Becoming Michael Jordan for $14.98 (Save a TON on Basketball Shoes)

I have recently discovered an AWESOME way to save a BOATLOAD of money on basketball shoes for my son and I just had to pass it on. First, some background.

As with many 11-year-old boys, my son is growing like a weed. Seems like every day he hits a new size in something -- pants, shirts, shoes, etc. And like many boys his age, he loves tennis shoes. He wears them every day and has a different pair for basketball season (worn only inside on the court.) Combine the two of these (fast growth and love of tennis shoes) and you can see where we could be spending a fortune on $30-$80 (or more!) tennis shoes that he wears for a few months before moving on to the next size.

But this is no longer a problem for us since we've discovered the Starbury line of shoes. Here are the details on it:

• NY Knicks basketball star Stephon Marbury has partnered with Steve and Barry's (a retail chain) to market the Starbury line of shoes (for details on the arrangement, check out ESPN, SportsBiz, and Words of Fire.)

• The shoes are supposedly as good in quality as Nike and the rest of the name-brand basketball shoes.

• All Starbury shoes retail for $14.98.

Ok, I'll give a bit on the fact that these shoes are maybe the same as those made by Nike and others. But they are pretty good. And besides, what 11-year-old really needs $60 shoes to play basketball -- especially when he's going to outgrow them in a few months?

But $14.98 -- you can take that to the bank! The shoes are good quality, stylish, and so far seem to hold up under my son's heavy usage. For us, it's been a great find -- good basketball/tennis shoes that can be had for unheard of prices. What's not to love?

To find out more about the shoe and to locate a Steve and Barry's near you, check out the Starbury website.

For the cynical among those reading this, no, this is not a paid endorsement of the product. We simply find them to be a great deal and a tip that can save Free Money Finance readers a ton of money.

Comments

[Brad]

I have tremendous respect for Marbury for doing this. What refreshing character one player is showing among a sea of bad role models in the NBA.

[Ted Valentine]

I too have a lot of respect for Stephon for doing this. These are quality shoes, too. He did it because he grew up very poor and knows the pressure parents face between getting their kids basketball shoes or buying groceries.

[JM]

Kids don't like expensive shoes because they are 'good quality'. It doesn't work that way. I guarantee you your kid will get made fun of for wearing $14.98 shoes and not the $60 Michael Jordan brand. In fact, it wouldn't even matter if Michael Jordan himself endorsed the $15 shoes. Kids make fun of other kids for wearing cheap shoes. Its a fundamental underlying law of nature.

I'm not criticizing your decision in any way, and I think the $15 shoes will build way more character, and are probably better for your kid in almost every way than the Jordan ones. Just filling you in on how things work on the modern playground.

[FMF]

JM --

Maybe they will make fun of him at first. But once he starts canning three-pointers on them, I don't think they'll be laughing much. ;-)

[John J.]

I also respect Marbury for doing this, but these shoes are worthless. They offer no ankle support whatsoever, so I hope, when your kid breaks his ankle while wearing these thin as paper shoes, and you're sutck paying his doctor bills, you remember the $40 you just had to save.

[My New Choice]

As a father to two growing boys myself, I'll have to keep these in mind the next time they need shoes - which shouldn't be too far from now. Our youngest son pretty much only wears the old Chuck Taylors, he must have 8 or 9 different pair of them whereas our oldest is more like me where he has two pair of shoes (one for dressing up and a pair of gym shoes.

[FMF]

John --

That's not my experience. I'd say they offer just as much support as other shoes he's worn in the past. Of course, I've never spent $80 on a pair of tennis shoes for him (or for myself for that matter), so maybe others are better. I just know that these will due for him at this age for sure.

Others --

FYI, they supposedly offer sizes of shoes all the way up to adults. Any adults out there tried them? I generally wear running shoes (versus basketball shoes) and I don't think they offer them.

[Tyler]

JM, how would the kids know they have cheap shoes unless you pointed it out?!!? Look at Pete Maravich! Floppy socks, used shoes, but the guy dominated. Who cares what's on ones feet. I played bball in college and none of this mattered. The most important thing is getting a shoe that supports your foot correctly and one that is comfortable. I know from experience.

[JM]

@Tyler - Believe me, they know. I think 7th grade is about when kids start to care about things like that. At least in public schools. Cripes, have you never heard the Fresh Prince song "Parents just don't understand"? Its basically about this very issue (although in it, the mother buys 70's clothes to save money, but same idea).

@FMF - That's true - mad skillz can definitely trump fashion on the playground.

[Never teh Bride]

What kids get made fun of for differs by locale, JM. In the region where I grew up, no one cared much about sneaker brands, but t-shirts were scrutinized and mocked. Luckily, t-shirts are a heck of a lot cheaper than sneakers!

[Air Jordans]

that is a great way to get shoes. i must say there are good stores selling air jordans as well

[frogflight24]

When I think of 15 dollar tennis shoes... I can't possibly imagine a situation, where you take all the materials needed, the shipping, the labor, the machine hours, and can come out with a shoe that is only 15 dollars...

UNLESS, something (or someone) is getting short handed...

I'd be too scared of making a highly unethical purchase. Although I guess it could be possible that technology today is cheap enough and efficient enough to produce a shoe that cheap ethically, but... is that likely?...

[jubethone]

FMF,

Correct me if I misunderstood, but it seems like you are saying you wear running shoes to play basketball. I would be very careful about doing that because my husband tore his ACL from playing basketball with shoes with no ankle support. It ended up being a very expensive mistake. He had to go to 6 months of physical therapy before he got ACL surgery followed by another year of physical therapy. He now buys basketball shoes with lots of ankle support from Marshall's. We spend about $30 for a pair of good quality basketball shoes (usu. reebok or nike). It may be twice the Starbury price tag, but we also don't have any Steve & Barry's nearby anyways.

[FMF]

Jube --

Thanks for the concern, but when I said I usually wear running shoes, I meant on the weekends and at night, not to play basketball in. My basketball playing days are behind me. ;-)