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Basketball is one of the most popular sports for both serious athletes and casual sports enthusiasts alike. Whether you’re looking to play competitively, join a recreational sports league or simply play some pickup basketball with your friend, it’s very important to choose the right basketball sneakers before you hit the court. Basketball is a sport of footwork and the shoes you wear have a massive impact on both your safety and performance on the court. The best basketball shoe for you will vary based on your position, play style and budget preferences.

In this guide, we’ll tell you exactly what you need to look for and share our favorite picks.

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There are two main things to consider when choosing basketball shoes. First, what sort of feet do you have? And do you have any limitations?

If you have flat feet, you may need additional support. Those with wide feet may need to avoid specific shoes and brands and if you have a history of ankle or foot injuries, you may want to choose a more supportive, high-top shoe.

The second thing to consider is the position you’ll be playing. If you’re playing casual pick-up games, a versatile shoe is best. However, if you’re part of a team and always play the same position, a shoe designed specifically for your position may give you a slight advantage.

Use the following points to help you decide or you can use players’ signature shoes. An agile player like Stephen Curry generally has low-top shoes, whereas a larger player like LeBron James might require more supportive shoes. As basketball shoes are often named after players, that may help you choose based on your position and play style.

Related: How to find the best training shoes for your fitness needs

The first thing you want to look at is stability, mainly around the ankle and foot. Gone are the days of playing in old-school Converse sneakers, as today’s shoes are built for support. Nearly all basketball shoes are designed to provide traction with both cement and hardwood floors, so you don’t need to worry much about the sole, but the rest of the shoe will vary.

Low-top shoes, which provide less ankle support, often allow more mobility and slightly quicker movement. If you’re a guard or small forward, you need to be quick, agile and able to change directions as fast as possible. Lighter shoes with less ankle restriction will be a great fit.

For power forwards and centers, who spend more time playing under the basket, you’ll be jumping more, getting pushed around and wanting a bit more stability. High-top and mid-top basketball shoes provide a bit more support and will probably be a better fit.

When it comes to cushioning, some shoes are quite padded, providing a significant amount of cushioning, while others tend to be slightly less cushioned.

This mostly boils down to personal preference, but the position you play may impact your decision. If you’re a power forward or center, you likely have a bigger frame and more bodyweight, so you may benefit from heavily-cushioned shoes.

Guards or those who are smaller, may not require as much cushioning, as there’s less impact with each step. Light to moderate cushioning is probably best for agility players.

The support of your shoe, particularly around the ankle, is also very important and this is where you’ll see the most variance among basketball shoes. Basketball is a game of quick movements, with a lot of starting, stopping and changing directions.

Proper support helps minimize the risk of ankle injury due to changing direction too fast, stepping on someone’s foot or jumping and landing wrong.

If you’re a power forward or center, a larger individual or have a history of ankle injuries, we suggest choosing a high-top model with plenty of foot and ankle support. If you’re a smaller person, play a guard position or don’t mind having less support, low-top shoes will be a great choice.

Related: Kevin Durant shares his favorite basketball shoes

Most basketball shoes are designed with plenty of support around the foot, as manufacturers know that basketball requires a lot of lateral movement, so you should really only need to worry about ankle support. Non-basketball shoes may not provide enough mid-foot support to keep you from sliding around, but most basketball shoes should offer plenty of foot support.

Finally, the cost is important to consider before you start shopping, as the cost can become quite high, especially when choosing player model shoes.

If you are working with a tighter budget, don’t worry–there are some fantastic options that will still get the job done. You certainly don’t need the newest model or the latest shoe from your favorite player.

And if you do like purchasing player series shoes, you can always try older models. For example, Kyrie Low 3s are sure to be cheaper than Kyrie Low 5s and still provide a high-quality shoe. 

Because basketball shoes are very supportive and tend to be snug-fitting around the foot and ankle, it’s essential to break them in before wearing them for hours at a time. Give yourself at least 1-2 weeks to break in a pair of new shoes before wearing them to a competitive event or extended practice.

Try wearing them for about 10 minutes per day of light activity. After the first three to five days, increase to 20 minutes per day for a few days, then 30 minutes per day and so on. Skipping this phase and wearing brand-new shoes for a game, is a great way to cause rubbing, irritation and blisters.

Most running shoes would not be a good choice for playing basketball. If you’re just shooting some hoops or it’s your first time playing, they’ll work in a pinch, but if you’re going to be a regular player, you should invest in proper shoes.

Related: The best running shoes for beginners and experts alike

Running shoes are designed to cushion your feet, but most of the time, running happens in a straight line. Because basketball involves so much changing of direction, along with jumping and landing, you want to use something more supportive than a running shoe.

Basketball shoes should be snug, but not so tight they restrict blood flow or cause blisters. If your shoe is too loose, your feet may slide around when you’re trying to brace yourself, increasing the risk of injury.

Be sure to properly lace up your shoes tightly before each game. They should feel snug and secure, but not so tight that you’re going to lose circulation to your foot. 

While we wish this was true and some companies may claim this is true, shoes can’t do anything to add to your vertical jump. The main purpose of basketball shoes is proper support when moving quickly and cushioning when you jump and land on a hard surface.

If you see shoes with shock absorbers, bubbles or any kind of extra cushioning under the heel, just know that it's designed to absorb the shock when you jump. It doesn’t act like a spring, launching you higher when you jump.

Because basketball shoes are designed to be quite supportive, you’ll need to replace them more often than you may think. Once the support starts to wear out, your feet may move around more inside the shoe, which becomes dangerous.

Generally speaking, you want to replace your shoes after 300-500 miles of use. Assuming that you’re not measuring your running, we suggest checking your soles, as well as the stitching, every few weeks.

If you’re noticing the tread on the soles is getting worn out or the body of the shoe is beginning to stretch and tear anywhere, it’s time to replace them.

If you’re playing for several hours a day, you may need to replace your shoes after only a month or two. However, if you only play a few times per week, you’ll likely get several four to six months of wear out of each pair.

Finally, how you care for your shoe matters. If you wear your basketball shoes all day long and regularly play outdoors, the soles will wear out quicker. If you play mostly indoors and even better, change into your shoes to play and then change back out of them once you’re done, you’ll extend the life of your shoe. 

The best shoe for you comes down to preference, but any player at any position can find the perfect shoe to improve your game on our list.

Whether you’re a point guard dominating the neighborhood street courts or a center who’s fighting for rebounds and needs some additional ankle support, there’s a pair of basketball shoes in this guide that will be the perfect fit for you.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.

Matt is a writer, author, and online fitness coach based out of San Diego, CA.