A History of Basketball in Fifteen Sneakers

by Russ Bengtson, Bobbito Garcia (Foreword)

A celebration of the iconic shoes and superstars who have defined the sport for decades, A History of Basketball in Fifteen Sneakers tells the story of hoops as only shoes can.

The ultimate book for both hoops fans and sneaker obsessives, A History of Basketball in Fifteen Sneakers is an exciting and fascinating look at the sport written with authority and experience by former Complex and SLAM magazine editor Russ Bengtson. From primeval Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars to baroque Reebok Pumps and myth-making Air Jordans to super-high-tech Nike Adapt BBs, each chapter breaks down how a specific sneaker defined an era of basketball, transformed the culture, or changed the game. With full-color sneaker photographs and detailed illustrations throughout, the book is a kaleidoscopic celebration of the players, styles, and iconic moments that have shaped hoops both on and off the court. 

Topics Walt Frazier's PUMA Clydes and the New York City street game; Michael Jordan's first signature Air Jordan and the birth of the modern global basketball superstar; Nike Air Swoopes and the evolution of the women’s game; sneaker tech and the rise of retro; and much more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Basketball, History, Pop Culture

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2023

Reviews

[Mario Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look at the history of basketball through the lens of sneakers. Items that can go hand and hand, plus are some of my favorite passions. I had a lot of thoughts on the sneakers listed and some omissions which means it was an effective book. The basketball photography is incredible as well. Look good, play good. Ball is Life.

[Matthew Picardat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must have for any shoe or basketball fan. If you are a sneaker lover and a fan of basketball this might be the only book you will ever have to read. I absolutely loved this book, great historical stories and such an in depth look at the evolution of the sneaker.

[Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book, nice pictures, and nostalgic. Not sure any shoe can top the Hatfield-designed Jordan XI.

[Bronte Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be the best book I've read so far in 2024! In this book, Russ Bengtson, former editor in chief of SLAM magazine, journeys through the history of basketball through the lens of 15 of the most popular and impactful basketball shoes.

This genre of "a history of x told through y" can be a hard one to get right, particularly when it comes to finding the right balance between the history of x and the history of y, but Bengtson hits the nail on the head.

This book is the perfect balance of basketball content and sneaker content. The topics, due to their natural symbiosis, leads to a book that is both a solid overview of basketball history and a fascinating insight into what goes into making and selling sneakers. I learned so much and this is the kind of book that gives you a taste of so many different interesting tidbits that i actively had google open throughout reading so I could learn more!

Bengtson has created a book that is so well written, entertaining and at times laugh out loud funny that you finish the book wanting more and wondering how what ever you read next can live up to the book you just read. Throughly recommend this to any basketball aficionados, but honestly would also happily recommend to anyone who is just in search of an interesting book, even if they think they have very little interest in basketball!

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a sneaker historian Bengston isn't the ultimate owner of hundreds or thousands of pairs of basketball sneakers, he's the guy that knows all about their creation, promotion, build, and design and how basketball is integral to sneakers and vice versa. The colorful and informative fifteen sneakers highlight the basketball resumes of the greats who wore them or promoted them, the people behind their designs, and the promotional aspects and famous images of the sneakers themselves.

For those that want to learn all about basketball through sneakers, this would be a great place to start since there are text features and photos with the text to make it interactive in ways that doesn't just deliver the content dryly.

[Jeremiah Dollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

For True Hoopers

If you love basketball and its surrounding culture, this book is for you. By tracing the history of the game through the development of its most important accessory, the sneaker, Russ Bengston reveals far more than just the game’s significance, but also its appeal. Basketball is fun, and the individual style of the players are as essential to that fact as the game play. From the classic Chuck to the laceless Adapt BB; from the fastidious Top 10 to the exacting Kobe IV, basketball sneakers provide great insight into the athletes that wear them and the values of the eras in which they played.

[Dustin Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best basketball books of all time AND one of the best sneaker books of all time. If you have any interest in either one of these pastimes, passions, professions, this is the book for you.

[Marisa Gettas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love basketball, or shoes, this book is a damn treat! I grew up through this period—it was a great time for sports advertisements. I also learned a lot in this book about the behind the scenes of Basketball at the time. Ate it up with a spoon, wish there were 19 more volumes of this!!

[Tyler Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a gift to me and such a fun read. The photography and layout is great, the writing is well done, and it’s a fun conversation piece. I’d definitely recommend getting this if you love sneakers, the history of basketball, or gift it to someone who does.

[Kevin Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - A fun read with a real in depth look of sneakers that changed the game. Explores Chucks, the Jordan era, And1 (who apparently had a shoe), and self tying sneakers. By the end of the book my sneaker wishlist had grown dramatically

[Lauren Tomlinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched. Surprised me a bit, I low key really enjoyed it.

[Benny Padilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book about the history of basketball shoes and their evolution over the past few decades, it delivers.

[Daniel Cälvo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book is an exciting history of basketball and shoes. It gets a bit repetitive though.

[Angel Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really informative. I learned a bunch and really enjoyed this!

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really just skimmed as I picked this one up for Henry. Basketball 🏀 and Shoes 👟 what more could you want.

[Ronda Canary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this so so much.

[David Kateeb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative book about sneakers