10 Best Basketball Shoes for Ankle Support 2023

In a game like basketball, half of the injuries occur around the ankle and foot area. An ankle sprain is very common, and it happens when a player steps on another player’s foot. 

All the great players, including Anthony Devis, LaMelo Ball, and Stephen Curry, had many ankle injuries that cost them many unfit days. That’s why you should get the best supportive shoes to protect your ankles before entering a basketball game.

Guess what? As a basketball coach I know how important is ankle support and which shoes you need to stay safe. Here I will introduce 10 shoes that I have tested and recommend to players.

Our Top 10 best basketball shoes for ankle support Reviewed

1. Under Armour Curry 10 (Best Overall)

Overall Rating

92 %

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Stephen Curry had many injuries over past years. His signature shoes are made to support the ankle and his footwork.

The usual Warp upper from Under Armour is so strong and supportive. The side flow foam that wraps the lateral and medial sides like a wave supports lateral moves and side stops. Also, on the heel part, the plastic piece containing the UA logo adds more stiffness to the ankles area. 

Curry 10 is wide like its previous versions. Hence lateral containment and stability are phenomenal. More so, a big bottom-loaded shank plate gives rigidity to the base to protect the foot and arch muscles.

The full-length flow foam that acts as a midsole and its combined midsole and outsole are very bouncy and responsive.

You get good impact protection and great jump force. 

The outsole, being a foam, is not suitable for outdoors. However, it’s amazing on indoor basketball courts. It glues to the floor and controls pivots and lateral stops. So traction is very consistent and reliable.

The upper material is thin, supportive and breathable. It fits nicely and wraps around the feet, and feels cosy.

The shoe fits true to size. It’s a snug fit shoe, so a wide-foot player should buy half size up than their actual size.

See full Under Armour Curry Flow 10 Review

2. Adidas Harden Vol. 7 (Runner Up)

Overall Rating

90 %

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Adidas Harden Vol. 7 is out after so much wait. Like the previous signature Harden shoes, It has an amazing support pattern.

It feels supportive with its lateral caging high up on the side walls. More so, the back of Vol. 7 is caged with another darker plastic piece, which is less stiff. It supports lateral stops. 

With the wide base, lateral containment is so damn good. The back of the shoe has an internal TPU heel counter to protect the ankles.

The midsole is a combination of Lightstrike and Boost cushioning. The heel Lightstrike is responsive and great for hoopers who like to stay low to the ground. 

A carbon fiber shank plate gives torsional rigidity and is embedded in the midfoot area. It provides a good base for a bounce and high jump by storing potential energy while you try to make jumps.

The cushion is very comfortable and responsive.

I felt like it’s not a crazy one, but it does a good job of protecting foot muscles from hard landings. 

The outsole traction pattern is a mix of both translucent and rubber material. The heel area with a circular pattern and forefoot with a herringbone pattern makes it possible to make sudden stops and go without fear of slipping.

Also, I had a good fit with the sock-liner-like tongue hugging my feet. Puffer jackets inspire the material, so it looks like one. It’s not fancy but grabs attention because it looks different than mesh materials that are more in trend.

Overall, Traction, support, and cushion are perfect for me. It’s going to be the best sneakers of 2023.

See full Adidas Harden Vol 7 Review

3. Wade All City 10 V2 (Best Low Basketball Shoes With Ankle Support)

Overall Rating

87 %

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Way Of Wade All City 10 V2, is all about performance. Brand has given excellent attention to minute details that prevent player’s discomfort.

The All-City V2 has a stiff external heel counter. It’s for lateral containment and ankle support. The lateral outrigger protrudes prominently that gives lateral containment. Lateral stability is excellent.

Moreover, adding a midfoot strap to tighten the fit and lockdown works very well. The material is padded and comfortable from the inside, so it’s comfortable.

The outsole traction pattern resembles a maze. The multidirectional lined outsole is perfect for hard lateral stops. The pivots and quickest moves are fluid with All city V2. 

The material does not look premium and exorbitant, like suede and leather. But it’s a shroud of mesh on the upper. It’s durable and breathable; its material feels so soft on the feet.

The full-length Boom in the midsole makes up 3/4th part of the shoe’s weight. It’s a double-layer Boom cushion. Especially its foam width is heavier in the forefoot. 

You can’t go wrong; double-layer zoom gives solid impact protection and 100% responsiveness.

The shoe fit is snug. Except for the very narrow footers, I would suggest going half-size up. Overall All City shoe line has maintained its quality with zero gimmicks.

4. New Balance Fresh Foam BB (Best Youth Basketball Shoes For Ankle Support )

Overall Rating

86 %

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Every New Balance basketball shoe is better than the previous in terms of support and stability.

New Balance Fresh foam is Zach LaVine’s signature shoe. The sneaker is designed to go with the fluid and speedy footwork of LaVine. 

His jumps and dunks are famous in the basketball world. Fresh foam has a top-loaded shank plate in the midsole. That gives a solid base to give a spring back when you put a little force on it. 

That’s the reason that you can make high jumps in the shoe. The torsional plate is supportive of arch muscles too. With internal and external TPU counters, the ankle area is well protected. 

More so, it is made more secure and protected by the little extra padding on both sides of ankles and an extra hole on the ankle collar to pass lace laces in it for a super secure fit and heel lockdown.

The lateral sides contain fresh foam in the hard side walls. Overall the stability, lateral containment and ankle support are exceptional.

The outsole has a circular and deep traction pattern. Reviewers claim it’s not the best, as it becomes slippery only after a few minutes of starting the game.

However, the outsole rubber is thick and deep. So safe to say that it is good outdoor basketball shoes.

The Lenoweave upper is strong and comfortable. But it’s not breathable. It gives a good one on one fit. So narrow and medium footers should buy true-to-size pairs.

See Full New Balance Fresh Foam BB Review

5. Wade Shadow 4 (Best Basketball Shoes for Ankle And Knee Support)

Overall Rating

85 %

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Way of Wade is a signature line of Dwyane Wade. The brand continuously releases performance basketball shoes that appear different from conventional shoes.

Shadow 4 is a great performance sneaker that has amazing support features. The sides of the shoes have a rectangular plastic piece that acts as a sidewall. 

The pliable ankle collar, internal TPU counter, and midfoot shank plate make it a stable shoe. The extremely stable lateral outrigger works great for stability around the court.

For me, the upper and the stability is a major tempting thing. The upper is supportive and breathable. I usually look out for the performance side of the upper. So it’s comfortable and supportive.

Shadow 4 has a full-length cloud foam. Much like the Boost foam from Adidas, it’s not too bouncy and jump pro. But it is responsive with a nice court feel. It’s a cushioning where they keep impact protection on steer focus while adding a Boom pod in its forefoot.

The outsole traction pattern is like a computer-generated stamp impression. The rubber grips like glue. For quick lateral stops and go, it’s a very reliable cushioning. However, rubber is soft for outdoor courts. It’s going to be a solid indoor basketball shoe.

The shoe fits very snugly. For me, it was not an issue. But anyone who has a bulkier foot should buy half size up. 

6. LeBron Nxxt Gen (Best Nike Basketball Shoe Ankle Support)

Overall Rating

83 %

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With the latest LeBron Nxxt Gen basketball shoe, the first thing that hits the mind is, is it as good as Lebron 19 and 20. I assure you that Nike has done a good job here too.

The shoe’s first thing I appreciated was the two extra lace loops on the ankle collar. So that if you want an extra lockdown, keep the ankles in place for better support. Then LeBron nXXT Nxxt gen will be the perfect shoes.

In addition to that, the back of the shoes is stiffer for more protection and stability. The wide base will give you tons of stability over the basketball court.

The top-loaded midfoot shank plate provides a stable base to prevent the tendons from excessive stretching and breaking. So it’s a very supportive and stable sneaker.

The linear multidirectional traction pattern on the outsole comprises a very thick and durable translucent material. It’s so thick that it will easily last a couple of seasons indoors. Also, it is a great choice for the outdoors.

Traction is consistent but picks up dust, so occasional wipes are necessary.

The cushion in the midfoot consists of a forefoot Zoom Air unit and a heel Zoom Turbo unit. So you are covered if you make a dominant heel strike or you are the one that lands on the forefoot. It’s very responsive and bouncy with excellent Impact protection.

The upper material combines synthetic mesh with TPU for added durability and breathability. However, it’s not so durable and looks just OK.

The shoe fits true to size. However, buy a half size up if you have very wide feet. Overall, it’s a supportive shoe with great impact protection.

See Full Nike LeBron Nxxt Gen Review

7. Adidas Harden Stepback 3 (Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes For Ankle Support)

Overall Rating

81 %

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Despite being great performer shoes, the Adidas Harden Stepback 3 is a very affordable budget basketball shoe. That I had zero issues with. It’s the best shoe available for under 80$. I highly recommend buying this one as a support shoe in a budget range.

Its stability profile is pretty amazing. The wide base Harden Stepback 3 is made to support the footwork of big guy James Harden. Its wide base is very stable. The stiff midfoot plate works perfectly to provide torsional rigidity.

More so, the ankle part has an internal heel counter. The outer part is wrapped with a stiff plastic material. So you are going to get tons of ankle support. The fused overlays and supportive material wrapping the shoe on the lateral and medial sides provide good lateral stability.

So let’s jump on to the traction, which is also superb in Adidas Harden Stepback 3. It’s a mix of linear and circular patterns on the outsole. 

What impressed me is it will allow you to stop on a dime. If you want to make it an outdoor hoop shoe, go ahead. Because dust pickup is minimal, and the outsole looks very durable.

The cushion is a full-length Boost. It’s always known for a subtle bounce, and many courts feel. So, it is a minimal cushioning that gives a little compression and a great court feel. 

Textile mesh material is thin and minimal. It’s not so stretchy, but it feels comfortable on foot. With fuse overlays on the sides, the upper material is more durable than many high-budget shoes.

It fits true to size. However, the narrow footer should go down half a size because it’s a wider fit. Overall, support lockdown and traction works amazingly.

See full Adidas Harden Stepback 3 review

8. Jordan Why Not Zer0.6 (Best Basketball Shoes For Wide Feet And Ankle Support)

Overall Rating

80 %

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Jordan Why Not Zer0.6 is Russel Westbrook’s 6th signature shoes. The wide feet friendly sneakers made for a bigger guy like himself are super supportive. Its silhouette is different from tha of 0.4 and 0.5.

The appealing and striking look of Honour The Gift colorways is better than last year’s Zer0.5.

The basketball shoe has an excellent lateral stability profile. It makes lateral stops very controlled. The big Centers and heavy forwards would appreciate the lateral stability profile.

It’s a very wide feet-friendly shoe. The Achilles pillows hug the ankle area, and the plastic TPU piece protects it from injury. 

The small midsole shank plate makes bending the sneaker in any direction impossible. 

The decoupled outsole has a herringbone pattern in the middle, while on the side, the knob pattern covers the rest of the outsole. 

I didn’t feel like I was sliding on sudden stops or pivots like in Jordan Why Not Zer0.5. Traction is improved. But the rubber outsole is great for indoors.

I would not recommend playing outdoors due to their softer rubber and higher price. It would likely damage soon outdoors.

The material is a thin and breathable shroud with a flywire underneath. It hugs the feet and feels comfortable. Additionally, it takes no break in the period.

The cushion is not what I would expect from a brand like Jordan. It has only one Zoom forefoot unit. So the heel part does not have any high-tech foam.

It’s comfortable but does not give maximum impact protection. The shoe has a very wide base and a roomier fit. If you have narrow feet, then buy a half-size down. For wide feet and bigger players, it’s a perfect fit.

See Full Jordan Why Not Zer0.6 review

9. Jordan One Take 4 (Top-Rated Basketball Shoes For Ankle Support)

Overall Rating

79 %

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Jordan One Take 4 are one of the decent basketball shoes for support and containment. The Russell Westbrook basketball shoes have good stability and traction profile.

The One Take 4 is lightweight and looks aesthetic at first look. Its side overlays cover the shoe’s sidewall a good amount. That gives it lateral stability.

The back of the shoe has an internal heel counter to give stiffness to the ankle area. The small midfoot shank plate adds stiffness to the base. One Take 4 has a wide base. Overall it’s a very stable and supportive shoe.

The upper material is made up of synthetic leather and Ripstop material. A Ripstop is a breathable patch of upper to ensure air flows through the toe area.

The traction on the outsole is excellent. It’s a traditional herringbone pattern. That allows you to stop on a dime. It gives great control over agile movements.

The cushion is a full-length EVA and a Zoom Air Unit in the heel. It’s not so soft. But does the job well to give nice, subtle responsiveness and a good court feel.

The shoe fits true to size. Anyone who wants a snug fit and comfortable material shoe. Then Jordan One Take 4 Is the perfect one. The wide footers should buy a half size up than their actual size.

Lockdown is reinforced with the extra lace loops that integrate into the material. But the toe box feels a little roomier. Overall it’s a supportive shoe.

See full Jordan One Take 4 Review

10. New Balance Kawhi 3 (Best New Balance Shoes For Ankle Support)

Overall Rating

78 %

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New Balance was a shoe company that was originally known for making very supportive shoes for flat feet and athletes. They are still doing a great job.

Kawhi 3 basketball sneakers are not aesthetically as pleasing as Kawhi 2. The full-length midsole cages the lateral and medial sides and provide solid support on lateral stops. 

The TPU heel counter gives good ankle protection. The Energy Arc shank plate in the midfoot protects the Achilles from stretching too much by bending and twisting.

However, It lacks any Achilles pillows, and the heel area has minimum padding. I didn’t feel very comfortable initially.

The material is synthetic, with a little mesh on the side. Its breathability is not so great. But it does the job well.

The outsole area has a wavy traction pattern. Rubber grooves are thick. Traction is grippy, giving you great control and confidence over pivoting moves.

The full-length Fuelcell cushioning is comfortable and responsive. It’s like how I like it, an excellent combination of court feel and bounce. It’s lighter on the feet too.

It won’t take any break-in period. The shoe fits true to size. So if you have wide feet, you should buy a half size up than the actual size.

See Full New Balance Kawhi 3 review

Things To Consider Before Buying A Basketball Shoe With Ankle Support 

Basketball requires excellent balance and stability.

Whether a pick-up or a pro-level game, you must get a good basketball shoe pair that prevents ankle injuries. 

Before buying a supportive, stable pair of basketball shoes that maintain good balance, here are a few things you should consider.

Wide Base

These days, we see more snug basketball shoes than the wide feet friendly shoes. Wider shoe bases are good for wide feet athletes. The shoes with a wider base carry the extra benefit of providing better stability and support. 

For example, when you turn or land after a high jump, the Achilles area stores the potential energy; at that time, the forefoot area comes in contact with the ground. 

It sticks fully to the ground providing a solid and stable base to decide the next move and prevent a player from tripping or rapid change of direction. 

It gives balance and solid lateral containment. Secondly, the shoes must have a little outrigger near the midfoot for good balance. It adds solid stability to the lateral and sideways movements. 

Selecting a basketball shoe with a wider base and a slight outrigger does add significantly to players’ stability and balance.

Ankle Collar

What type of ankle collar must a shoe have to support a superb ankle? High top, low top, or mid top?

It’s a long debate where conventional wisdom lies with the opinion that a high ankle collar shoe has better ankle support. 

That said, Under Armour and Li Ning have introduced shoes whose collar area is high up to the ankle. Its collar area is visibly bigger than any high-top shoe. 

So wearing a shoe with a high ankle collar will limit the extra mobility of the ankles. Thus limiting the chance where you can get an ankle sprain by unexpectedly turning or twisting it in any direction.

Remember that a high-top shoe offers limited protection. It won’t protect you when accidentally jumping on another player’s foot and rolling your ankle. 

So, in addition to getting a protective and supportive basketball shoe, you must learn proper landing and cross-training techniques to play safely.

Torsional Rigidity

Shoes’ torsional rigidity is indirectly related to ankle support. Hold the shoe and bend it with the other hand to check this. If it bends in half, then it’s not a supportive shoe. 

A shoe that bends and does not contain any torsional plate in the midfoot area is unsupportive. So when a shoe does not resist bending along its longitudinal axis from heel to toe, it increases the foot inversion and eversion and eventually increases the chance of ankle sprain.

Lateral Stability

Lateral stability is related to the degree of inversion of the forefoot area at the time of landing or loading, or making unexpected turns. 

Matt Klein, the editor of Midfoot Arch Support, said basketball shoes with denser foam coming up and acting as side walls reduce the degree of inward rolling or Pronation.

The synthetic overlays on the medial and lateral sides increase the lateral stability.

Similarly, the foam that comes up to the midfoot, acting as a sidewall, makes a basketball shoe more stable by acting as a side wall.

Arch Support

It’s proven through a study that ankle muscles are weaker in high-arch people. At the same time, those with low arch have stronger ankle muscles. 

However, it does not affect their overall performance. But since high arch or flat feet, people are at a greater risk of having an ankle injury. So they need better supportive basketball shoes to guard the ankles. 

Most supportive shoes have little extra midfoot padding. That way, a flat feet or high arch player won’t tire of running and excessive pulling of the Achilles tendon in their feet. It would also relieve the pain in arches caused by running all day. 

Achilles Pillows

Adidas Harden Vol. 6 has been an all around supportive shoe of 2022. It has special small pillows on the ankle that act as shock absorbers. So basketball shoes that have Achilles pillows add extra comfort and protection to the ankles area. 

The extra padding on the ankle area improves lockdown and stability, in addition to adding comfort to the overall shoe material. 

Traction

has a solid impact on each factor of basketball shoes. Bad traction may result in slipping or tripping on the basketball court resulting in a twisted ankle or pulled Achilles tendon.

That said, you should buy a basketball shoe with good outsole traction. The grooves on the outsole, the width between them, and their softness and thickness are decisive factors for good traction.

A basketball shoe with wide spacing between outsole grooves and hard rubber will give better traction. Many soft rubbers on the outsole also have great traction but are not durable on outdoor surfaces. 

That’s why a durable and solid rubber outsole will be a better option for solid traction.

Fit

Basketball shoes with perfect fit and lockdown will limit excessive mobility of the ankles and thus give you tons of support.

A snug-fit shoe that provides additional lockdown options through the extra eyelets around the ankle collar will give better protection to ankles.

For example, if you pass the shoelace from the topmost eyelet in such a way that it hugs the ankle area better and keeps the heel in place. That will be better for limiting ankle mobility.

Even if you have a shoe and don’t have extra eyelets on the ankle, couldn’t don’t worry; you can poke a hole and pass the shoelace from it for a better fit. It will work just fine. 

How Basketball Players Protect and Strengthen Their Ankles

Basketball players use various ways to prevent injuries from recklessly running and playing hard on the basketball court. Here are four basic approaches that everyone can use to secure their ankles.

1. Ankle Brace and Tapes

Wrapping the tapes around the ankles is the simplest way to secure ankles. That way, the ankles would not move excessively. Thus limiting movement will reduce ankle injury from bending so hard.

Basketball player Stephen Curry uses an ankle brace or sometimes wraps tapes around his ankles to secure the area.

But having a proper brace with your ankle size and fit is always better than taping it. Tapes would ultimately lose their tightness in the middle of the game. 

It can be a temporary alternative. But anyone needing to support the ankles should buy a suitable ankle brace.

2. Training

Training is the topmost method to prevent injuries from wrong landings. Athletes lack cross-training to know the proper landing techniques. So they end up landing on one foot and rolling their ankles.

They should be well informed of their biomechanics and how to prevent long-term and short-term injuries in a game like basketball, where the game gets tougher daily.

Training will help strengthen their muscles and adds flexibility through several balancing exercises.

3. Taking Time Off From Basketball

Players who enter basketball never take a break from the game. Most NBA players hardly have one college year where they get good training and know about their diet. They hardly take a year of a break in between.

An expert at Arch US says that imagine when you use one muscle repeatedly for the same game. No other game in between; it will make a great recipe to weaken the targeted muscles you use repeatedly. 

Hence, taking some time off from basketball and playing another game is very important. No, you won’t forget anything about the game, but yes, you will get all the strength in your body to play a better game.

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