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In only the third game of his second season, Michael Jordan<\/strong> would break his foot in the Air Jordan 1 and miss the majority of the regular season. Sure, by modern day playing standards the Air Jordan 1<\/strong> is not up to par with the current crop of kicks. But back then, they definitely were. While wearing the Air Jordan 1, MJ had one of the greatest rookie year’s ever by averaging 28.2 points a game, becoming an All-Star starter and a household name.<\/p>\n Even after the injury, Michael Jordan came back for the postseason in the Air Jordan 1 and dropped 63 points on the Celtics. As well all know, Michael Jordan and the AJ1 legacy would be just fine. Jordan’s career would continue with a relatively clean bill of health and his signature line would provide the building blocks for the sneaker culture we live in today.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In his young prime, Penny Hardaway<\/strong> was one of the top players in the NBA. A joy to watch, he gave the Golden Era Bulls fits and dazzled like the second coming of Magic Johnson. Unfortunately, Hardaway’s career would have hiccups due to numerous injuries. The injuries would occur during the later days of his famous Nike Air Penny<\/strong> line and eventually in top-tier shoes from the Nike Flight camp. While Penny fought injuries in Nikes, he also made All-Star and All-NBA teams just the same in those shoes.<\/p>\n Despite injuries putting a damper on his career, the Penny Hardaway signature line is more than thriving on the retro market. Numerous NBA stars of today take to the hardwood in various models from the Nike Air Penny, with the Penny-endorsed Foamposite franchise also favorited on and off court. Though Penny did get hurt at a time when Nike Air Penny sneakers were hot, it should be noted that this stint of injuries started in a point in his career where he had more mileage. This also came at a time when he had to carry more of the team weight with Shaq moving to LA. While everyone may wonder what could’ve been, both Penny and his kicks remain beloved by fans of basketball and sneakers alike.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grant Hill<\/strong> is one of the greatest talents the game has ever seen. A class act on and off the court, his well-rounded game and clean image made him one of the most marketable and popular players of the 1990s. How popular you ask? In his first two NBA seasons, he led the league in All-Star votes, becoming the first rookie to do so in his first year, only topping that accolade in his second season by beating out the recently un-retired Michael Jordan in votes. Yes, that’s Space Jam<\/em> starring, ring winning, high-flying Michael Jordan we all know. Simply put, Grant Hill was new, likable and just that good.<\/p>\n Near the end of his sixth season, Hill would suffer an ankle injury right before the playoffs. He would play on the hurt ankle to help his team, but eventually re-injure it for what would be a nagging problem over the course of his following seasons in Orlando. Some skeptics, namely Charles Barkley<\/a>, blamed the injury on Hill wearing FILA sneakers<\/strong> rather than Nikes. Just the same, Hill had racked up Rookie of the Year, All-NBA and All-Star honors in those same FILAs.<\/p>\n Hill would find the fountain of youth in Phoenix, playing in 81 games plus postseason and preseason action during the 2009-10 season. Oddly enough, he would do so in the Nike Hyperize – a shoe supposedly\u00a0banned by one team’s\u00a0training staff. So, in the case of shoes vs. injuries who really knows? Hard to put any blame on the shoes in Hill’s case, but more likely a credit to Hill and the successful, unorthodox methods of the Suns training staff<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lockouts and Michael Jordan’s retirement had the NBA losing some of its luster. Then basketball was gifted Vince Carter<\/strong>, who brought the bounce back to the game we love. The acrobatic swingman from North Carolina soon became a fan favorite in two countries via his high-wire act in Toronto. After lacing up the likes of PUMA, AND1 and adidas sneakers, Nike eventually signed the star to spearhead their new Shox technology. He’d more than do that, jumping over a 7-footer in the Olympics wearing the introductory BB4 model and later endorsing his own signature line of Shox.<\/p>\n During the course of his career, Carter would both battle injuries and reach All-Star status in Nike Shox<\/strong> sneakers. Carter’s early injuries would be that of “jumper’s knee” which make some sense for the league’s greatest leaper, though some stay the condition may be associated with stiff ankles or ankle sprains.<\/p>\n Doctors have debated<\/a> whether or not Shox, Air, or any other brand’s footwear with elevated heel cushioning make for a higher likelihood of ankle injuries. Marketing aside, one would assume the intention from padded cushioning was to add support while landing. Though some may tie VC and his Shox to injuries, Carter really only had one season where he played less than 50 games. By modern day standards, he’s one of the longest lasting vets in the game and a player who’s continued to evolve while still having a knack for the showtime. While Vince Carter has started his 17th season wearing Nike basketball shoes with Lunar cushioning, he played in Shox sneakers from the summer of 2000 to the fall of 2010. He played in 60+ games in all but one of those seasons.<\/p>\n Shox currently reside in a strange place in the US market where they’re not new enough to be likened for performance wear and not old enough to appear as retro. Will Shox bounce back in retro or peformance fashion like visible Air has in the past five years? Only time will tell.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the past few years, Derrick Rose<\/strong> has been the catalyst for critics tying sneakers to injury. Despite achieving his numerous accolades, namely the youngest MVP in NBA history, in adidas sneakers, back to back injuries suffered in the adidas D Rose 2.5<\/strong> and D Rose 4<\/strong> had people equating adidas with injuries. This anti-adidas sentiment began to increase when Kevin Ware suffered a gruesome injury in a Three Stripes. Conversely, it didn’t quite carry over to the other direction when Rajon Rondo or Paul George were hurt wearing Nike.<\/p>\n Derrick Rose would return from both injuries wearing his adidas signature line, most recently lacing up the adidas D Rose 5 during his FIBA run with Team USA. Though skeptics still exist, it should be noted that while Rose was off the court his adidas D Rose line was worn with some regularity by Damian Lillard. Lillard laced up adidas D Rose models over the course of his first two seasons which saw Rookie of the Year honors only to be followed with his first All-Star nod.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nPenny Hardaway – Nike Air Penny 3<\/h2>\n photo via Uproxx<\/a>\/The Grand Archives<\/a>\n
Grant Hill – FILA GH Line<\/h2>\n photo via Sole Collector<\/a>\n
Vince Carter – Nike Shox series<\/h2>\n photo via Pintrest<\/a>\n
Derrick Rose – adidas D Rose 2.5 & 4<\/h2>\n photo by Jonathan Daniel\/Getty Images via Zimbio<\/a>\n
Kobe Bryant – Nike Kobe 8<\/h2>\n photo by Stephen Dunn\/Getty Images via Zimbio<\/a>\n