Do Basketball Players Still Wear Converse Chuck Taylors?

Basketball. A sport that has birthed more sneaker collaborations than any other, players from Michael Jordan to LeBron James have famously teamed up with Nike, while Damian Lillard recently partnered with adidas. But if we take a look back to the 1950s and ‘60s, the sneaker that dominated the court was the humble Converse Chuck Taylor 70.

Originally hailed as the must-have basketball sneaker, players felt like they had more grip than ever before, which allowed them to play harder, run faster and fall less. But as the years passed, technological advancements meant that sportswear brands were releasing new sneakers with improved stability, better reliability and increased support which caused the iconic Chuck Taylor to quickly be overshadowed.

The reality is, if you were to step onto the court in a pair of Converse All Stars in 2019, you probably wouldn’t live it down. With most players wondering how their basketball heroes like The Lakers’ Julius Erving and the 76ers’ Wilt Chambers ever managed to finish a game wearing Chucks, the flawed functionality of the sneaker for the purpose of playing the game is pretty apparent.

The thin canvas upper offers little support around the ankle which contributed to more than a few injuries. While the shoe was designed with optimised grip which meant players dash across the court with ease, after a few wears they found that the tread wore down and the grip became next to none. But arguably the biggest design flaw was the lack of midsole. Notoriously crafted with a flat sole and no cushioning, the shoe had no suspension so when players landed a jump, the full impact was focused on their knees and metatarsals.

The 1979-80 NBA season saw Tree Rollins give Converse their final spot in the limelight before they were hung up by basketball players for good. When 1982 rolled around, Nike released its very first basketball shoe: the Air Force 1. Fitted with industry-first AIR technology, the midsole delivered bounce and the tread provided grip – so players were jumping and dribbling in never-before seen comfort. This was Nike’s first step into the world of basketball and the brand now boasts over 45 highly functional styles that are worn on and off the court more than any other sportswear.

Although Converse’s iconic Chuck Taylor silhouette was set aside by basketball players, it secured its place as an essential day-to-day shoe in shoedrobes worldwide. Gaining a reputation for being one of the most versatile styles on the market, the Chuck Taylor became a fashion staple. In the 2000’s, every A-lister from Lil Wayne and Kevin Hart to Michelle Obama and Kylie Jenner was spotted in their favourite pair of Chucks. Collaborating with high-fashion brands like J.W. Anderson, Comme Des Garçons and Off-White, Converse cemented its place in the sneaker hall of fame and left its basketball history in the past where it belongs.

A lesson in getting back up when you fall, the Converse Chuck Taylor 70 has a history that’s rich in trial and error. Although the basketball stratosphere wasn’t quite where the Chuck 70 thrived, it found its place in the sneaker universe and remains one of the world’s most covetable staples.

What’s your favourite pair? Let us know and keep it locked into The Sole Supplier for all the latest sneaker news and releases.