Recommendation

Report: The Best

Basketball shoe
Reggie Eaton
ENG: Business Writing

df

Table of Contents
I.

Executive Summary ............................................................................................ 2

II.

Introduction ........................................................................................................ 3

III.

Problems .............................................................................................................. 4

IV.

Objectives ............................................................................................................ 6

V.

Methods of Research........................................................................................... 7

VI.

Results (Comparing) .......................................................................................... 10

VII.

Conclusions & Recommendations ..................................................................... 13

VIII.

Recommendation ............................................................................................... 13

IX.

Reference ............................................................................................................ 14

Executive Summary
For this report I have been researching numerous amount of options to find the perfect athletic
basketball shoe. Since piling up research from the internet, different articles, and my own
personal knowledge and experiences I found that there are three good choices to choose from
when searching for the best basketball shoe. Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour seem to produce
the top of the line basketball shoes these days with comfort, good sustainability, and material
quality.
I would recommend that everyone do their fair share of research when it comes to choosing the
best athletic shoe for themselves. Nike seems to be the most common choice of many people but
with the up and coming Under Armour Company things are changing.

RECOMMENDATION REPORT: THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOE - [SELECT DATE]

Introduction
Adidas, Nike, Under Armour and other companies all specialize in athletic wear. Each of these
companies design different foot wear but designs specific shoes for the sole purpose of the sport
basketball. Each company has its own unique style when it comes to creating the ultimate
basketball shoe. With new and upcoming technology, companies have changed the game with
their high tech and super light material.
With new products coming out each and every year its hard to pick out a good shoe. Prices play
a huge part in determining what shoe to buy. Comfort can determine a lot as well because you
would like to wear the shoe as much as possible. Sustainability and material quality also play a
role in the overall factor of what shoe is best. A brief history and overall comparison can help
with concerns too. Without criteria, consumers would buy any shoe and would be unsatisfied in
the end.
Founded on January 25, 1964, as Blue Ribbon Sports, by Bill Bowerman, who was a track and
field coach and Phil Knight a middle-distance runner from Portland who was enrolled at the
University of Oregon, had officially became Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1971. The company got its
name from Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. The company was founded with just $1,200 in
the bank.
Adidas was founded in 1924 in Germany by two bothers Adi and Rudolf Dassler. The company
was first named Dassler shoes and later became Adidas. By the Dassler shoes being seen in the
Olympics this really helped the company get its name known. The 3 stripes were created to keep
the foot stable, but ended up being the logo. Throughout the years Adidas was seen in the
Olympics, and it was the leading brand making their shoes highly sought after by Olympic
athletes.
Under Armour was founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank. He initially began the business from his
grandmother's basement in Washington, D.C. He spent his time traveling up and down the East
Coast with nothing but apparel in the trunk of his car. His first team sale came at the end of 1996
with a $17,000 sale. From his grandmother's basement, Plank moved to Baltimore, Maryland.
After a few moves in the city he landed at his current headquarters in Tide Point.

Prices- Different prices of the shoes

Comfort- Comfort level of shoe

Sustainability- How each shoe holds together

RECOMMENDATION REPORT: THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOE - [SELECT DATE]

Material quality: Quality of the shoe

The criteria listed above isnt common for everyone to you use, but choosing one will give you
somewhat of an advantage when finding the right shoe. Any of the options at the top can be used
to find the right shoe that fits you.
This report will explain and compare a different shoe from each organization in detail along with
the criteria. There will also be an attached comparison sheet in table form from a survey. The
information that will be provided will in able you to make a suitable decision based off your
needs and interest.
Problems
There are things to take into account when it comes to choosing the best athletic basketball shoe.
The number of deciding factors for picking out the best shoe for you can be very challenging to
evaluate. Some might not even know how to evaluate or what to evaluate when it comes to
searching for the best shoe for them.
Too many basketball players overlook the importance of buying a durable and high-quality pair
of basketball shoes, which is astounding when you consider how much time they spend pounding
their feet into the ground. Bad shoes can lead not only to foot and ankle problems, but leg, hip,
and even back pain as well. That's because alignment begins with your feet and moves up to
influence the rest of your body. In time, the stress to a certain soft tissue or bone structure will
create a fatigue injury which then renders the player unable to participate in his or her sport.
Most people just buy any shoe without doing proper research and end up regretting it later.
Consumers sometimes just buy products because of the brand without even testing them. They
believe that its the best without really knowing if its the best.
The project I propose is necessary because I have been in that same situation where I have
wanted a good basketball shoe and I didnt know what criteria I should take into consideration
when looking for one. The criteria Ive proposed should aid in buyers future choices when it
comes to deciding a good athletic basketball shoe.

RECOMMENDATION REPORT: THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOE - [SELECT DATE]

RECOMMENDATION REPORT: THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOE - [SELECT DATE]

Objectives
As stated in the introduction there is a set of criteria that you can follow when choosing a shoe
that you can follow in the report. I will be doing a comparison of one shoe from each company
while going off the set criteria.
Sustainability
Sustainable innovation is at the center of many companies, innovating across design and
materials to manufacturing and retail, while driving cross-industry collaborations that bring
game-changing solutions to the scale.
Material Quality
Each company uses its own materials to come up with the best quality shoe possible. Some
companies use the most common recycled materials such as recycled Polyester. Recycled
polyester (PES) is a synthetic fibre based on post-consumer waste, such as plastic bottles and
used garments. The raw material is reprocessed and spun into fibres. Companies are using the
material in more and more of their apparel and footwear. Other materials that are being used are
cottons and leathers.
Comfort
Everyone, more so basketball players need some degree of cushioning, support, and flexibility.
By considering a typical game, a buyer can make the right choices for cushioning, support and
flexibility based on the type of shoe. Cushioning is crucial for all everyone. Support and
flexibility are trade-offs because a more flexible shoe typically offers less support and vice versa,
so sometimes it is necessary to choose between one and the other based on playing style.
Price
As with many fashion items, price is not always a sign of good quality but sometimes merely of
a certain label, trend, or status symbol. Some very expensive basketball shoes are worn primarily
as street shoes for looks. Among practical basketball shoes intended for athletic wear, however,
price is generally an indicator of a good shoe. Most of the costly shoes are costly for a reason:
they are well engineered and designed, with high-tech cushioning technology, firm support, and
sturdy construction. Having painful or injured feet affects everything a person does in life, so
taking good care of ones feet by buying the best shoes should be a top priority.

RECOMMENDATION REPORT: THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOE - [SELECT DATE]

Methods of Research
The methods or research I chose to use were gathering information from various sources mainly
the internet and the companies themselves. I also checked for reviews on the different shoes and
created and used a survey. The figures that you can view below are of a survey that was taken
on the shoe brand that people prefer. From view the survey the average person prefers Nike over
Adidas and Under Armour even though they have been criticized for having the suckiest material
when it comes to long sustainability.

Which brand are you affiliated with the most?

Nike

23

79.3%

Adidas

6.9%

Under Armour

6.9%

Reebok

0%

Other

6.9%

Which company do you feel makes the best products?

Nike

21

72.4%

Adidas

10.3%

Under Amour

13.8%

Reebok

0%

RECOMMENDATION REPORT: THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOE - [SELECT DATE]

Other

3.4%

Which company do you feel offers the most reasonable prices?

Adidas

13.8%

Reebok

31%

Other

13.8%

Under Armour

13.8%

Nike

27.6%

Which company offers the best sustainability when it comes to shoes?

Reebok

3.4%

17

58.6%

Adidas

17.2%

Under Armour

13.8%

Other

6.9%

Nike

Which brand do you feel offers the best material quality?

RECOMMENDATION REPORT: THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOE - [SELECT DATE]

Under Armour

17.2%

Adidas

17.2%

18

62.1%

Reebok

0%

Other

3.4%

Nike

Which brand do you prefer when it comes to sports?

Adidas

13.8%

21

72.4%

Reebok

0%

Adidas

13.8%

Other

10.3%

Nike

RECOMMENDATION REPORT: THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOE - [SELECT DATE]

Results (Comparing)

Adidas
Crazylight Boost Shoes

This Crazylight shoe has gotten mixed reviews while Made for full-speed assaults on the hard
court, these shoes blend light and fast design with bold looks. Designed for the fastest players on
the basketball court, they feature boost foam for the ultimate energy return and cushioning from
Adidas basketball performance. They feature a 3D-moulded FITFRAME heel and SPRINTWEB
that combine for game-long stability and support. A breathable textile upper helps feet stay
ventilated all game long, while the textile lining adds comfort. The price range on these shoes
use to be $140 but has since dropped down to $111.99 which is a fairly good price.

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Under Armour
Men's UA Curry One-Basketball Shoes

This Adidas shoe has been made with advance charged cushioning that absorbs impact &
converts it into responsive quickness. Equipped with AnaFoam that delivers upper bodymapped fit, lightweight structure & support. It uses external heel counters that secures your
foot & eliminates sliding. The shoe was created to offer extra lateral stability while being
padded with a mesh tongue lined with synthetic suede breathes which protects your foot.
This shoe received good ratings in all categories from being comfortable to performance and
being a suitable price. The price range on these Under Armour shoes are surprising cheap
with a price tag of $119.99.

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Nike

Nike Hyperdunk 2014 TB

The slogan for this Nike product is SOFT RIDE FOR A QUICKER GAME. The Nike
Hyperdunk 2014 TB Basketball Shoe is said to be made with dynamic Flywire technology for
adaptive support and lockdown. Responsive cushioning that delivers impact protection to soften
the landings. Other benefits of this shoe are the Lightweight Hyperfuse construction for
durability, breathability and support, Flywire construction for ultra-lightweight support and
comfort, Springy Lunarlon cushioning for soft yet responsive shock absorption and Pivot point at
the outsole for stability during multidirectional movements. The price of this shoe use to be $140
but dropped tremendously down to $89.97 which is a pretty good cheap price.

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Conclusions & Recommendations

Its not hard to see that there is a problem when it comes to finding the best athletic basketball
shoe. Nike, Adidas and Under Armour all provide excellent shoe choices when it comes to
finding the right fit for you. These three organizations create the best shoes out there on the
market.
The biggest drawback is picking the right shoe amongst the three. These organizations use a
mixture of the same materials along with materials of their own to create the perfect brand shoe
that has similarities and some that sets them apart from each. Each shoe has a different
description that you will find appealing along with different prices.

Recommendation
I would strongly suggest that you evaluate your current shoe situation and think about using the
criteria to find the best shoe for yourself. Choosing the right shoe for yourself depends on how
you view the criteria and what your needs and comfort consist of. Each shoe that I provided
follow the criteria but offer different capabilities depending on the wearer and what type of shoe
you are looking for. If everyone started using this criteria I guarantee they would have no
problem finding the right shoe that fits them. I believe that each of these companies create great
products and will continue to do so in the future.

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Reference
Adidas Official Website | Adidas." Adidas United States. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015.
This internet source is the official website for all Adidas wear. The brands of the Adidas Group
complement each other in a unique way to help athletes perform better, play better, feel better.
The website gives specific details on the Adidas shoe that I am comparing and is a reliable
current source if you need information on any other Adidas brand wear. From looking at the
Adidas internet source, it is a very popular site and fits well with helping me with my research
with comparing the Adidas shoe to the others I have picked out. It is a helpful source but it isnt
scholarly.
"Under Armour Sports Clothing, Athletic Shoes & Accessories." Under Armour. N.p., n.d.
Web. 02 Apr. 2015.
Under Armour is the originator of performance apparel engineered to keep athletes cool, dry and
light throughout the course of a game, practice or workout. The technology behind Under
Armour's diverse product assortment for men, women and youth is complex, but the program for
reaping the benefits is simple: is to make all athletes better through passion, design and the
relentless pursuit of innovation. The source is reliable and up to date, the internet source fits into
my research because it gives detail on one of its products that Im trying to compare.
"BRING INSPIRATION ANDINNOVATION TO EVERYATHLETE* IN THE WORLD."
About Nike. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015. <http://about.nike.com/>.
NIKE fosters a culture of invention, they create products, services and experiences for todays
athletes while solving problems for the next generation. This is a helpful source when it comes
to my research, it helps me when comparing the different products. This is a reliable source that
isnt scholarly but yet still helpful.

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