Best Basketball Shoes For Centers 2023 [Buying Guide]

As a big guy, Centers carry a lot of burden in the game. He is the one who is expected to see over the top of each player. He sets his eyes on each player and blocks opponents from shooting the ball on the defence.

For all those tough turns, jump shots and rebounds, basketball Centers put a lot of pressure on their joints and muscles.

Thus they require shoes that protect their knee joints. What they need is tons of support and cushion in their basketball shoes. 

We spent 50+ hours collecting experts’ opinions and selected 10 basketball shoes for Centers. We back-tested them on our testing parameters to ensure that each selection is worth it. 

Before we go ahead, have a look at our best overall basketball shoes for Centers

1. Nike Air Zoom GT Jump (Overall Best)
2. Nike LeBron 20 (Runner Up )
3. Nike Zoom Freak 4 (Best Budget)

Top 10 Best Basketball Shoes For Center Reviewed

Let’s now go into details & give you review of each show in our top 10 list.

1. Nike Air Zoom GT Jump (Best Basketball Shoes of All Time For Center)

Overall Rating

100 %

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Nike Air Zoom GT Jump has been a favourite of big players this year’s NBA season. It’s the top-priority basketball shoe for centers.

Midsole cushion is where they put the most effort to make it most comfortable for the big player to protect their joint on hard landings. The cushion is a full-length Zoom Strobel. 

On top of it is the forefoot area, just above the ball of the foot, a Zoom Turbo unit. While on the heel part, a Zoom Air unit. Hence it’s a very responsive cushion with a decent amount of energy return. 

That’s coupled with the shank plate in the midsole that provides a rigid base for the jump. Pebex shank plate gives a torsional rigidity so that when a center makes rapid turns in his position, it protects the Achilles tendons from stretching unevenly and breaking.

The upper material on the lateral and medial sides comprises Nike Jumpwire. The new technology used is similar to flywire but more durable. There is a lot of airflow around the feet. The material is very durable. 

Nike Sir Zooon GT Jump has Nike Jump frame side walls on the shoe. That gives them extra support and lateral stability on rebounds and higher jumps. 

The outsole tread is composed of a herringbone pattern. That is a conventional yet reliable good old pattern in basketball shoes. Known to have a solid grip on the floor. It’s great for indoor basketball courts but not ideal for outdoors.

Lastly, the laces that connect through the loops passing from the material give a secure fit and lockdown. It’s a good shoe for medium footers. Wide feet players need to buy a size up from their actual size.

Also, check our guide on best outdoor basketball shoes.

2. Nike LeBron 20 (Best Nike Basketball Shoes For Center)

Overall Rating

95 %

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Nike LeBron 20 are the new favourite basketball shoes of many NBA stars. It’s a low-top version to give more freedom. But it has not compromised ankle support.

LeBron Jame’s 20th signature sneaker has comfortable cushioning for the heavy centers. The shoe has a full-length Cushlon. In comparison, the forefoot and rear foot areas have a small Zoom Turbo and Zoom Air unit. 

It is quite easy to judge from the cushion build-up that the shoe cushion is powerful enough to support a big guy like a centre for making high jumps. Thus it contains all the qualities of a great cushion, like impact protection, responsiveness, and the ability to push you to make a higher jump. 

The shoes have a carbon fibre shank plate in the midsole. The back of the shoe has an internal heel counter. That plastic piece protects the ankle area. It is essential for the shoe as its shape and lightweight material promote agility.

Zike LeBron 20 Lateral sides are covered with the hard side wall to give it lateral stability. It gives good support and stability on the court.

The outsole pattern is more like a maze to give multidirectional traction. It’s a perfect setup for asphalt and hardwood for its soft rubber. Hence it’s a 10/10 traction for indoor basketball courts, but it’s not durable outdoors.

The LeBron 20 has wrapped up with thick mesh material. It does not mean only mesh but also padded with fabric layers underneath. So we doubt its breathability. But it’s a durable upper, just like a Center needs.

The shoe has a snug fit, so wide feet players would be comfortable in one size up than their actual size. 

Read Full: Nike Lebron 19 Review

3. Air Jordan 37 (Best Basketball Shoes For Centers And Forward)

Overall Rating

90 %

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Air Jordan 37 has never failed to amaze us with its amazing hoop shoes each year. The latest on released at the end of 2022 with superb cushioning that is best for a heavy player.

The AirJordan 37 basketball shoe has a double stack zoom unit in the forefoot over the Phylon. The heel part has Formula 23, an injected more comfortable cushion for a lot of compression and bounce. 

The great thing about the Formula 23 cushioning is that you don’t lose the court feel, along with its springy and bouncy cushion that’s perfect for centers.

The sneaker has a midfoot carbon shank plate that gives it torsional rigidity. The back of the shoe has a thick plastic plate wrapping around the heel. This caging protects the ankle area. It’s good for big guys who need a lot of ankle protection. The wide base gives so much lateral containment.

The shoe material is Lenoweave, just like Air Jordan 36. It’s all mesh supported by an underlying zigzag at the lateral sides. But it’s wide holes in the foot and looks cheap. But you are getting this material for breathability. But sadly, the premium touch is missing.

The traction pattern is a compressed zigzag pattern. Thick and wide grooves grip like glue on multiple surfaces. So traction is reliable.

Air Jordan 37 has a snug fit. So buying a true-to-size fit is the best option unless you have a very wide-toe box. In that case, you should go half a size up than your actual size.

Read Full: Air Jordan 36 Low Review

4. Nike Zoom Freak 4 (Best Budget Basketball Shoes for Center)

Overall Rating

93 %

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Nike Zoom Freak 4 is loved by many NBA centers. Especially those who are loyal to the Freak line have loved this one too.

The cushioning in the Nike Zoon Freak 4 is composed of a full-length thin Phylon. That is coupled with React foam in the rear foot. While in the forefoot area, it has a Zoom unit stacked to give a comfortable base underneath your feet.

The bounce and jump force is amazing. It will add more millimetres to your jump height than any other shoe.

The support and lockdown are a bit tricky in Zoom Freak 4. Its base has no shank plate. However, the swoosh on the sides and rubber nicely cages the sneaker giving it good lateral stability. But the shoe can easily bend from the middle area. So it does not give torsional rigidity.

The material on the shoes is made up of a textile upper. The sides of the shoes have stretchable uppers. At the same time, the toe box has more knit and breathable material. It does not look premium, but the material is durable for a big, dude-like center.

The shoe fits true to size. It’s a snug-fit shoe with a little outrigger on the forefoot. Hence giving good lateral containment and stability for agile and nimble moves.

The outsole tread pattern is wavy lines. Thin and narrow grooves give solid traction on the indoor basketball courts. But the tread pattern is not ideal for outdoor courts because it will melt down and fuse in hot outdoor areas and make the outsole slippery.

5. Puma MB.02 (Best Puma Basketball Shoes For Center)

Overall Rating

85 %

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Puma MB.02 is a bomb in performance and cushioning sections. It’s improved in so many aspects from the first signature shoe. MB.02 is undoubtedly a compact and solid choice for Forwards and Centers.

The full-length Nitrofoam cushion makes the shoe’s base. Nitrofoam cushion has a very soft and plush feel. It’s like you are digging your feet into the foam. The Nitrofoam is engineered to absorb impact.

Thus it focuses more on protecting the feet rather than the energy return that makes you do high jumps. 

The shoes have TPU counters integrated into the upper material of the shoe sides. Also, the back of the shoe has an internal heel counter. The base, although do not contain a shank plate, is stiffer and more rigid. It gives good stability on the court on all the lateral and sideways moves. 

The Puma MB.02 upper is a woven mesh reinforced on the toe box by shiny overlays. It’s a padded and soft upper that gives comfort. Its mesh upper is breathable.

Puma MB.02 has a racing tire traction pattern on the outsole. The translucent outsole has very thin grooves. The traction on MN.02 is amazing. It performs superbly on multiple surfaces.

The shoe fit is snug. Medium-feet players should buy true-to-size shoes. However, if you have very wide feet, you should go up by at least half the size.

Read Full: Puma MB.01 Review

6. Nike Kyrie Infinity Kyrie 8 (Best Basketball Shoes For Versatile Players)

Overall Rating

80 %

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Nike Kyrie Infinity is a well-balanced basketball sneaker of the year 2022. It’s a shoe best known for control, stability and grip.

The shoe has a forefoot zoom Strobel and Zoom air unit in the heel. The zoom air will protect the heel and ankle bone on hard landings. Moreover, the high ankle collar provides extra safety to the ankle area.

The shoe has a textile upper. The mesh and textile mix upper is average on breathability ground. The shoe has a beautiful leather design and suede patch on the ankles, with a hard piece wrapping the back of the shoe. 

Two X-shape straps are attached to the material to pass laces from them. The whole setup of the shoe material hugs the feet and gives a superior lockdown like none other.

However, the base of Nike Kyrie infinity has no stiff plate. So it gives no torsional rigidity. It’s overall a stable sneaker where you will get good lateral stability.

The outsole has a chaotic traction pattern. It takes an initial break-in time. But once broken in, it has a solid grip on all surfaces, especially abrasive outdoor courts.

Nike Kyrie 8 has a nice fit. It hugs perfectly and gives a snug, cosy feel. You should buy a true-to-size pair if you are the medium or wide footer.

See Full: Nike Kyrie 8 Review

Also check: Are Kyrie Shoes Good For Basketball?

7. Nike Cosmic Unity 2 (Best Basketball Shoes for Small Forward)

Overall Rating

92 %

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Nike Cosmic Unity 2 is another solid performance shoe for Centers and any other player who wants a balanced cushion with impact protection.

Nike Cosmic unity 2 has a full-length Zoom Strobel unit as cushioning. It is soft and responsive. But it is not as plush and springy as it makes you feel high up on the ground. That means you will get a good court feel in these sneakers.

However, if you want a more cosy feel, you can use over-the-counter orthotics for improved comfort.

The shoes give secure lock down with lace loops coming directly from the material to give a better fit. The shoes have big Nike swoosh on the sides. The plastic piece wrapping on the side gives good support and stability. There is no issue with lateral stability.

The upper material is woven mesh. It’s padded from the inside to give cushioned and comfortable feel. But at the same time, it has reduced breathability. 

The traction pattern is like a blooming flower. It is a topnotch traction pattern that will allow you to stop on a dime whichever way you want. Moreover, it’s great on indoor and outdoor basketball courts. Thick rubber grooves do not pick up dust and look durable.

The shoe has a snug fit. So as a narrow or medium footer, you should buy true to size pair. Overall, it’s a very balanced basketball shoe.

See Full: Nike Cosmic Unity 2 Review

8. Nike KD 15 (Best Basketball Shoes For a 7th Grade Center)

Overall Rating

90 %

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Nike KD 15 is a huge upgrade from the previous one. This one has much better anatomical accommodation for the foot. Thus, these are perfect for big hoopers, small forward, and power forwards.

The cushioning in the KD 15 is a full-length cushion with a Zoom Strobel unit stacked on top of it. Combined gives a good jump force for shooting the ball from above the opponent’s head. It’s a very bouncy and springy cushion.

The shoe has superior support features as well. The midsole has a TPU shank plate to give torsional rigidity. The sides of the KD 15 are wrapped with TPU plastic pieces. That gives good lateral containment and stability.

The same TPU piece is integrated with laces that pass through the upper material and give a very secure lockdown and fit.

The upper material and tongue of the shoe are made up of ventilated mesh material. It’s cosy and breathable. Also, it’s very durable.

The traction pattern is something you are going to love. It’s like a water droplet creating a spread in the water stream but with ripples. The deep and thick grooves grip very nicely. There is no issue with traction on any surface.

The shoe fits true to size. So if you are a wide feet player, buy a size up than the actual size.

See Full: Nike KD 15 Review

9. New Balance Kawhi 2 (Best New Balance Basketball Shoes for Center)

Overall Rating

90 %

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It’s the second signature shoe of Kawhi Leonard, with its simple yet effective engineering around the shoe.

The Kawhi 2 basketball shoe’s cushion comprises New Balance’s Fuel cell cushioning technology. They use double-density full-length foam. As we know, New Balance is more concerned about improving foot orthotics, so this cushion is better for impact protection than bounciness.

It’s a very reliable cushion. The high ankle collar will protect the ankle bone perfectly. It has a midfoot shank plate that gives a stiff base. The back of the shoe has an internal TPU heel counter. 

The sides and material are very supportive. It feels stable on the lateral moves. Lateral containment is good too. There is no heel slippage issue.

The upper material is made up of specialised Leno-weave mesh. The toe box has overlays on pressure points. Woven mesh is very breathable, durable and comfortable.

The outsole traction pattern consists of a wavy pattern. The translucent outsole gives reliable traction. It helps you make rapid turns and stops and goes just easily. 

The shoe fits Snug. The material is very padded. Especially the tongue is soft and plush. A true-to-size fit would be perfectly fine for most players.

See Full: New Balance Kawhi 2 Review

10. Jordan Zion 2 (Best jordan basketball shoes for center)

Overall Rating

87 %

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Jordan Zion 2 are very modern and new-era Jordan shoes. They maintained the Jordans’ quality with the same DNA but in a lightweight package.

The cushion in the Jordan Zion 2 is Zoom Strobel in the heel and Zoom Air in the forefoot area. Hence you get a nice bounce and impact protection without compromising on the court feel.

The shoe is good for bigger guys with amazing support features. The lateral outriggers make it a stable shoe, while the shank plate on the base gives toughness in the base to protect the feet from unnecessary twisting. Zion 2 is very stable on the lateral and sideways moves.

The shoe material is textile mesh with leather patches on strategic locations. It gives it a premium look. It’s padded to give a comfortable feel throughout the game. 

Two Achilles pads on the ankle area protect the ankles and give a secure fit and lockdown.

The shoe has a mix of delta and linear patterns on the outsole. It covers you perfectly on your side-to-side and pivoting movements. The rooves do not pick up dust. Overall outsole and upper material are tough and durable.

The shoe has a true-to-size fit. It’s more on the snug side. If you are a bigger guy with a wide-toe box, you should buy a size up to the actual size.

See Full Review: Jordan Zion 2 Review 2023

What Shoes Do NBA Centers Wear?

We have compiled the shoes worn by famous basketball centers to make things easier for you. As a simple rule of thumb, if those shoes worked for them on the basketball court, they will also be your best buddies on the ball game.

• Nikola Vucevic is a famous Center for Chicago Bulls, and he likes playing in Nike PG6 for too many games in the past year.
• Jonas Valanciuna has liked playing in Nike Air Max for too many games. But recently, he has developed a great liking for Nike KD shoes. The Lithuania-based basketball star has now switched to the KD shoes. 
• The Center from Indiana Pacers, Myles Turner, has played in Nike Kobe 5 Protro. He also liked the Nike PG series and played in PG3 in too many NBA games.
• Chicago bulls selected Bosnian player Jusuf Nurkic in the 2014 NBA draft. He has played in many top-tier basketball shoes. He played in Nike LeBron 20, Nike LeBron Soldier 14, Nike LeBron Witness 6, Nike LeBron Witness 5, and Nike LeBron 18 Low. As a Center in basketball, he likes the LeBron James signature basketball from the comfort and stability standpoints.
• The big Center, Andre Drummond, is a big-time fan of Air Jordan 10. He played like in them for most of his career. As a Chicago Bulls player, he also wears PG5 and Nike KD 14.
• Al Horford, the Center at Boston Celtics, has switched to PG6 and played in Nike Hyperdunk shoes for the starting years.
• Brook Lopez is a Center who plays for Stanford Cardinal. He is Loyal to Nike Zoom Freak Series. From the 1st in the line of Zoom Freak, he played in 2,3 and 4.

The Los Angles Laker Anthony Devis is a big Center. He has worn many top basketball shoes, such as Nike Kobe 6 Protro and Nike Cosmic unity. Recently he has been seen in NBA games in LeBron James’s Shoes. He is seen in Nike LeBron 20 in recent games.

How We Selected Best Basketball Shoes For Centers/ Big Guys  

When we opt for selecting a good shoe for a big guy, we have certain things in mind to facilitate a guy who is quite bulky and is standing in a rather tough position on the basketball court.

Centres take positions near the hoop to forward the ball to the nearby player, or they point most of the scores in the paint from offensive rebounds.

For a tall and big guy on the court with the most athleticism and strength in the team, we need to look for a shoe that effectively bears his weight. To be more precise, its cushion should not flatten out after a month. 

The more stable it is, the better. It should give the adequate support that a Center need when playing on a tough offensive or defensive side for their team.

Last up. All that matters is your style and personnel preference. We recommend the qualities of the shoe that a Center would need in their basketball shoes. However, you can select the one that best suits your playoff style.

Cushion That Increases Your Jump height

A Center in basketball is the tallest guy. So is expected to handle the ball from a certain height. He dodges the defence and shoots the ball taking advantage of his height.

Speaking of that, if you pick up a flat cushion, like Kyrie, that is truly a guard shoe having a very thin cushion. Chances are, you will feel pain in your knees and legs from constant jumping at the end of the game.

And if you ignore your muscle tone, you may end up out of the court for a few months. A cushion should be the top priority on the list of what to look for in the best basketball shoe for the Center.

A responsive cushion will absorb impact when you plant your feet on the ground after each high jump. It will effectively prevent your joints from being crushed on hard landings.

Because no guard in NBA is less than 250 pounds right now, you need solid protection in the form of a plush and comfortable cushion. That gives impact protection, acts as a shock absorber, and adds a few inches to the jump height.

Support Is Essential For Big Guys Like Centers And Forwards

Ankles remain the most susceptible point to injuries in basketball to date. Being heavy player, Centers often gets ankle injury. 

Most of them even have a history of injuries during high school. Thus they need very secure and supportive shoes to prevent more damage to their ankle bone.

Having said that, a shoe that supports their great structure and protects them from tripping on hard rebounds is what they actually need. 

A wide base with an outrigger on the forefoot area would give them stability and support on their lateral moves. While shooting the ball, if a center is enthusiastic about making triple-doubles, he will try to play a furious game. 

Hence, A secure base with an internal heel counter and shank plate in the base will help to maintain the balance on the court. At the same time, it gives you confidence that you won’t lose your balance no matter what.

Traction To Give Solid Control Over Pivots

A Center needs a perfect grip like glue on the floor. They make quick turns and stops on a dime. So the base of their shoe should be good at giving them effective control and prevent from slipping on the court.

Having said that, it further depends on the basketball court floor; for example, playing on the outdoor basketball court requires grippy traction and a durable outsole. They can bear their body weight and don’t wear out soon.

While on the indoor basketball court, even the thin grooves would do well but make sure that shoes do not pick up the dust.

For Centres, a traction pattern with thick and wide grooves is a great option. Such a pattern won’t flat out soon from constant sliding and running on the basketball court. 

Upper Durability As It Goes Through A lot 

Centers need to have durable upper basketball shoes. In the previous days, basketball shoes were composed of tough and durable leather or Suede. 

Recently basketball shoe manufacturers are leaned more towards making shoes with synthetic mesh uppers. These are great from the breathability standpoint. 

But all-mesh uppers are less durable than textile knit, leather, or Suede. Hence look for a basketball shoe with suede and leather patches on the pressure points, such as the toe box, lateral sides and heel counter. 

The shoe with mixed material would be better at durability and breathability for much longer than a sneaker with only a mesh upper.

Personal Preference 

Last, if you feel comfortable in a shoe and don’t want to overcomplicate the process of choosing and buying, get the one that goes better with your playing style.

Speaking of that, Centers might want basketball shoes with crazy impact protection and a wide fit. So go ahead and buy a pair that fits both criteria.

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