Sneakers always play an exciting aspect when it comes to basketball. Aside from showcasing a sense of fashion, a handful also come out as good sports memorabilia attached to a superstar's moment.

But while basketball shoes are a great connection between stars and NBA fans, there are a few sneakers that stirred some controversy. Let's rank the 10 most controversial sneakers in the NBA.

10. Yeezy 750s

Kanye West was a happy man when he witnessed Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young lace up his Adidas Yeezy 750s in a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in 2015. Although Young escaped without a fine for wearing street-style sneakers in an official NBA game, the league came up with a new rule that required its players to wear sneakers designed for basketball.

9. Nike Kyrie 8

Kyrie Irving is one of the most controversial players in the NBA today. In fact, it's widely known what happened between the All-Star guard's relationship with Nike, especially after promoting anti-Semitism content. But when Nike Kyrie 8 was released, Irving made sure to speak out against the design of his signature sneakers. In fact, Irving went as far as calling it “Trash.”

8. Air Jordan 37

The Jordan Brand is highly respected for its ties with His Airness Michael Jordan. However, in a preseason game, the brand caused a stir for the wrong reasons.

Then-Celtics big man Grant Williams wore the Air Jordan 37s. While it showed no problems at first, the Air Jordan 37s fell apart while Williams was making a drive to the basket. The incident surely raised quality and safety concerns for ballers.

7. Adidas Crazy 1

While the late Kobe Bryant would release his most iconic sneakers with Nike, a lot of fans would agree that even the Black Mamba himself would like to forget his days with adidas. Bryant wasn't quite happy about the designs that adidas made for his sneakers and never tried to hide it.

As a result, the adidas Crazy 1 was part of the reason why Bryant opted to leave for Nike, even before The Kobe 2 was released. Years after his fatal death, adidas returned Bryant's signature sneakers to the market.

6. Jordan Melo M10

Carmelo Anthony was an elite forward during his peak. As a result, it isn't surprising that the Jordan Brand partnered up with the former Denver Nuggets star. However, their collaboration was threatened when the NBA didn't like the Jordan Melo M10, particularly its chrome-plated segment.

Thanks to the chrome-plated feature, the sneaker had the tendency to reflect the stadium's lights, which distracted players and blinded courtside viewers. Furthermore, the chrome-plated material could also be potentially dangerous if it detached from the sneaker. As a result, the Jordan Brand was forced to make some tweaks to the design for Melo to continue wearing them.

5. Big Baller Brand ZO2

Given that LaVar Ball founded the brand, it isn't surprising that his son Lonzo Ball wore these pair of shoes on the floor during his first years in the NBA. But while he was being a supportive son, the shoes hampered Ball's performance. Not only did the sneakers fall apart after every quarter, but these lackluster sneakers also played a role in his ankle injury history.

4. Nike Air Bakin

The Nike Air Bakin made an appearance on the NBA hardwood thanks to five-time All-Star Tim Hardaway. However, Nike soon found itself in hot water due to the Air Bakin's logo in its heel. The logo was originally supposed to convey the word “Air” in dramatic form.

However, the logo finish ended up offending the Muslim community since it resembled the word “Allah” in Arabic form. Not only did Nike make some changes during the re-release of the sneakers, but the sports giant also decided to appease the Muslim community by building playgrounds for Islamic children in the country.

3. Nike Hyperize

The Nike Hyperize shoes were a huge hit for sneaker heads. Not only did it sport a sleek design, but the Nike Hyperize was one of the lightest sneakers to be released to the market at 0.8 pounds. Like sneaker heads, it isn't surprising that several NBA players decided to pick some up for themselves.

Unfortunately, due to its lightweight in nature, the shoes barely supported players' ankles. As a result, the Detroit Pistons prevented its players from wearing these shoes.

2. Air Jordan 1s

Back in the day, the NBA imposed a rule that required players to match their sneakers to their uniforms and teammates. However, that didn't stop Michael Jordan from flaunting the Air Jordan 1s. Despite fining Jordan $5,000 per game for wearing the sneakers, Nike happily paid the fine as the sneaker increasingly grew more popular before becoming one of the most iconic sneakers attached to Jordan's career as a GOAT.

1. Athletic Propulsion Labs Concept 1

The only basketball sneakers banned by the NBA for its performance-enhancing features is the APL Concept 1. With claims of helping the user of the shoes jump higher, the league decided to bar any players from wearing the sneakers to keep a level playing field.

Although bans are often a negative effect for shoe brands, the NBA's statement only further validated the brand's claims in terms of its performance enhancement.