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The NBA’s shoe game is as alive as ever, thanks to players like PJ Tucker and DeMar DeRozan. who are among the top sneakerheads across sports. Tucker’s repertoire as a sneakerhead went into full swing once the playoffs rolled, and it got amped up in the NBA Finals.
Thanks to Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, who revolutionized the shoe industry in the mid-80s, sneaker collecting has become a huge hobby that shoe companies are scrambling to cater to year in and year out.
Some of the biggest sneakerheads are in the NBA
A lot of the players in this era were sneakerheads long before they signed their first contracts with an NBA team. As soon as their first paychecks came in, they almost immediately thought about their shoe game heading into their first professional game.
On that note, here's a look at the top five sneakerheads in the NBA right now:
#5 Chris Paul
A surefire Hall-of-Famer when he retires, Chris Paul is also one of the top sneakerheads in the NBA. The Phoenix Suns guard can get just about any shoe he wants in almost as much quantity he desires, owing to his deal as a Jordan brand endorser.
Paul has an Ultimate Jordan Vault, which houses his entire shoe collection, including his many Jordan I’s, which are among his favorite shoes of all time. Moreover, he has some of the slickest collections of Air Jordan PEs (Player Edition), and he has an incredible amount of them, too.
From the hardwood to the kicks that he owns, CP3 is definitely a legend.
#4 DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan has been a sneakerhead for as long as one can remember. His favorite shoes are Kobes, and he was blessed to carry the legacy of the Black Mamba for Nike back in 2018 when he was tabbed as the torchbearer for the LA Lakers legend’s shoe line.
Though the late Kobe Bryant is no more, DeRozan remains with the shoe company the all-time great helped make famous. DeRozan has Kobes, Jordans, Foamposites and just about every Nike shoe imaginable in his closet. But his all-time favorites are Kobes.
Recently, the All-Star shooting guard challenged sneakerhead king, PJ Tucker, on social media about his collection. The two got into a friendly spat with DeMar DeRozan, seemingly ready to challenge Tucker’s legendary shoe collection.
After signing a three-year, $85 million contract to play for the Chicago Bulls in free agency, DeRozan has the financial ability to take Tucker’s throne in the near future. The only question is whether DeRozan can match the quality of Tucker’s collection.
#3 Montrezl Harrell
Reebok endorser and sneakerhead Montrezl Harrell has been showing off the sneaker company's kicks throughout the season.
Whenever he gets an opportunity, the Washington Wizards forward-center would put on display classic 1990s colorways that would catch the attention of other sneakerheads.
Among the many Reebok sneakers he rocked were Shaquille O’Neal’s Shaqnosis and Allen Iverson’s Question, the Philadelphia 76ers’ first signature shoe. Not surprisingly, Harrell mentioned previously that he has over a thousand sneakers in his collection.
Harrell’s passion on the court translated into more attention to his shoes as he screamed and jammed his way to 13.5 points and 6.2 rebounds a game last season.
Playing for the Lakers last season gave Harrell the spotlight he needed as he laced up some of the best sneakers from Reebok and left many other sneakerheads salivating whenever he took the court.
#2 Langston Galloway
Langston Galloway is an underrated sneakerhead, but he is slowly growing his collection, and is now a force to be reckoned with. In a Forbes article by Ben Stinar in late January, he revealed that he had approximately 2,500 pairs of shoes/
According to Stinar, Galloway loves retros and considers them his favorites.
Galloway unveiled his sneaker company, ETHICS, ahead of the 2021 NBA Finals. where he wore an all-white version of his signature shoe ETHICS LG 1.
Though the passionate sneakerhead wasn’t able to play a minute in the Finals, he rocked them during shoot-around prior to the games. According to ESPN’s Nick DePaula, the company will have 'a full retail release of several colorways' this fall.
Previously, he was a sneaker free agent who could wear any brand he wanted. Now, Galloway is a sneakerhead who wears his own shoes from his own company, a legacy he wants to leave behind for his children.
#1 PJ Tucker
PJ Tucker is the biggest sneakerhead in the league and a Nike endorser to boot. Tucker has been an avid shoe collector since college. and his passion for the hobby only grew as soon as he entered the pro ranks in 2006.
The newly hired Miami Heat forward had over 5,000 pairs of shoes before last season started. As SI.com’s Jarrel Harris noted last year, Tucker brought 91 pairs of sneakers to the Orlando bubble and added more to that until he had 110.
One of the top sneakers Tucker rocked during the 2020-21 season was the Ray Allen PE Jordan 12, which had 'Sugar Ray' etched onto it. He was able to put his stamp off the floor in the NBA Finals as well.
As he headed to Fiserv Forum for Game 6, the legendary sneakerhead wore a pair of diamond encrusted Jordan 1 x Off White sneakers.
As Ben McKimm of Man of Many noted, these were custom-made by “the Shoe Surgeon himself in collaboration with Jason of Beverly Hills, who called them 'the most insane sneakers to hit the tunnel this season'.
After the 2021 NBA Finals, Tucker is not only the undisputed sneakerhead king, he is now also an NBA champion.
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