These Were the 10 Most Worn Shoes in the NBA This Season

The NBA regular season is over. The playoff tourney is bringing some do-or-die energy to the league this week before we dive headfirst into the long-awaited playoff race. Before we switch gears, though, let’s take a look back at the sneakers that hit the NBA court this season.

Thankfully, Kix Stats combed through the numbers and broke down the 10 most frequently worn sneaker silhouettes for the 2025-’26 NBA season, giving us a rundown of some expected icons and surprising new favorites. Did your favorites make the list?

10. Nike Kobe 8 Protro - 11,669 Minutes

The number 10 spot starts with a line that will become very familiar over the rest of the list: Nike’s Kobe collection. The Nike Kobe 8 fills in the 10 spot with its recent Protro revival, adding yet another low-top Kobe retro to the list of hoop shoes beloved at every level of the game.

9. Air Jordan 40 - 13,961 Minutes

This one comes not exactly as a surprise, but certainly as a welcome breath of fresh air. In a sneaker world that has largely ignored recent numbered Air Jordan models, the 40 has broken through thanks to a handful of early-number hybrid models, including the 4028 that Bam Adebayo wore during his iconic 83-point performance.

8. Nike Book 1 - 15,266 Minutes

Devin Booker’s Nike signature line has been top of mind for the second half of the NBA season thanks to the new Book 2, but throughout the year, the Nike Book 1 still reigned supreme, clocking 15,266 minutes of wear across the league.

7. Nike Ja 3 - 19,246 Minutes

This one should come as no surprise. Despite Ja Morant’s up-and-down season, the Nike Ja 3 was on a heater all year, showing up in game action for over 19,000 minutes this season. The endless color combos made the shoe a must across teams, and the look that translated to every level and the street was a staple for Ja’s teammates and competitors alike.

6. Nike GT Cut 3 - 19,579 Minutes

Another shoe that debuted in a new numbered silhouette halfway through the season, Nike’s GT Cut line has been a staple across the league, but most notably in the 3, not the newly released 4. The Nike GT Cut 3 hit the court for 19,579 minutes this season, keeping it just on the bubble out of the top 5.

5. Nike KD 18 - 21,833 Minutes

Joining the Ja 3 as one of the few current signature models for an active player on the list, the Slim Reaper’s latest shoe slots into the fifth spot on the list with 21,833 minutes of court time. For someone on his 18th signature shoe (and on the cusp of dropping his 19th), KD still finds ways to keep the energy fresh in a way that players across the league respond to, and makes the absence of the LeBron 23 on the list even more glaring.

4. Nike Kobe 4 Protro - 23,902 Minutes

A four at four. The second of four Kobe pairs on the list, the Nike Kobe 4 is another recent Protro release that reminds us just how popular the Black Mamba line is across every level of basketball. From Steph and Jalen Brunson rocking PE colorways to players rocking every in-line pair they can find, the Kobe 4 racked up 23,902 minutes on the court this season.

3. Nike Sabrina 3 - 26,125 Minutes

The last non-Kobe model on the list and the only WNBA signature to crack the top 10, the Nike Sabrina 3 was a staple throughout the league this year, once again showing the unisex appeal of Nike’s push into women’s basketball signature models. Beating out the Kobe 4 by more than a day on court, the Sabrina 3 clocked 26,125 minutes in the NBA this season.

2. Nike Kobe 5 Protro - 26,804 Minutes

If you’ve been paying attention to the NBA this season, it should come as no surprise that Kobe’s Nike line takes both of the top two spots on this list. The Nike Kobe 5 has been a favorite for years, and this season, Jalen Brunson pulled out PEs and players across the league laced them up nightly, resulting in 26,804 minutes of playing time, just edging out the Sabrina 3 for the second spot.

1. Nike Kobe 6 Protro - 71,312 Minutes

It wasn’t even close. The Mamba-scaled Nike Kobe 6 was the most-worn shoe during the ‘25-’26 NBA season by an insane margin with 71,312 minutes on the court. That’s more than the second and third silhouettes combined, with over 20,000 minutes left to spare. No matter how many years we are removed from Kobe’s playing days, one thing is for certain - the Black Mamba is still the reigning king of the NBA sneaker game.

Zach Harris

Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com