This week around the NBA, players wore a few pairs of sneakers well outside the norm, including ones that held deeper meaning once they hit the hardwood.
Kyrie Irving once again unveiled a pair of his Kyrie 3 model showcasing a personal backstory. This pair paid tribute to the Best Buddies Foundation he's worked with since entering the league. Irving has given his time to partake in charity walks and has also launched basketball programs to encourage challenged kids. Now his sneakers can help to raise even more awareness for the foundation.
While he might not be a household name like Irving, Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie also made waves for his unique sneakers this week -- a self-endorsed pair of basketball shoes he designed himself and had manufactured in China.
"This was a passion project for me. Last year, when I got to Brooklyn, nobody wanted to sign me from an apparel standpoint," Dinwiddie told Sports Illustrated. "Going through that situation -- it got me back to thinking and wanting to do something for myself."
Elsewhere, the usual sneaker suspects continued to rotate through rare and special-edition kicks. Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen again sported a now-vintage pair of LeBron sneakers, donning the "Christmas" edition of James' eighth model. PJ Tucker wore the sought-after "Aston Martin" Nike Zoom Kobe 5, and Clippers center Montrezl Harrell wore perhaps the most quirky custom sneaker yet, featuring "Simpsons" character "Krusty The Clown" along each toe of his Nike Hyperdunks.
The biggest surprise of the week came when LeBron James laced up an old, black pair of the Zoom Soldier 3, a shoe originally made in 2009 and worn for his Game 2 buzzer beater during the Eastern Conference finals. With James not consistently wearing his new LeBron 15 model in recent weeks, perhaps we can keep an eye out for him to pull out vintage pairs from the early years of his career.
Check out all of the best sneakers worn in the NBA this week and vote on your favorite pair below.