Trae Young has been one of the younger superstars in the league, making steady improvements since he was drafted. He has been the brightest star in the Atlanta Hawks roster and has been an NBA All-Star multiple times.
Being a superstar in the league means various shoe brands will court you to become their brand ambassador and represent them. Fortunately, Trae Young was one of the youngest brand ambassadors from Adidas.
Being a signature athlete means you will get your signature shoe one day. And, like many, they were given one. If you are wondering what Trae’s best shoes are throughout his career, you have come at the right moment.
In this article, I will review some of Trae Young’s game-worn basketball shoes and signature pairs. I will go through in detail some of his best game-worn shoes throughout his young career in the NBA. Check it out down below.
- Adidas Trae Young 1
- Adidas Trae Young 2
- Adidas N3XT L3V3L 2020
- Adidas The N3XT L3V3L
- Adidas Harden Vol. 3
Trae Young: Adidas Brand Ambassador
Despite being early in his career in the NBA, Trae Young showcased what he is all about. His sharpshooting and playmaking skills earned him First All-Rookie Honors during his rookie season.
As I have highlighted, when you are one of the rising stars in the league, plenty of companies and brands will come knocking at your door for various promotional purposes.
During the end of his rookie season, the three-stripes brand quickly signed him on a multi-year contract worth $1.8 million per year.
And in 2020, he made his contract extension with Adidas and a contract including his signature shoe. His first official signature shoe, the Trae Young 1, was released in 2021.
What Were The Shoes That Trae Young Has Worn In His NBA Career?
Trae Young wore a lot of shoes during his entire career. However, when he signed with Adidas, he would only wear Adidas basketball shoes until his contract ran out.
So, we will see almost all worn basketball shoes made by Adidas. Below are the Adidas basketball shoes Trae Young has worn during his young career as an NBA player.
1. Adidas Trae Young 1
Features:
- Herringbone Traction Pattern
- Lightweight Lightstrike Midsole
- Adidas Boost Technology
Right before Trae Young was wreaking havoc playing for the Oklahoma Sooners during his college years, he mainly wore Nike basketball shoes. He enjoyed pretty much everything that was in store with the brand.
From the Kyries, the PGs, the KDs, and even the LeBrons, he relished the opportunity to wear different kinds of sneakers during college.
However, when he declared for the 2018 NBA draft and was drafted by Dallas Mavericks, he was traded to Atlanta Hawks and signed a multi-year contract with the three stripes.
Over the last three seasons, he has worn the N3XT L3V3L sneaker line, a great shoe in its own right. While it did take a while when Adidas released its very first signature sneaker, it didn’t take too long before the fans fell in love with it.
The Trae Young 1 debuted right before the playoffs started during their matchup against the New York Knicks in 2021.
After it was released, Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks made a deep playoff run and into the Eastern Conference Finals only to be defeated by the eventual champions, Milwaukee Bucks.
Overall, the shoe garnered many nice reviews, and some sneakerheads commended its cushioning, comfort, and traction. Its low-top design is intended for fast, shifty point guards looking to blow past their defenders.
After the NBA playoffs concluded, it was opened to the world on October 1, 2021.
2. Adidas Trae Young 2
Features:
- Herringbone Traction Pattern
- Lightweight Lightstrike Midsole
- Adidas Boost Technology
After two years, his second signature basketball shoe was released. The Trae Young 2 was announced to the public during the 2022-2023 NBA season.
Many fans and sneakerheads were starved to see what was coming up next for his signature line. And on November 2, 2022, Trae Young’s second signature shoe was introduced.
To the delight of many, it packed different features that made this signature shoe an early fan-favorite amongst the best basketball shoes that year.
It featured cutting-edge technology with Adidas’ heralded BOOST technology and Lightstrike features.
The SCK360 knit upper was a pleasant surprise to many with its ability to wrap your foot tightly without discomfort. Many sneaker pundits deemed the shoe average, considering how well his first shoe performed.
Nevertheless, Trae Young enjoyed a decent season despite having multiple injuries on their roster. The shoe sparked new life to an abysmal season.
Overall, the shoe’s design resembles very closely to its predecessor. It’s very close to the ground, responsive, and wraps your foot tightly.
It’s a great performing shoe and has been on the top lists of most sneakerheads worldwide.
3. Adidas N3XT L3V3L 2020
Features:
- Lightstrike Foam Midsole
- Laceless Knit Upper
- Multi-Directional Traction Pattern
During Trae’s second season, Adidas N3XT L3V3L 2020 was unveiled to the public by Adidas, and it took a matter of time before Trae Young wore these during his sophomore season.
Like the first N3XT L3V3L shoe, it was a mixed bag of amazing features and technologies put into one shoe.
Its high-top design is still there; like its predecessor, this shoe was excellent as it performed on par with the first in terms of comfort, cushioning, support, and design.
However, many people were not a fan of the first one because of its weird design, which is why designers from the brand made a total makeover of the second shoe while maintaining its important features.
During the season, Trae Young wore a lot of colorways with this one. Some were player exclusives, and some depended on what type of day they were playing.
Many sneakerheads lauded its amazing on-court performance; their only problem was its high-top design and with no low-top versions. Still, Trae Young enjoyed his sophomore season averaging career highs in almost all statistical categories.
4. Adidas The N3XT L3V3L
Features:
- Lightstrike Foam Midsole
- Primeknit Upper
- Internal Heel Counter
Trae Young could only wear Adidas signature shoes when he moved to the three stripes brand. Soon after he signed with Adidas, the brand quickly unveiled a new line featuring its first-ever lace-less basketball shoe.
It featured Adidas’ first-ever LightStrike midsole providing basketball players the cushioning and comfort they are looking for without adding extra weight. Trae Young enjoyed most of this shoe during his rookie year.
Despite many people saying that its features were great, this shoe is great in its own right, but its design left something to be desired. For the most part, this particular shoe was also great in performance.
The prime knit upper was comfortable and amazing; the herringbone traction bites on any court. Also, one of its amazing features is its amazing cushioning, which is the LightStrike midsole.
It provides plenty of cushioning and shock absorption, an attribute Trae Young’s game heavily emphasized.
Overall, these shoes were great. Trae Young wore a lot of colorways with this shoe, which translated to a very successful rookie season.
He placed second in Rookie of the Year, voting next to Luka Dončić.
5. Adidas Harden Vol. 3
Features:
- Herringbone Traction Pattern
- Adidas Boost Technology
- Internal Heel Counter
Aside from the N3XT L3V3L lines, Trae Young wore different Adidas signature shoes, mainly from James Harden’s lines.
The Adidas Harden Vol 3 was one of his favorite shoes from his fellow Adidas signature athlete, James Harden. You would often see him during his rookie and sophomore years rocking different kinds of colorways.
Well, who doesn’t love these shoes? They are amazing in every aspect of what good basketball shoes should have. These signature shoes were awesome! If you played with these on indoor courts, you might marvel at this because its herringbone traction simply bites.
The full-length Boost on the midsole offers cushioning and shock absorption without sacrificing comfort.
It’s a well-balanced shoe in terms of performance and durability as well. The heel-to-toe transition is smooth; no problems were encountered during our tests.
Some would say this signature sneaker is Harden’s most popular because of its performance. Lockdown is great as well. Your feet should fit snugly inside without slippages.
On the contrary, some would say you need to add half an inch to your shoe size, meaning if you are 10, you have to add an extra half-an-inch to get the most bang for your buck. Nevertheless, these signature shoes are fantastic!
No wonder why Trae Young relied heavily on these during his first two seasons in the league.
What Are The Most Popular Trae Young Shoes That Are Selling?
Despite wearing several Adidas basketball shoes over his short career, Trae Young’s signature lines were still his best-selling shoes.
His signature sneakers were impressive and amazing in terms of features, and it is also designed for speedy and shifty guards looking to blow past defenders at will.
In addition, most NBA players and sneakerheads preferred the Trae Young 1 as it packed the features they sought in a shoe.
It has a great on-court feel, amazing cushioning, and impressive traction, and it is very supportive and comfortable throughout the shoe.
Lastly, his signature lines remain cheaper if you compare them to his fellow Adidas signature athletes like Damian Lillard and James Harden or from Nike’s signature lines of PGs, Kyries, KDs, and LeBrons.
For the price, it is impressive enough to give you an amazing time on and off the court. The shoe is superb and should be expected as one of the best-selling shoes in recent years.
Conclusion
Trae Young has slowly cemented himself as one of the best young players in the league. Despite being only 24 years old, he has made a name for himself and has been named to multiple All-Star teams.
The introduction of his Trae Young 1 sneaker was a sight to behold as he and the Atlanta Hawks would shock the world and put the eventual champions to the test.
His shoe was greatly accredited for his performance, and he performed on par with some of the NBA’s best teams. Nonetheless, this article should give you a clear guide of what Trae Young has worn throughout his career in the NBA.