Are you ready for some comedic relief in the world of basketball shoes? Well, look no further because players are no longer sticking to the old, traditional rituals. Gone are the days when rookies had to fetch doughnuts and newspapers for the team, and thank goodness because half these players don’t even read papers anymore! Nowadays, the new kids on the block come into the league with a massive following on social media and think they can bend the rules. What a bunch of crybabies, right? But hey, it’s a new day and age, and everyone is trying to make their mark, and not just in basketball. Billy the office intern just showed me his TikTok account, and he has more followers than me; it’s depressing.

Shoes are a significant status symbol in basketball, and wearing a signature shoe of a famous player is a sign of respect. The real stars of the game even have their line, and everyone else just wears whatever they can find lying around. Even Steven Adams shows up to games wearing flip flops, but eventually, he puts on sneakers. It’s like they say, the barefooted shall inherit the bench.

Showing too much respect for opponents was not considered acceptable in the past; even Kobe Bryant got called out for wearing Jordan’s shoes against Jordan himself. But eventually, Kobe got his shoe, and it worked; people were wearing his shoes against him. We can all thank Kobe for giving us the fear that leads us to never wear our opponent’s shoe against them. It’s like the saying goes, “Give your foe no quarter, in your head or on your feet.”

Players are particular about what they wear on their feet. Even Kevin Love, who had Kobe’s words ringing in his head, has a different perspective on this subject. Love usually wears his exclusive Nike shoes but will throw on some LeBrons from time to time. He wears them for comfort, but he understands the impact of Kobe’s words. It’s funny to see all these big-name players who have their brand sometimes wear other players’ shoes, but I guess they need to mix it up sometimes too.

Personal relationships matter when it comes to this shoe wearing rule. Players wear shoes to show their support and validation for their friends. So if you play ball with a friend who is a star athlete with a shoe line, why not wear their shoes when you play against them? Corey Kispert is a great example. He wears Paul George’s shoes when he plays against the Clippers, even though he catches heat from his teammates. But as adults, we can agree that when it comes to silly locker room rules, peer pressure doesn’t always work.

What’s the point of wearing someone’s shoes when you’re playing against them? Some players, like Anthony Edwards, would never consider it because it’s just wrong. But others, like Durant and George, appreciate the recognition, and it feels great to see someone wearing your shoes on the court. Oh, how the times have changed. Old-school vets like Udonis Haslem now accept that rules have eroded, and they’ve pretty much given up correcting players. So, players do what they do best, wear their own shoes, and carry on.

Serious News: nytimes