the museum. Basketball culture is expressive, this holds true in the footwear choices of players on all stages. The basketball court birthed sneaker culture and the sport and the shoes have gone hand in hand ever since. From the Converse ‘Weapon,’ to the Air Jordan line, to the present basketball sneaker market, sneaker culture has its roots in basketball and continues to evolve on the court today. Rocking a pair of sneakers that compliments both your game and your aesthetic is a critical choice for any hooper. With the NCAA Basketball Tournament officially underway, the madness of March has ensued on one of basketball’s grandest stages. The best collegiate players in the country, step into the spotlight to exhibit their dazzling skills and of course, their sneakers. Hoopers have a pair of sneakers for everything: workouts, practices, and games. Postseason kicks, however, are the granddaddy of them all. Postseason tournaments call for the best pairs in the collection to be unboxed and stunted. The pageantry of the NCAA Tournament would not be complete without the individualism of the players etching stories into the next chapter of basketball lore. The first weekend of this postseason did not disappoint. Clear trends emerged, favorites were established and some forgotten heat was pulled out.

The basketball shoe marketplace has been shifting towards low-top sneakers since the Nike Kobe 4 dropped in 2009 but watching the NCAA Tournament this weekend made it clear that lowtops are here to stay. The most worn shoes of the first weekend of the Tournament was the Nike KD 16. From team colorways, special edition pairs, and even school PEs the KD 16 dominated the court. At any given time at least two to three players on the court will have the KD 16 on. The Nike Ja 1 was another popular model, and of course, Kobe’s of any model (4-8, specifically) frequent the hardwood. Kobe’s remain the preferred hoop shoe but they also still remain difficult to get, which contributes to the KD being the most worn. As more Kobe’s are released under the newly reestablished deal between Byrant’s estate and Nike they may surpass all others, until then these other models will be frontrunners. Something all of these models have in common is their cut, they are all low-top shoes. This further emphasizes the shift away from hooping in high-top sneakers. Restrictive bulky leather is out, freedom of movement textiles are in. Per NCAA guidelines teams are allowed 13 active players for each game, meaning in the field of 64 teams over 800 players took the court last weekend. Of those 800-plus players a few cut through the noise and stood out with their footwear selections. Some for interesting or questionable choices, some for the price tag of their shoe, and others for leaning into nostalgia and bringing out some older gems. Here are the best sneakers of the first weekend of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Bryan Greenlee, Florida Atlantic University - Adidas Yeezy 500 ‘Utility Black’

While fans of FAU are disappointed that their Owls could not replicate their Final Four run from last year’s tournament they can take solace in the fact that their star guard is not afraid to take risks in the name of fashion. They can have hope that this mentality will translate to future success. Point Guard Bryan Greenlee made one of the more interesting footwear choices when he donned the Adidas Yeezy 500 in FAU’s first-round game against Northwestern on Thursday. Adidas boost is incredibly comfortable and the Yeezy 500 includes an entire sole unit of boost meaning the shoe is very well cushioned. This accompanied by the shoe’s chunky rubber outsole and thick-cut suede, in theory, it does have the elements of a solid performance shoe. Still, given the shoe’s casual wear-inspired design, breaking these out on court was certainly a unique choice.

Tyon Grant-Foster, Grand Canyon University - Nike Kobe 8 ‘Mambacurial’

Grand Canyon University won their first NCAA Tournament game in school history with their upset first-round defeat of Saint Mary’s. They were led by guard Tyon Grant-Foster who scored a team-high 22 points in the Kobe 8 ‘Mambacurial.’ Inspired by Kobe’s love of soccer this sneaker looks more like a soccer boot than a basketball shoe. It features a purple-to-pink gradient upper accented large lime green swoosh on the toe of the sneaker. The Kobe 8 is arguably the best model in the Kobe line and the storytelling behind this colorway truly sets it apart. Tip of the cap to Grant-Foster for pulling these out of the archive.

Curtis Jones, Iowa St. - Nike Kyrie 2 ‘Inferno’

The 2024 Big 12 Conference Tournament Champion Cyclones are looking to make a deep run in this year’s NCAA Tournament. After a strong opening weekend performance, Iowa State is hoping their team remains as hot as their senior guard Curtis Jones’ feet have been. The Kyrie 2 ‘Inferno,’ which Jones wore in both of the Cyclones games this weekend is one of the best models from Kyrie’s Nike line. Originally released in 2016 this shoe is often forgotten but it is the model that Kyrie won his NBA championship in. Perhaps it will hold the same luck for Jones and his Cyclones

Ben Middlebrooks, N.C. State - Adidas x Fear of God Athletics I Basketball ‘Carbon Sesame’

The wolfpack of N.C. State are the highest remaining seed in the tournament and the only double-digit seed to reach the Sweet Sixteen this year. Forward Ben Middlebrooks has been rocking the new Adidas x FOG basketball shoe. Although marketed as a basketball shoe, Jerry Lorenzo (Fear of God’s owner) has said that he and Adidas have a true performance shoe on the way, making Middlebrooks’ selection an interesting one. The shoe does use Adidas’ Lightstrike cushioning technology so should be fairly comfortable, but given that the shoe is reminiscent of the Nike Fear of God 1 it is hard to imagine it being a successful performance product. However, props to Middlebrooks for breaking this pair out.

Brock Cunningham, Texas - Nike KD 6 ‘What The KD’

While Texas had a short stint in the NCAA Tournament, Brock Cunningham did not miss his opportunity to bring out an old gem. Nike’s ‘What The’ line is one of the brand’s most iconic series, it mashes up the best colorways of a model’s releases into one sneaker. This creates one of the most eye-catching designs you will see. The KD 6 is now 10 years old so Cunningham receives significant sneakerhead points for wearing this pair on court. As a team, UT may have had the best sneakers on court this weekend, so it took a pair of this caliber for Cunningham to rise to the top. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, they were unable to keep their dreams of finishing the season on top alive.

Myles Rice, Washington State University - Nike Kobe 5 Protro ‘Kay Yow’

While the Cougars were not in the tournament long, it was long enough for Myles Rice to show that he does in fact, got it like that. The WSU guard blew the competition away with the most exclusive and expensive pair in the field, the Kobe 5 “Kay Yow.’ This rare shoe celebrates and supports the mission of the Kay Yow Foundation and is extremely coveted. The average price on the resell market for this pair is nearly $5,000. Pink basketball shoes have become more popular in recent years. Combined with this shoe being a Kobe and also very rare, Rice comfortably takes home the best shoe of the tournament award.

Best Sneakers of the NCAA Tournament So Far