Do Any NBA Players Wear Converse?

Converse has been a popular basketball shoe since the early 1900s. But, do any NBA players wear Converse?

Introduction

Converse shoes have been around for over 100 years and were once the shoe of choice for many NBA players. In recent years, however, Nike has taken over as the shoe of choice for many NBA players. While there are still a few players who wear Converse shoes, they are far outnumbered by those who wear Nike shoes.

Converse in the NBA

It’s no secret that many NBA players have signature shoes with big brands like Nike and Adidas. But there are still a few players who bucks the trend and wear Converse on the court. Some notable players who have worn Converse in the past are Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. Let’s take a look at a few more players who currently wear Converse in the NBA.

players who have worn Converse in the NBA

Wilt Chamberlain, one of the most dominant players in NBA history, wore Converse. So did Jerry West, Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson. Nowadays, it’s mostly guys like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade who are keeping the brand relevant in the world’s premier basketball league.

But there was a time when just about every player in the NBA wore Chuck Taylor All Stars, the classic canvas sneaker first released in 1917. In fact, Converse’s share of the basketball shoe market was close to 98 percent in 1969, according to Matt Powell, sports industry analyst for NPD Group.

“It was just the basketball shoe,” said Powell. “Chamberlain and all those guys wore them. It was just what you wore.”

That all started to change in 1972 when a young Portland Trail Blazers player named Geoff Petrie signed a deal with Nike co-founder Phil Knight to wear his new company’s shoes. The Nike Blazer was born, and other companies soon followed suit with their own basketball shoes. By 1980, Converse’s share of the basketball shoe market had fallen to just 20 percent as brands like Adidas and Puma gobbled up market share.

Converse and the NBA today

Converse has been a part of the NBA since the league’s inception in 1946. The brand was worn by some of the greatest players in the history of the game, including Chuck Taylor, who for whom the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star sneaker is named.

In recent years, however, Converse has been largely absent from the NBA. In fact, as of 2019, there are no players in the league who are endorsed by Converse. There are a few players who wear Converse sneakers anyway, but they are not paid to do so.

It’s not clear why Converse has pulled back from the NBA in recent years. Maybe they don’t see basketball as a growth market. Or maybe they’re just not willing to pay what it would cost to sign top players like LeBron James and Steph Curry. Whatever the reason, it’s a shame that we don’t see more Converse on the hardwood these days.

The End of an Era

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a decade since the last NBA player wore Converse on the court. In the 1970s and 1980s, Converse was the go-to brand for NBA players. But, by the early 2000s, that started to change. Nike and Adidas began to dominate the NBA landscape and Converse was left behind. In 2001, the last NBA player to wear Converse on the court was Jerry Stackhouse.

Converse and the NBA today

In recent years, the number of NBA players rocking Chuck Taylors on the court has decreased drastically. In fact, as of early 2019, only two players in the entire league were still wearing Converse sneakers: Kentucky’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Toronto’s own Chris Boucher.

But while the Converse brand may no longer be as prominent in the NBA as it once was, there’s no denying that it played a major role in shaping the league as we know it today. Let’s take a look back at Converse’s history with the NBA, and how the company helped shaped the league into what it is today.

Converse first became involved with the NBA in 1936, when company founder Marquis Mills Converse signed a deal with Boston Celtics player Chuck Taylor to promote his signature line of sneakers. The Chuck Taylor All-Star quickly became a staple on NBA courts, and by 1950, approximately 70% of all NBA players were wearing them.

Converse’s domination of the basketball sneaker market continued throughout the 1950s and ‘60s. In fact, during that time period, nearly every single player in the league wore Chuck Taylors on the court. It wasn’t until 1968 that another company (Adidas) broke Converse’s grip on theNBA sneaker market, when Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West signed a deal to endorse their shoes.

Even though other brands have since surpassed Converse in terms of popularity among NBA players, there’s no denying that they played a major role in shaping the league as we know it today. From popularizing sneakers as a legitimate piece of on-court gear to helping turn superstar athletes into global brands, Converse has left an indelible mark on the world of basketball.

The last player to wear Converse in the NBA

On October 14th, 2017, Wesley Matthews became the last player in the NBA to wear Converse on-court. In an era where big money sneaker deals are commonplace, it’s hard to imagine that a player would choose to wear a pair of shoes that aren’t made by one of the major brands. But that’s exactly what Matthews did. In an interview with Sole Collector, Matthews said, “I’ve just always liked Converse. I grew up wearing them. When I got to the league, I started wearing them again.”

Matthews isn’t the only player to have worn Converse in recent years. Kobe Bryant wore a pair of Converse during his final game in 2016, and LeBron James was known for wearing Converse during his time in high school and AAU ball. But with Matthews out of the league, it looks like the era of players wearing Converse in the NBA has come to an end.

Conclusion

After looking at the footwear of NBA players over the years, it’s evident that Converse has lost its luster in the world of basketball. While players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have worn Converse in the past, it seems that the brand has fallen out of favor with many of today’s stars. Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour are now the dominant brands in the NBA, with each company having a stable of superstar athletes signed to endorsement deals. So while you may see a player wearing Converse from time to time, don’t expect to see many players rocking the brand on a nightly basis.