The Rise of Chinese Sneaker Brands in The NBA
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- The NBA's sneaker world has long been dominated by Brands like Nike and Adidas, but right now, Chinese athletic companies are giving the heritage shoe brands a run for their money. In this video, I explain how Chinese sneaker brands like Anta, Li-Ning, and Peak are making huge waves in the NBA.
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Script & Research by: / allthatsneaks
I'm surprised you never mentioned Nikola Jokic signing with 361 Degrees.
I mean seriously a Chinese brand just managed to sign a 3 time MVP and recent NBA champion. That's really big deal when talking about their hold on the market.
Yeah I was in the dark about what shoe he rocked with. To be fair, Jokic isn't one to do big promos for his shoes haha my bad on that one though
@@NachoAverageFinds yeah they designed the whole BIG3 series around him.
They just dropped a few PEs recently.
I wouldn't wear this brand
@@DeitrichThomas your reason is?
@@alucardbrahmstone6659 Probably a deep resentment/fear of anything and anyone that's Chinese origin being coded in his DNA.
D Wade was not the first player to sign a partnership deal with a Chinese brand. Before him, there were Baron Davis, Shane Battier, Ron Artest, Luis Scola. But yes, none of them had a significant impact on the market like DWade
Yes you’re right. He may have been the first dude with a personal brand in China though
@@NachoAverageFindsStephon Marbury?
KG also
NachoAverageResearch. 🤦🏻♂️
Rondo and KG were with Anta too
I work for the Charlotte Hornets & when Gordon Hayward got traded I had to move his stuff from the locker room. I was given 3 pairs of his Anta shoes in size 14.5 They are the most comfortable basketball shoes that I have ever worn. I'm just disappointed because Anta doesn't sale size 14.5 online, it's player exclusive sizing. I would buy more Anta shoes if I could get them in my size.
i mean, everything's basically made in china anyway... nike, adidas, UA, jordans, new balance, you name it... the difference is these US brands marks up the price a lot higher, so people are starting to look at these cheaper chinese brands which are actually catching up in terms of quality
Facts!!!!
Adidas is German, New Balance still has shoes made in the US
@@waifubreaks1572 I have three recent Japan Adidas jersey from three recent WC, the Brazil and Russia WC jersey were from China but Qatar WC jersey was from Vietnam
@@waifubreaks1572 as a brand yes ! but where do you think they manufacture...before they had factories in China now they are moving to Vietnam ! cost of production in Europe and USA is getting too high.
not nessarily China but Asia as a whole yes...many brands moved out of China to Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Philipines
I tried a pair of Anta for the first time and now they are my fav sneakers to wear, for playing or just everyday wear! Great design, stability, good price, and super comfy!
Interesting subject and well made as usual, don't usually comment on videos but I thought I'd let you know! Love from the Netherlands
Well it makes my day to get a comment for you then. Thanks so much!!
@annamundun also in NL. Glad to find other fans in this part of the world 🙌🏿
Anta Kai 1 is soooooo fire I have a pair on as we speak
Agree, I have a pair too, love them so far
@@alee9071 How are they compare to Nike Kobe?
i'm big fan of li-ning shoes, they are cheap (in China of course) well made, comfortable even their low end one are good.
I like their low tops
我的一双李宁鞋，穿了4年都没烂！直到我觉得款式过时。
LiNing‘s shoes is expensive in China😅
When you say cheap, how cheap are they? Lets say Nike Kobe is like $150 right? Chinese brand are $50?
@@ssjj005anywhere from $30 for some goofy all white stuff to around $400 for like the rarest most limited edition kind, but nobody buys those to wear yk, so I'd say around $50-100 is where you'll find most of the market
I think besides the Chinese population and market potential, Chinese shoe brand rise is also helped by shoe companies building their production factories in China, making them able to studying their technology
It’s a win win
agree! One more thing, Chinese companies bought some western brands, especially their r&d department. Companies like Anta and li-Ning spent tons capital and human resources on R&D the last decade, technical breakthrough means stronger product power.
Blacks are in the position that they're in because they want to be in this position.
That’s actually not on accident. And that’s why this entire beef between the Western world and China is a farce. Imagine the U.S. allowing some “ghetto” person to create business with China? That’s unimaginable. Doesn’t that go against foreign policy?
I think more because most of the players and us as consumer, are really getting sick of Nike. Trash shoes with cheap quality that cost more than 150 dollars are ridiculous
Another heater of a video. One more thing the Chinese have on the American brands is their dedication to outdoor hoops. Their rubber and foam stands up to outside play way better. I haven’t seen that kind of craftsmanship since the 90’s from Nike Air Raid and Darwin’s and Reebok BlackTops.
Thanks bro!
Different situations,Most our basketball courts have cement or rubber
fun fact is before 90's CN, most basketball court material is cement. Especially PEAK is good for this court.
@@潘顺-d8m right, my
Point being is that the brands in the states focus solely on indoor play, neglecting the fact that kids are gonna blow through their shoes playing outside. Whereas Chinese brands have been known to use tougher materials for longer lasting outside play.
@@FyrFytr998 Totally agree, growing up in China, I owned several pairs of Nike basketball shoes, those shoes were considered a luxury back in early 2000 in China. It only lasted 3 months on the outdoor courts, it was really devastating to a teenage boy. So I went back to those Chinese brands, and it lasted forever. Of course, it wasn't as comfortable as Nikes, but it kept going.
Li ning has been on it as far as performance for years. I remember trying the Li Ning Turningpoint which was Evan Turners shoe. They were amazing. Some of my favorite shoes of all time. I also found some of Baron Davis's shoes, and they were nice too.
That's what I hear from some of my friends who hoop. They're amazing
This is one of the best information videos I've watched on UA-cam and ive been here since 2012
You didn't mention Nikola Jokic who recently signed by 361 degree chinese brand
Yeah that was an oversight on my end. Sorry
@@NachoAverageFinds I think you need to make a part 2
For jokic ?? Definitely not just mention it on the thread
Nobody checking in for a jokic shoe
the same one of Aaron Gordon..
Footlocker and other North American retail chains should at least have some Chinese brands on their shelves. More and more HS ballers are rocking li Ning and anta. This would help footlocker a bottom dollar.
Foot Locker sucks anyways, they only store the trendy and popular brands. And overpriced as hell.
But anyways, Foot Locker? More like Foot Fucker! (haha). I had a terrible experience at one of their stores here in Hungary. I wanted to buy a pair of Air Maxes and I have found an awesome-looking one under the sales section. I tried them on and they were so comfortable...so I went to the register where the girl apparently had no idea that these were on sale... then it turned out that some smooth-brains have put the wrong price tag on the shoes (a pair of Converse shoes were on sale, not the Air Maxes). So, from then on, I swore not to enter any Foot Locker store ever again. They can rot in hell for all I care.
This is just my opinion.
Is that an Anta choice though? I feel that shoe brands in general are trying to focus more online sales than in store presence
They definitely should have Li-nig, An'ta ,peak and they should bring back K1X or KX1 in the united States.
No no no anything Colebrook with china which they call win win is always ends in sneaky tricks or outright break in contract.look at Tesla in china and how china created with a women making protest in a country where it is banned but somehow on TV when it suits chinas byd
Prior to leaving Nike, Kyrie also wasn't satisfied with the direction his 8th signature shoe was going - he publicly commented on a kyrie 8 leak claiming that he wasn't happy with it and had no input in its design. Issues with Nike were already bubbling.
Truue. Lot of people aren’t aware of this and think the nike break up came out of nowhere
Kyrie wasn't the only one. Vanessa Bryant made the same comments about her late husband's Kobe signature shoe line.
Yeah, screw Nike
What he did was trash the brand in public because he felt they were not catering to all of his ideas. Unfortunately for Anta the Uncle Drew skill set is not what it once was and though I dig the line they have created with him not sure he elevates their brand on any real level. To be fair he did not leave Nike they left him so I doubt it would have been Anta that signed him if he was not desperate for a big money deal and none of the major brands wanted him at that point
@@CarlaJenkinsTV Not quite the same but VB did have some issues with what Nike wanted to do and they worked it out which is something Kyrie does not seem to be able to do.
Great video and info (going beyond bball and sneakers). Thank you fam!
Really appreciate it
You forgot the 361 Brand with Aaron Gordon and their recent signee, The Joker!
But it's okay and this was a informative content. It's been awhile! More power!
Aslo XTEP the Jeremy Lin endorsed basketball shoes
Yeah I know! I actually did not know about Jokic’s shoe contract until very late into the process
@@NachoAverageFinds😂
This channel is pure gold.
🫡🫡🫡
Great video as always! Another Chinese brand that may be lesser known is 361°, Anthony Gordon's been rocking them and they have gotten great reviews!
Absolutely should have mentioned 361. Thank you Jay!
And Nikola Jokic
Ball with the li Ning yushuai 17 low currently after copping a pair on sale here in Australia. Initially I was doubtful they would perform as well as the traditional shoe brands, but having played in them for 2 months now they are an incredible shoe with great performance.
I’ll most definitely be getting more in the future.
where'd you get yushuai in australia?
@@playboicarti5939 throwback store. Unsure they have stock now but I know they have a lot of the Jimmy butlers and way of wades on there currently
户外篮球更需要的😂
Love this channel!
Thanks for this video!
Thanks Matty 🙏
Love these documentary type content of sneakers from your channel. 👌
Thanks Kevin!!
Hey Nacho,
Great video ! have pairs from anta and lining from Klay's and D wade's line of shoes, bang for your buck and great performers! especially if their on sale.
I hear they’re amazing for hooping 🔥🔥
@@NachoAverageFinds they are especially the older models !
Anta kt 3 and kt 4
Lining way of wade 4 even if they are heavy, the all city 8’s that were worn by Dangelo Russell in his stint for the warriors
They are making nice shoes and bringing cool styles so good on them
@@I.am_Groot YES ! the shockwave 5 and its v2 and pro versions looks and performance wise are great !
Those Wade 1s and the red and black ones are dope
Great video, very accurate and informative with in depth but highlights about the culture and shoes in China market. I bought a pair of limited edition Wiggins Peak 2, yellow smiley. It fits like a Lebron or like you said, not much of a difference between from Nike/Jordans.
That’s dope! You gotta be the only dude to mention Wiggins so far haha appreciate that
What they did for Butler , Wade and Gordon was totally gem. I haven’t bought the new Kyries yet but I have heard some good reviews.
I want the all black Kyries
Nacho bro, can you maybe do a explanation of why we use the term sneakerhead and where that terms stems from? Another banger vid btw
I'm no Nacho, but I think it's because they're so passionate about sneakers that it's in their heads all day long. Either way, Nacho should definitely make a video about sneakerheads and the history of sneaker-related terminology.
I wonder if Asics (Japanese, I know) will ever make their basketball shoes widely available again. I've seen some amazing reviews of the Gelburst and Nova Surge lines.
Selling running and walking shoes are more profitable for them. More people walking than hooping
It feels like they are not trying to expand I don't get why that is but maybe with Anta and other brands being more present the market is harder to break into right now
It's a good question. Because by all accounts ASICS make very good basketball shoes. ASICS also makes very good football ⚽ boots. Which they are only now for the first time expanding outside of Japan by selling in Australia (they have stated plans to start selling their football boots more widely in Asia). So it does make one wonder if they will do the same for their basketball shoes
Well, I am surprised that you did not mention the founder of the Li Ning brand, Mr. Li Ning. He is an Olympic champion and legend in artistic gymnastics.
I have a Li Ning badminton racket... It is close to Yonex in terms of high-tech...
I have two pair of WOW AC12. They’re great.
One pair of ANTA KAI 1. Green Gtail.
Love them and I was all Nike since about 1986.
Love the Kobe 9 and Kobe 6.
The WOW and ANTA Kai 1 are just as good in my opinion.
Both brands have done a really good job this year in the basketball shoe market.
I’ve nothing but very positive thoughts and comments regarding the shoes.
a really well made entertaining video.
Interesting topic and informative context!
Nike didn’t terminate Kyrie’s contract, it was up for renewal and they didn’t renew it. That’s why he was still wearing the because he was technically under contract. Anta made him Creative Chef Officer, he wasn’t signed, he can sign players too. He already signed his dad, Derrick Jones jr and Daniel Gafford to Anta.
Uncle drew living large. Too bad he choked on the finals
They fired Kyrie it was not as simple as just not wanting to renew him. He cost them million$ the year before calling his own shoes trash and then when the suspension hit they lost even more money. His title is likely more ceremonial though I am sure his deal with Anta lets him have a lot of creative control which is for sure a reason for ballers to go outside the Nike / Adidas / Etc so they can do their own thing on a deeper level.
@@I.am_Groothis title is more than just ceremonial, I have videos on my channel that talks about it. He’s in charge of the of Anta US, that’s why he’s able to sign people and put on events like they had at the BET Awards. And the whole firing thing, his agent talked about what happened in an interview.
@@DreChampProductions When dude signed his pops it started to look sus and to be fair Kyrie is not the player he once was so Anta may have trouble getting enough return on their investment but who knows he could have a nice career after basketball working with them getting their brand up. The shoes are fire I know that part is solid
Another excellent video
Thank you!
Got a pair of Serious Players Only (SPO) recently, they have amazing traction and craftsmanship.
Hey Nacho, Who makes those speaker stands???🔥🔥🔥
Yamaha HS7s 🫡
Love the "Nachos" videos :)
Kevin Garnet was with Anta in later of his career. Shaq was with Li Ning in later of his career. Stephon Marbury was 361° degree when he become city legend of Beijing.
i'd go to anta anytime of the day! Bought my first running shoes from ANTA, since then i've bought about ten of them different shoes in less than 6 months. Super comfort and good quality shoes
just ordered myself a pair of lining basketball shoes. So yeah they are really getting popular.
Let me know how you like em!
I really like a few models that Anta and Kyrie have introduced, but I currently don't own any. Do you think they'll ever be as desirable, both physically and monetarily as most Jordan models? Just a curious question for Nacho and the rest of your fan base.
No it's no where near the level of desirability that Jordans have but they do perform just as good on the court. Maybe even better...
Kyrie's might simply because he's Kyrie, but I doubt other shoes/brands will
I learned something . Thank you
Another super hit video bro!!!! It hit home for me being a D Wade shoe collector since 2006 and now J.Butler and Karie!!!💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
That’s awesome! The Kylie’s look dope
I can agree that chinese brands may never overtake US brands like Nike. But everywhere else in the world, that's bound to happen sooner than expected. One very important factor is price. Imagine a Nike Kyrie 6 costing around 85-100 USD here in the Philippines. While an Anta Kyrie only costs around 65-70 USD. That's a steal tbh. Another that will factor that will silently woo the consumers is the quality. I have an Anta sneaker myself. They're great. Soft cushioning but does'nt bottom out and has been with me for a while.
The Kai hoodies are $65 not the shoes if we are talking about USD. His shoes retail around $125 which is similar to a lot of Nike signature shoes. The Jordan brand remains #1 overall and unless they branch off from Nike there is no way any other brand will come close. But there is room for them all especially if big ballers keep branching out and finding shoe deals outside the main companies
@@I.am_Groot No. I'm really talking about the shoes themselves. I think the reason Anta Kyrie's are at 125USD from your place is because you're from the US, with the tariffs and such. I'm from the Philippines and we use apps like Lazada to buy Anta products. Anta Kyrie Shockwave right now is on sale at 59USD and Anta Kyrie Hoodies costs only 38USD.
I miss them cool basketball ads and commercials back in the day
You didn’t mention Rigorer,361, QD sports who probably would need a video on their own and SPO
For anyone wondering how the shoes feel, I recently tried basketball shoes made by a Chinese brand (PEAK), and they are cheap and made of high-quality materials. Very underrated shoe brand and if you're on a budget, Chinese shoes might be for you.
Peak signed Tony Parker back in 2013
I have a pair of anta kt's and love the comfort on those and price ways they so much more competitive than major brands
Love the Way of Wades. I have the All City 11s and they’re super durable and protective. And they don’t have the pointed toe box… 😂 I’m get the next Anta x Kyrie’s with the next hoop season.
Glad I clicked on this video. very informative
Great video, some of those shoes are nice NGL.
Rigorer is an upcoming chinese sneakers manufacturer
I’ll have to check those out!
The most underrated Chinese sneaker/sports brand is Tebu 特步，perhaps less known in the hoop/sneaker fandom circle, but Tebu chose a different approach than Anta, which used star player to promote the shoes, Tebu poured money on R&D and had their signature X-trail frame sth similar to Adidas's torsion but much fitted for Chinese's feet.
Good to see you fellows.
Thanks my friend! Hope you’ve been well
Im born 199x and these i grew up with these brands.
Anta wasn't know for good qualities in the beginning, my first shoes with them are shoes dedicated for outdoor courts, claiming to be more durable on outdoor courts. They start to have really good quality after 2010 with still reasonable prices. This would be my go-to brand.
Li-Ning was a brand for the boomers but they really tried and successfully rebranded themselves to be a younger brand. They have fancier disigns and are quite expensive (hoodie cost me ~CAD150 in China, by comparision nike would cost half of the price in that market, but i have to say they look really good)
Peak is like a brand highschooler would buy on their allowances, i don't observe any equivilent brands in the west, and I was happy in high school with their bball shoes. And they always sponsor EU national teams idk why.
361 degrees to me is mostly for running shoes not really known for bball
This is a really cool video !
Thank you
i was very surprised when i was doing my research on what basketball shoes i should buy, and the most recommended weren't nike or adidas, but way of wade.
ended up getting the Way of Wade All City 12
Hope you like them bro!
Peace from Oakland Ca. Been fuckin with you left videos since deep in lockdown 💯
Ayeeeee appreciate you man
The Kyrie Shockwave 5 was nicest shoes that I have
Man!!! I want those all black ones. You're convincing me to shell out the money for em now.
Was at that Clippers game 0:20!
Rip the 213 era bro :-(
@@NachoAverageFinds don’t remind me man AHHHH 😔 IT HURTS!
Anta is super high quality and fire colorways.
Li Ning does tt, badminton, tennis and a lot of other sports too and they’re really reliable and really nice to use
Man, these Chinese brands plus Puma & Sketchers getting into basketball is a breath of fresh air. Forget Nike, Jordan & Adidas for the mean time.
Interesting subject as always
Thanks for stopping by Brodie
Li-Ning with the WOW 10, 11 and JB 1,2 are leaps above the competition. However they are outrageously expensive and the JBs are impossible to get here in the states. I love the WOW 10s and the boom cushion. Boom is the best cushion in the world. At this time they are no threat to Nike because of cost and the distribution network. It’s only a matter of time before these issues get fixed and hoopers will be at Li-Ning’s doorsteps. It’s inevitable.
Nice one, Bryzie. Very informative. Very well executed. Very well put together. Great script. Just great content, as always.
Proud of you, my friend .
Thank you my bru
I personally think chinese brands are some of the best shoe brands out there. They use new tech actually improving their shoes with way of wade using boom foam and carbon fiber. The great thing is they dont make prices crazy high and give good value. Some american brands just keep reusing every single shoe. I have a pair of wow10s and they are amazing. Great video bro
i have li ning shadow of wade 4 and way of wade all city 12..
the traction is superb and squeaky
Your speakers at the back look sick
Great video
Thanks bro!
Check out Anta’s sub-brands: Arc’teryx, Fila, Wilson, Salomon, Suunto, Descente…
Is it Chinese sports brand Rigorer for LA Lakers sensation Austin Reaves?
All of my basketball shoes right now are Li-ning and i never regret using it. I used to wear Nike before. But Li-ning was way more fit to me as a player
Way of Wade 7 🔥. Alternative shoe for Harden Vol. 1.
Tony Parker's signature shoes with Peak was a classic ⭐
Those anta kyries are works of art ! Kyrie pulled me over
You do know Carmelo Anthony was the first brand Jordan athlete as well as the face not DWade right but nice vid either way
Great video bro. You think Kyrie and basketball all together is why Nike took such a big hit this year.
It was definitely out of pocket on Nike’s end to terminate him. Think it was a big misunderstanding
I got some way of wade all city 12 encores. Love em.
The reason I decided to buy them... Durability for outdoor play.
The chinese shoes are designed for a market that plays the majority of its basketball outdoors...nike on the other hand pretty much design most of their basketball shoes with the knowledge that the majority of people buying them will never play basketball in them...and those that do will usually play indoors.
Love my kai 1s. And before it came out i was planning on wow sof or wow 10.
1:48 do u make beats bro? I see the speakers
tted that fam! =)
I make music yes
As a badmintok player, li ning is phenomenal and I'm glad dwade made shoes with them
KG also donned Anta in his playing days
Oh wow I did not know that
It's not that complicated. Li Ning likely offered him significantly more money, probably including a % of the total sales, than what he was receiving. Reportedly he got a % of ownership as well. Wade would have went to the highest bidder, everything else was secondary including shoe design.
Great video 🔥
Big market for China
Massive market for NBA players out there
What are the shoes in the thumbnail
Anta x Shockwave Pro Kyrie Black Knight
Honestly, it is reasonable that Chinese sneaker brands are kicking the market ass now. The recent years, Nike didn't respect consumers at all, they spent too much on commercials, all they did were shooting some movie-liked advertisements to gain people's attention, and embellish their sneakers and clothes. Anyway the design, the technologies, and the retail price are
incompatible. none of today's Nike sneakers can compete with Kobe series, but Kobe's reps are overpriced..... and amounts are limited, so it makes sense that Nike is losing its market.
At the end of the day all those sneakers are being made in some sweatshop in Asia. Including the "American" brands.
The typical hypocrisy of Westerners is that they both like cheap things and like to criticize cheap things because of the oppression of workers, as Chinese people really don't like this kind of remarks, you should know that cheap labor is very normal in countries with large populations, this is not a problem, you can not accuse this is a sweatshop, if every Chinese worker is the income of the United States, Do you think you can live? Your quality of life will be several times lower and prices will go up very quickly, so don't say any more of these ignorant statements, and it is also important to point out that although labor is cheaper in populous countries, our cost of living will be much lower, so the quality of life will not necessarily be much lower
I Look Forward To You Guys Doing A Feature/Video About Skechers Basketball Sneakers…
12:26 can someone tell me which shoes are those kids wearing
Li Ning is dope af. Great products and prices
wade's shoes are actually really popular of volleyball players in the US which is kinda crazy
Tony Parker signature shoes with Peak wasn’t mentioned honestly surprised
You didn’t mention Klay Thompson who signed up with ANTA. Those KT shoes were big deal in China too.
3:38 Wade signed with Li-Ning was a sensible move. It was a win-win situation. Wade's basketball career was coming to an end. Nike/Jordan would certainly not give him a long-term contract. Wade got a contract with a startup company where he got $ and control while Li-Ning got a big name.
3:40 Li-Ning didn't do so well? Li-Ning is a brand name in China. They have been trying to get into the North America market.
Li-Ning also had Evan Turner prior to Wade, but Turner was a bust.
not only the contract is a life long contract, they also give 1B, which is the biggest endorsement contract in China even until now.
Good piece
8:55 "Clippers Legend" Lou Williams
I bet Klay is being payed the difference if not close to what he wanted on the back end for teaming up with his fellow Anta rep running mate on Dallas…Great marketing if you ask me…
Credit also to Chinese business people able to saw the potential market in China and took advantage of it by launching their apparel companies..
Absolutely
Me living in Canada, 10 years ago during high school, my bball teammate from China had the nicest looking Anta shoes, wow I know this brand 😂