There are many different athletic shoes that a person can choose from these days. A person will choose them based on what they are needed for and if someone plays a specific sport or not. One of the top choices for a hoops player would be Nike basketball shoes.

The company was initially founded in 1964 by Phil Knight. At that time the company was called Blue Ribbon Sports and later had its name changed. The name Nike was chosen after a dream was had incorporating the Greek Goddess of victory that has the same name. Shortly after the name change the company patented their well known swoosh as their emblem.

The early sneakers were made with a sole that featured Air Sole units. These soles were made with bags of pressurized gas in them so they would compress at impact then spring back to size. This technology was brought to them by a former aerospace engineer.

In 1984 the company signed Michael Jordan to an endorsement contract. Michael Jordan was, at that time, just entering the NBA and making his presence felt there and in marketing. The year after signing on with Nike his shoe became the signature model for them, the Air Jordan.

Michael's Air Jordan line brought the basketball spotlight to the company. The shoes were not allowed to be worn during a game because they did not meet the league dress code at that time. Even though he was warned of this Michael still wore the shoes and received fines for each time he did. The fines worked as an advertisement for Nike and Michael because it consistently put the Air Jordan's in the news for everyone to see.

In 1986 Michael won the slam dunk contest of the NBA and requested that he be allowed to have more of a say in the designing of his line. Because of this he chose to use lighter materials and go with a three-quarter cut shoe height. With the shoe taking on different looks and being made with different materials than the standard line the Air Jordan sales increased significantly. With Michael playing a large part in the design of the line he was able to put many of his own thoughts into how the product came out.

After the success that the Air Jordan line had many other NBA players have also signed endorsement deals with the company. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Vince Carter, and many others all have signature shoes that are available. Many of these superstars have also become more in tune with the designing of their line to make sure they are truly signature lines for their personalities.

Nike basketball shoes are well endorsed by top NBA players from today and the past. Any of these lines would be a good choice for someone seeking a shoe that is fashionable and effective on the court. The fact that many of the players help design their lines keeps the choices personalized for each player and different than what other companies put out.