Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Heat banned Giannis Antetokounmpo shoes during 2021 playoffs

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Robin Adams | Last updated 4/21/23

It is no secret that Giannis Antetokounmpo basketball shoes are some of the most popular sneakers among basketball fans. Not only that, they are also quite popular among NBA players.

According to ballershoesdb.com, 14 current players wear the Nike Zoom Freak 4, making it the seventh-most worn shoe in the NBA. Furthermore, 20 NBA players wear some form Giannis shoe, the fifth-most of players with shoe endorsements. Only Kobe Bryant, Kyrie Irving, Paul George and Kevin Durant have more players wearing their shoes.

In a recent article in The Athletic, Mike Vorkunov discusses how the unwritten rules of basketball are changing. It used to be frowned upon to wear the shoe of a player from a rival team. Some players still feel strongly about this old unwritten rule, including the Miami Heat’s Udonis Haslem.

According to Vorkunov’s report, Haslem had the following to say about wearing the shoes of rival players.

“It was mental for me. I never wanted to feel like I gave an opponent a competitive edge or any kind of mental edge over me. I just felt like wearing my opponents’ shoe would give him a competitive edge or a mental edge. The game is already hard enough without giving your opponent an edge mentally. That was my concern. Everybody is not like me. Everybody doesn’t look at things the way I do. Guys are a lot friendlier nowadays, a lot nicer when they play against each other.”

Haslem’s teammate, Tyler Herro, claimed that the Heat even made the decision to ban Giannis shoes on their team during their 2021 playoff matchup with the Bucks.

It’s interesting that there are some players that do not want to wear rival shoes because the player endorsing them is not on their team. Some players, like Haslem, noted they felt like they were giving a psychological edge to their opponents by doing so, but it sounds like that sentiment is fading around the league.

The move of banning the sneakers of opponents didn't work for the Heat, who were swept by the Bucks in that playoff series.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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