10 College Basketball Players Poised to Make Sneaker History

March Madness could elevate ten current college basketball players into sneaker history.

Pat Benson | Mar 7, 2024

10 College Basketball Players Poised to Make Sneaker History /

March Madness is the best time of the year for basketball fans and sneakerheads. Major sneaker brands have our undivided attention throughout the NCAA men's and women's tournaments, and they capitalize on it with new and retro releases. That much we can count on.

However, becoming a sneaker legend requires much more than a nice pair of kicks. Players need equal parts charisma (rizz), swagger, and clutch court performances. Last year, we ranked the top sneaker legends of March Madness.

There is a real chance a current player could join that illustrious group this year. Below is the FanNation Kicks watch list for the top ten potential sneaker legends of this year's NCAA tournaments.

10 Potential College Basketball Sneaker Legends

Listing ten current college basketball players who could make sneaker history.

Dalton Knecht

Player: Tennessee Volunteers guard Dalton Knecht.

Resume: Knecht is ice cold on the court and does most of his work in new and retro models from Kevin Durant's signature Nike line. (The Rick Barnes connection is real).

Sneaker BPI: 14.2.

Rob Dillingham

Player: Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham.

Resume: Dillingham is an electric factory with an incredible backstory. Combine his persona with some Nike Kobes and you have an energizing formula.

Sneaker BPI: 15.0.

Jared McCain

Player: Duke Blue Devils guard Jared McCain.

Resume: Duke is a Nike school and a Mamba Program, but McCain zags by wearing older models from Kyrie Irving's now-defunct signature sneaker line. It's a bold move, but history is reserved for intrepid players.

Sneaker BPI: 15.5.

Juju Watkins

Player: USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins.

Resume: Watkins is appointment television. Plus, the elite scorer likes to match her wide rotation of Nike Kobe 6s with USC's fire uniforms (Nike, sell the gold and black jerseys).

Sneaker BPI: 16.9.

Keisei Tominaga

Player: Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Keisei Tominaga.

Resume: Tominaga is demonstrative on the court and backs it up with his play. Even better, he flashes a wide array of new and old adidas sneakers. It's a down season for most adidas schools, but we trust in Tominaga.

Sneaker BPI: 17.2.

Harrison Ingram

Player: North Carolina Tar Heels forward Harrison Ingram.

Resume: There are some legitimate stars on the UNC Tar Heels roster, but Ingram constantly brings the heat with his Jordan Brand sneakers.

Sneaker BPI: 17.7.

Angel Reese

Player: LSU Tigers forward Angel Reese.

Resume: The Bayou Barbie was built for big moments in the social media era. Reese has unmatched bravado, which is perfect for a player on a Mamba Program.

Sneaker BPI: 18.0.

Caleb Love

Player: Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love.

Resume: Since transferring to Arizona, Love has worn so many retro Nike Kobes we have lost track. The high-flying guard follows in the footsteps of a long line of Arizona sneaker legends.

Sneaker BPI: 20.1.

Kiki Rice

Player: UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice.

Resume: Rice already made history last year when she debuted the Air Jordan 38 - not bad for a freshman guard. Don't be surprised if the UCLA Bruins guard adds to her sterling sneaker resume this spring.

Sneaker BPI: 21.4.

Caitlin Clark

Player: Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark.

Resume: This has been the year of Caitlin Clark. In fact, it's her world, and we're just paying rent. She is one of the greatest players of all time and is somehow more synonymous with the Nike Kobe 5 Proto 'Bruce Lee' than Bryant himself.

Sneaker BPI: 22.3.

The 2024 NCAA March Madness Sneakers Study Guide

Published Mar 7, 2024

PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.