The 10 Biggest Sneakerhead Athletes of All Time

Sports and sneakers are a match made in heaven when it comes to popularity, the two simply go hand in hand. While performance footwear might be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of athletes, plenty of sporting heroes and heroines have their very own signature lifestyle sneakers, and you’d be surprised to hear that many of them are sneakerheads just like you!

We’ve done our research and have rounded up the 10 biggest sneakerhead athletes of all time, so if you want to find out what their favourite pairs of kicks are then be sure to read on and educate yourself, you’ll certainly learn a thing or two here!

Cleveland Browns Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr is renowned for his individual style and streetwear aesthetic, so it’s no surprise to us that he’s also a serious sneakerhead. He’s an official Nike athlete and has had plenty of signature performance models with the label over the years, along with his lifestyle silhouette, a unique take on the Air Max 720. Many sources state that the OBJ x Nike sneaker deal was the richest in NFL history.

The man himself CR7 is way more of a sneakerhead than you might think at a first glance. The decorated football legend is renowned for his work with Nike and along with countless signature boots that have released over the years, you might be surprised to hear that Ronaldo has also had not just one but two exclusive Air Max 97s released under his name, as well as the hyped CR7 Air Force 1 that launched back in 2017.

Known for being one of the best power forwards in the NBA, Anthony Leon Tucker Jr, also known as PJ Tucker currently plays for Miami Heat and is also well renowned for being one of the biggest sneakerheads in the league. Many sources claim his collection spans well over 5000 pairs, with rumours stating he even once brought over 100 pairs to the NBA bubble isolation zone during peak pandemic times. His collection includes pretty much every grail you can think of and he recently partnered with eBay to showcase the rarest pairs to the masses.

First partnering with Jordan Brand back in 2018 to launch his very own Air Jordan 1, Nigel Sylvester has held the Swoosh close to his heart for a long time. The top-tier BMX rider has chosen to ride in Jordan’s ever since, resulting in him finally signing a long-term agreement with the label in 2021. His collection consists of plenty of retro goodness and showcases the fact that Nigel is serious about his sneakers. Let’s hope further signature models are on the way in the future!

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Iriving recently stated how he’s become more of a sneakerhead as he got older. While many of us adopted our sneaker obsessions as we were growing up, Kyrie has stated how he wore Jordan’s as a kid but would end up wrecking them while playing basketball on the streets. While he now has plenty of his own signature Nike sneakers, in a recent interview Irving stated he still loves to rock Jordans when he’s not wearing his own kicks.

As a Nike athlete since 2003, LeBron James has had over 17 signature Nike silhouettes released under his name, along with countless other colourways and limited-edition releases dedicated to him. His initial deal that was signed when he was just 18 was at the time the richest shoe deal in history, and in 2015 LeBron and Nike immortalised their relationship by signing a lifetime deal. Of course, LeBron is a sneakerhead himself, and recently took fans on a tour of his extensive sneaker closet (littered with high-heat Air Max releases) to celebrate Air Max Day.

As well as winning 23 Grand Slam titles and being the second most decorated female tennis player of all time, Serena Williams is also one of the biggest sneakerheads in the sporting world! She’s a signature Nike athlete and has had plenty of her own models released over the years, including a Jordan 1 back in 2017 and even an ultra-limited collaboration with Off-White that consisted of the Air Max 97 and Blazer. Alongside this, Williams has been papped in high-heat sneakers at events countless times, proving she means business when it comes to kicks.

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, more commonly known as Neymar Jr, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays for the legendary PSG, and he’s also a huge sneakerhead! While he doesn’t quite have an official partnership, he’s an avid Nike fan and the Swoosh have previously honoured him with a signature pair of Shox R4. More recently, he did sign a deal with PUMA and now regularly rocks kicks such as the PUMA Suede and RS Dreamer. He’s also appeared on the iconic Sneaker Shopping series in the past, spending $18K and picking up rare pairs such as the KAWS x AJ4 and the Nike Air Yeezy 2.

Of course this list wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of the GOAT himself, Michael Jordan. Sneakers quite literally wouldn’t be what they are today without Michael, the man behind some of the most iconic silhouettes in the game. Ever since the AJ1 first launched back in 1985 sneakerheads have eagerly awaited the next signature pair from Jordan Brand, with plenty of incredible brands collaborating on Jordans over the years. Michael himself is known to have an expansive sneaker collection, while he recently appeared on the highly-coveted The Last Dance series rocking an unreleased pair of Jordan Centre Court’s in white.

Former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick is most well known for his incredible efforts against racism and taking the knee in protest, although not many people realise he’s also a pretty serious sneakerhead! As an official Nike athlete, he’s featured in countless campaigns over the years and has also had his very own signature Air Force 1, which came complete with an embroidered portrait on the heel tab. He’s regularly spotted rocking high-heat VaporMax and Air Max, once again showing his dedication to the Swoosh.