When the final buzzer sounds on the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, the hope is that it won’t be an awkward display of fans being disenfranchised at the lack of effort and players looking like they’d rather be anywhere but the Intuit Dome. What we don’t have to worry about is the sneakers on display as the brands always make sure that their All-Stars are wearing the kicks they want the people to be talking about in the coming months.
Let’s take a look back at the NBA’s signature showcase and name the sneaker MVP from each year of the last quarter-century. A quick glance at the participants from each game might make one assume that it’s going to be dominated by signature athletes like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and the late Kobe Bryant. There are certainly years where that is the case. But sometimes, if not often times, it’s not the signature shoes that take home the title.
2000: Vince Carter
Sneaker: AND1 Tai Chi
Everybody remembers Vince Carter rocking the white and red AND1 Tai Chi during his iconic Slam Dunk Contest performance. But what gets overlooked is that he also wore the Tai Chi the following night for the All-Star Game but in a black and red colorway. Vince was a sneaker free agent at the time following a breakup with PUMA in 1999. He would wear adidas and AND1 during this time before signing with Nike in the summer of 2000.
2001: Kobe Bryant
Sneaker: adidas THE KOBE 1 Sunshine (aka adidas Crazy 1)
For a brief period between 1997 until 2002, the NBA All-Star Game opted out of designing special uniforms designed for the contest. The idea was that each team would be showcased like they are in baseball’s All-Star Game. Thankfully, that trend lasted only a few years before going back to what made the NBA’s showcase special, but that break did allow the players to wear sneakers they wouldn’t be able to wear in their typical red and blue color schemes. For the 2001 All-Star Game, Kobe debuted the bright yellow KOBE 1 as if to declare that a new era was here. Sadly, that era would be short-lived as Kobe would get out of his adidas contract a little over a year later and embark on his eventual journey to Nike.
2002: Chris Webber
Sneaker: Dada CDubzz Chrome
When Steph Curry wore Chris Webber’s Dada CDubzz in the infamous All-Star Game Chrome colorway back in January, every millennial sneakerhead probably jumped up and did the Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme. Worn by Chris Webber during the 2002 All-Star Game, the sneaker was somehow widely celebrated and ridiculed at the same time for their sheer audacity to exist. The cult classic would live on in the hearts and minds of kids who couldn’t wait to see the sneaker in the pages of SLAM Magazine. Thank goodness one of those kids was Steph Curry so he could introduce the kicks to a new generation right when early 2000s fashion is peaking once again.
2003: Kobe Bryant
Sneakers: Air Jordan 3 True Blue
For Michael Jordan’s final All-Star Game, he wore the White and Sport Royal colorway of the Air Jordan 18. It was the flagship model at the time so it was Jordan’s duty to represent his own brand and amplify what people could buy in stores. Kobe Bryant had no such obligation to any brand at the time because of his epic sneaker free agency. Whether it was an attempt to pay homage to MJ or to troll him because he could wear the cooler sneakers, Kobe rocked the True Blue colorway of the Air Jordan 3. No matter how you look at it, the moment of seeing the two legends in different generations of Jordans is something that will live in the minds of hoopers and sneakerheads forever.
2004: Metta Sandiford-Artest, aka Metta World Peace, aka Ron Artest
Shoes: All Of Them
Entering the 2004 NBA All-Star Game, Ron Artest did not have a sneaker deal. So in a moment of brilliance that coincides with the unserious nature of the All-Star Game, Ron decided to audition himself to the brands by wearing different mismatched pairs throughout the game, including the Nike Huarache 2K4, the Dada Spinners, his own AND1 Tru Warrior PEs and others.
Honorable mention to Tracy McGrady and his mismatched T-Mac 3s, but Ron using the All-Star Game as a pitch meeting is too funny to not recognize.
2005: Shaquille O’Neal
Sneaker: The Shaq Cell Phone Sneaker
Shaquille O’Neal’s sneaker legacy will forever be debated. Will he be remembered as the one who broke the big man curse with his legendary run at Reebok? Or maybe it’s his budget brand of varying degrees of quality that has made him more money than people can even imagine? What we can’t deny is Shaq’s ability to market himself, even if the joke is on him sometimes. Like when he stuck a functioning Nokia candy bar phone on the outsole of his sneakers and made teammates and celebrities use them right when the camera would be focused on them. Shaq would up the ante with video cameras and slot machines, but the legend of the gimmick sneaker began in 2005.
2006: Kobe Bryant
Sneaker: Nike Kobe 1 All-Star PE
In 2006, Nike would release a Kobe 1 in red, white, and black that would be dubbed the All-Star Game colorway. It would even get a Protro release in 2018 that Nike and the sneaker blogs would call the All-Star colorway. And yet that’s not the sneaker he actually wore in the 2006 All-Star Game. Instead, Kobe would wear a red, white, and blue pair that has yet to be released, opting to stay a player exclusive.
2007: LeBron James
Sneaker: Nike LeBron 4 All-Star
After a few years of flying under the radar on the sneaker side, Nike shot LeBron out of a cannon with the Nike LeBron 4. With a stunning Foamposite shell that playfully implemented graphics in a way they had not done on previous Foamposite sneakers, the sneaker represented a leap forward for LeBron. For all his All-Star sneakers, James wore the blue and white pair with graffiti artwork plastered on the white portion of Foamposite shell, further highlighting that this was not the Foams of the 90s.
2008: Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Ray Allen, Joe Johnson, Richard Hamilton
Sneaker: Air Jordan 23 PEs
There was a feeling of finality in the air with the Air Jordan 23 back in 2008 as many felt that it was the last proper Air Jordan signature shoe. Whether that was ever a possibility or not is something that will be left to interpretation by fans and sneaker historians, but Jordan Brand made sure all of their All-Stars paid homage by having them wear player exclusive versions that matched their respective uniforms. While Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony would switch up with their own signature models, the old heads Ray Allen, Joe Johnson, and Richard Hamilton would rock their 23s throughout the night.
2009: Amar’e Stoudemire
Sneaker: Nike Foamposite Lite PE
In our eyes, Amar’e Stoudemire is a first ballot hall of famer (hint, hint, voters this year), but his place in sneaker lore requires a little bit more study. While he was never blessed with a signature shoe, he was prominently featured by Nike Basketball throughout the 2000s. One of his more notable kicks was the Nike Foamposite Lite. On the same weekend that Nate made the silhouette famous thanks to his Kryptonate PE, Amar’e would get a similar treatment as well with a red and gold PE colorway. Featuring various symbols that likely represent Stoudemire’s spiritual journey at the time, the middle symbol is the Nyame Ye Ohene (“God Is King”) symbol, a significant Adinkra symbol that originates from the Akan people of Ghana in West Africa.
2010: LeBron James
Sneaker: Nike LeBron 7 All-Star
Unlike the sneakers that would come later on in LeBron’s All-Star history that focus on storytelling in order to enhance the connection a fan might have to the player and the product, the Nike LeBron 7 was just simply the best on a night when the NBA sold out the stadium the Dallas Cowboys play in. The Chlorine Blue upper was just a shade off from the team’s blue All-Star uniforms and the woodgrain finish etched on the sneaker added a layer of depth to Jason Petrie’s first LeBron sneaker.
2011: Derrick Rose
Sneaker: adidas D-Rose 1 Simeon
In a sea of red and blue, Derrick Rose stood out by simply wearing yellow. Paying tribute to his high school days at Simeon Career Academy, Rose’s signature shoe debut was such a stunning contrast to everybody else that you couldn’t help but notice the eventual NBA MVP.
2012: Rajon Rondo
Sneaker: Nike Air Foamposite One Galaxy
Arguably the strongest All-Star sneaker year since 1996, there was a vibe shift in the sneaker world as they became fully mainstream thanks to a number of high profile releases in the months leading up to the February showcase that let people know this was more than just a niche hobby. While Nike Basketball delivered with the Galaxy collection and adidas showed out with the All-Star D-Rose 2.5, it was Rajon Rondo who showed out by wearing the hottest sneaker at arguably its hottest time, the Nike Air Foamposite One Galaxy.
2013: Kobe Bryant
Sneaker: Nike Kobe 8 Area 72
No matter what Nike or Jordan or adidas or any other brand on the court for the 2013 All-Star Game had planned, it was going to be difficult to surpass the insanity of 2012. Thankfully, with the All-Star Game in Houston, Nike was able to return to the out of this world theme but with more of a focus on the extraterrestrial. The Nike Kobe 8’s engineered mesh upper allowed for a variety of graphical styles, and the All-Star colorway delivered with an interpretation of the surface of Mars. Not sure if Mars could ever look that cool, but the Kobe 8 was a bounceback year after the disappointing Nike Kobe 7 as a whole.
2014: LeBron James
Sneaker: Nike LeBron 11 Gator King
LeBron James famously avoided wearing the Nike LeBron 11 during the 2013-14 season, citing the uncomfortable fit, particularly on the toe box. It would be incumbent on other players to rock the LeBron 11 that season, including Manu Ginobili, who famously defeated LeBron and the Miami Heat in the 2014 NBA Finals in the LeBron 11s while LeBron wore the Nike Zoom Soldier 7s. But James “gutted” it out for one night for the 2014 All-Star Game when he wore Gator King colorway that was part of the very underrated Nike Basketball Gumbo League Pack. Featuring a New Orleans-centric in blue and green, the glow-in-the-dark Armor Posite overlay shined bright whenever the feature was utilized.
2015: Steph Curry
Sneaker: Under Armour Curry 1 Dark Matter
The sneaker world did not know how good they had it back in the early days of Steph Curry’s signature shoe run with Under Armour. The brand’s debut Curry 1 was a massive success out of the gate as it coincided with Curry’s rise to superstardom. The Dark Matter colorway was one of the best colorways of the entire run and it definitely helped that 2015 felt like an off year for not only Nike and Jordan Brand, but competitors like adidas and Li-Ning. That’s not to say Curry 1 won by default, but it’s hard to deny the malaise on the other side did not help.
2016: DeMar DeRozan
Sneaker: NIKEiD Kobe 11 Northern Lights
For the late Kobe Bryant’s final All-Star Game, he wore his green and black All-Star Nike Kobe 11s that represented the Northern Lights. While it’s a fine representation of the phenomena, it doesn’t fully capture the crazy light show when it’s a combination of green and black, but blue, pink, yellow, and more. DeMar DeRozan, unofficial Kobe guy, would provide the splash of color with the NIKEiD version of the Northern Lights Kobe 11. With a multicolor Flyknit upper, it captures the chaotic energy of the Northern Lights, although their appeal might be too niche to sell to the general audience by 2016 tastes.
2017: Russell Westbrook
Sneaker: Air Jordan 30.5 Gotta Shine
The 2016-17 NBA season was a coming out party of sorts for Russell Westbrook as he became the sympathetic good guy who remained loyal to his squad after Kevin Durant left for the Golden State Warriors. Russ was on a triple double tear on a nightly basis and he was doing it in a special version of the Air Jordan 31 that was exclusive to him as it featured the same tooling as the Air Jordan 30. Unofficially dubbed the 30.5, Russ would wear them for much of the season, including the All-Star Game when he rocked the Gotta Shine colorway that featured an iridescent upper meant to highlight the game’s best when they shine on its biggest stage.
2018: LeBron James
Sneaker: KITH x Nike LeBron 15 “Closing Ceremony”
By the time the 2018 All-Star Game rolled around, which just so happened to take place in Los Angeles, there was a feeling in the air that LeBron James suiting up for the purple and gold was becoming more and more of a real possibility. In their own small way, KITH helped pushed that narrative with a special “Long Live The King” pack for the Nike LeBron 15 that included a special friends and family exclusive that turned the battleknit upper of the sneaker into a bed of roses and golden lions. In hindsight, it was a subtle way to announce the King was on his way.
2019: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Sneaker: Nike Zoom Kobe 4 Protro TB
The sneakers — a white and red team bank colorway of the Nike Kobe 4 — might not be that special at first glance, but to a young Giannis Antetokounmpo, it was everything to him. On the sneakers, he wore the message “Thanasis, thanks for sharing.” It was in reference to his older brother lending him a pair of Kobe 4s when they were kids because Giannis could not afford to buy his own shoes. Nike remade the shoes in Protro form for Giannis to wear and then a few years later, the Nike Zoom Freak 5 would drop in a similar colorway featuring the same message.
2020 Brandon Ingram
Sneakers: Signed adidas Yeezy QNTM and adidas Pro Model
It’s one thing for an athlete to write motivational or honorary messages on their own sneakers, but it’s another thing for an athlete to find the designer of the sneakers courtside of an All-Star Game, have them sign it and then wear them just a few minutes later. But that’s exactly what Brandon Ingram did as he took his at the time still-unreleased Yeezy QNTMs to Kanye West for a signature before putting them on for the game. Ingram would eventually swap out the Yeezys for a gold pair of the adidas Pro Model, but they both created a sneaker moment that’s going to be hard to replicate anytime soon.
2021: Jaylen Brown
Sneakers: adidas T-Mac 2 Humble and Hungry
In 2014, Tracy McGrady tweeted at a young Jaylen Brown, “Remember Humble and Hungry.” It’s a little thing for a legend like T-Mac to send a message like that to a high school kid, but those words stuck with Brown and for his first All-Star Game, he wanted to make sure the world knew that those words resonated. Wearing a pair of mismatched red and blue T-Mac 2s, Jaylen included the words “Humble and Hungry” on the medial side panels in white.
2022: DeMar DeRozan
Sneakers: Nike Kobe 4 Protro Ginobili PE and Nike Kobe 5 Protro PE
As the unofficial torch bearer for a hypothetical Kobe Brand within Nike that spans decades at this point, DeMar DeRozan’s collection of Kobe player exclusives is without peer. But in this humble writer’s opinion, there is one player exclusive to rule them all and that is DeMar’s Nike Kobe 4 Protro that honors Manu Ginobili and his home country of Argentina. Featuring the colors of the Argentinian flag, the light blue and white are perfectly placed and the gold swoosh is the perfect contrast and stylistic choice. DeMar did wear another Kobe PE during the game, but that was just piling on that point.
2023: Kyrie Irving
Sneakers: Custom Nike Kyrie 3s and Nike Kyrie Infinity
By the 2023 All-Star Game, Kyrie Irving and Nike’s relationship had officially ended. A man without a sneaker deal, Kyrie continued to wear various iterations of his signature shoes, but they would be customized to block out any swoosh branding. Instead of just blacked out swooshes, Kyrie had artists create art pieces for him that highlight causes he believed in and injustices he felt had been inflicted upon his tribe. He wore two pairs of custom Nike Kyrie 3s before unveiling a unique custom pair of the Nike Kyrie Infinity designed by former Nike designer Ben Kirschner that represented his heritage and included tassels that resembled leather moccasins, a staple of Native American footwear.
2024: Jaylen Brown
Sneakers: ANTA Kai 1 and 741 Performance Prototype
The 2023-24 season was transformative for Jaylen Brown as he made his intentions known that he wasn’t going to be chasing the typical sneaker deal. The path would lead him to wearing all sorts of brands not named Nike, although it did not have the same energy as Steph Curry’s ongoing sneaker free agency. For the 2024 All-Star Game, Jaylen would lend a helping hand to former teammate and fellow free thinker Kyrie Irving when he wore the ANTA Kai 1 for the first half before teasing something totally different in the form of an all-black prototype sneaker that would eventually become the 741 Performance Rover, his signature shoe from his own independent brand.
2025: Jalen Brunson
Sneaker: Nike Kobe 5 Protro Year of the Mamba Black PE
While fun and interesting in concept, the Year of the Mamba Kobe 5 Protro did not set the sneaker world on fire. It did not sell out like previous Kobe 5 Protros, and resale prices hover slightly above retail. Maybe the colorways didn’t inspire consumers as red and gold and purple and gold make them a tough wear off the court. Now, Jalen Brunson’s player exclusive version in all-black with a gold Kobe sheath logo? Different story. Triple black Nike sneakers are a meme nowadays and combine that with the Black Mamba story, it would have meant huge sales for Nike. But it was not meant to be and it becomes simply a part of Jalen’s ongoing story as a Kobe Brand athlete (or is he?).
Enjoy the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and download the Sole Retriever App to add these kicks and all the rest of your favorites to your collection.
From video game journalism to veteran of the sneaker blog era to podcasting about well, everything, Juan is smiling through it all and can’t believe this is his life. After recently getting into Formula 1, he now has hot takes about who the greatest driver of all time is.
Email: juan@soleretriever.com