Basketball has been a popular sport for over a hundred years, but it can be really tough on your shoes. With all the running up and down the court, and fancy footwork needed for blocking and shooting it's no wonder that anyone who wants to play this game needs a good pair of basketball shoes.

Basketball shoes are different from other kinds of sports shoes, and it's quite easy to see the different construction simply by comparing them to other types of shoes. You can see that the support around the ankles is quite different than in any other shoe.

Shoes for basketball actually come in three different types. High tops our shoes that extend all the way up to the top of the ankles. The low tops dually many restrictions on the ankle and the midsole is in between those two.

Depending on what position you play, you might choose one of these different types of shoes. Most players like the midsole because it is very comfortable and, in this game, speed is essential. No matter what type of basketball shoe you choose, you'll want to consider a few things:

1. You want to choose shoes that are durable because these shoes will really take a beating in who wants to buy new basketball shoes every other game?

2. Be sure you get ones that have good support so that you can protect your ankles from sprains as well as shoes that provide good traction so you don't slip.

3. Making sure the shoe is comfortable is key. You want to put them on in the storm walk around a little bit to see how they feel. Make sure you wear the same thickness of stock that you will be wearing on the basketball court.

The average consumer has a lot to consider when he goes out to buy a pair of basketball shoes. There are numerous manufacturers all with several different styles of shoe and you will literally be bombarded with a variety of styles, shapes and colors to choose from. Along with the three things above, you also want to consider price. You can spend a lot on a good basketball shoe, but you probably want to decide your budget before you go in the store lest you become enamored of the more expensive pairs.