Why Do NBA Players Remove Insoles When Giving Shoes? Answered!

Why Do NBA Players Remove Insoles When Giving Shoes

NBA players remove custom-made insoles from their basketball shoes before giving them away as gifts to fans due to hygiene concerns, sizing issues, and the need to prevent injuries. The insoles are personalized for the players to reduce the risk of foot, leg, and knee injuries while playing, making them crucial in maintaining their performance and health.

Many NBA players are generous enough to give their shoes to their fans. This scenario happens whenever an NBA game comes to an end, and the players are going to the locker room. While on their way to the locker room, they choose a special fan to give their shoes. 

One thing that makes us curious when we see NBA players giving their basketball shoes is removing the insoles on their shoes. They should grant all of the basketball shoes and all of the part of it. Right? Why do these NBA players remove the insoles out of their shoes when they give them to their fans?

The NBA players remove the insoles out of their shoes before giving them away because their insoles are custom-made. Their custom-made insoles in their basketball shoes help them prevent severe foot, leg, and knee injuries. When they give the insoles to their fans, along with the shoes, they have to wait again for some time to get their custom made insoles. 

However, there are other reasons why these NBA players remove insoles when giving shoes. We are going to find out different reasons! Also, we are going to answer some related questions. Let’s get right into it!

Reasons Why NBA Players Remove Insoles When Giving Shoes

Below are the different other reasons why NBA players remove insoles out of their shoes before giving them away to their fans. 

Custom Made

This is the main reason why NBA players remove the insoles out of their shoes. Before giving their shoes away to their fans, they remove their insoles first because it is a custom made insoles. 

These custom-made insoles are specifically for them. Their custom-made insoles are made to prevent various injuries such as knee injury, foot injury, and leg injury. Also, these insoles cost 500 bucks! So I think it makes sense why NBA players remove their insoles before giving away their shoes. 

Also, if the NBA players give their insoles to their fans, it can cause trouble for them. Why? Because they have to wait for a long time before they get their custom-made insoles again. Their schedules are busy, and they have a game almost every day.

If they don’t wear their custom-made insoles during their games, NBA players might suffer the injuries they tried to prevent. 

Hygiene 

The other reason why NBA players take the insoles out of their shoes before giving them away is because of hygiene factors. Every insole of basketball players have bacteria caused by the sweat from their feet. 

NBA players don’t like to transfer the fungi or bacteria on their feet, if they have one, to their fans. It is unhygienic to give their insoles to their fans, and it is also unhygienic for any people to give or lend their insoles to other people. Our feet have many bacteria, and it sticks on our insoles. Giving away our dirty insoles to others is like transmitting a disease. 

Insoles on our basketball shoes is a personal thing, and it should not be given or lent to others. This is why NBA players never give their insoles away with their shoes. NBA players believe that their insoles are their thing, and lending or giving them to others is not a good idea. 

The Size

The other reason why NBA players remove insoles when they give their shoes is because of the size problem. The size of their insoles is big and will not fit for their fans, especially the younger fans, so why should they give it? NBA players only give their shoes to their fans as a remembrance, and I think that the shoes are enough as memorabilia. 

What Insoles Do NBA Players Use?

Like I have said above, NBA players have custom-made insoles, which means that their insoles are made based on their preferences and needs. NBA players need their insoles to get customized to prevent severe injuries from happening. 

However, aside from that custom-made insoles, NBA players that are not that famous uses generic insoles. There are lots of insoles out there at the market, and if you are going to buy, you have to make sure to pick the right and trusted brand of the insole. 

Do NBA Players Pay For Their Shoes?

Most of the NBA players are not obliged to pay for their shoes because they are on a merch deal with a certain brand. This means that NBA players don’t have to pay anything to wear their favorite shoes and their jerseys every time they play. 

Most NBA players that are on a merch deal have a product allowance that they can use to buy a new pair of shoes or other basketball accessories like mouthguards. The usual product allowance of an NBA player is between $10,000-$20,000, but the amount is still negotiable. 

The NBA players themselves or team equipment managers are the ones who buy shoes or other basketball accessories for the NBA players. Companies can also send the basketball shoes directly to the house of the NBA players so that NBA players will not have a hard time going into a store to buy a shoe. 

But do they own the shoes? NBA players also own the shoes, even if the money they use was from the product allowance or their money. I think the companies let the NBA players keep the shoes. 

NBA players will also need to change shoes frequently. That is why they need a large amount of product allowance for the entire season. They change shoes frequently because their shoes often tear easily because they play and practice almost every day. 

NBA players only change the shoes and not their insoles. Why? Because it is easier to get shoes than to get custom-made insoles. It takes time for a custom-made insole to arrive at NBA players. 

Is It Bad To Remove The Insoles Out Of Your Shoes? 

Removing the insoles out of your shoes is not that bad. As long as your foot is comfortable and the shoes will not get broken, I don’t see any problem removing the insoles out of your shoes. However, if you are going to remove the insoles, make sure that you wear socks.

I also sometimes remove my insoles, especially if my insoles are torn out. However, even though I remove them, I make sure that I wear thick socks. Insoles are essential, and they are the ones that protect your feet from the ground. 

Do Insoles Make Your Shoes Smaller?

No. Insoles do not physically make a shoe smaller. They fill out the empty or excess space between your feet inside of the shoe. Insoles can also help your shoes keep fresh because you can take them out and clean them. 

Importance Of Insoles On Your Basketball Shoes

Insoles are essential on your basketball shoes. Below are the different importance of insoles on your basketball shoes.

Help To Prevent Injuries

Insoles are essential because they can help you prevent severe injuries such as foot injury, leg injury, and knee injury. This is why NBA players choose to use custom-made insoles. The insoles of every NBA player are customized to reduce the chances of NBA players getting an injury. 

Help To Make Your Shoes Fresh

This is the other reason why insoles are essential. It helps you to make your shoes look fresh even if you don’t clean the inside. All you have to do is to take out your insoles from your basketball shoes, wash and dry them, and you are done!

There is no lot of work needed to make the inside of your shoe cleaner. If you want to have less applied work on making your shoes clean inside, then make sure that you have an insole. 

Protect Your Feet From The Ground

This is the other reason why you need an insole. Insoles protect your feet from the ground. Adding insoles to your basketball shoes will provide heel cushioning. You need heel cushioning to help reduce the impact on your feet. It also has arch support that helps you prevent overpronation when you run.

However, not all brands of insoles have the same quality. That is why I told you above that you need to make sure that you will only buy an insole from a famous and high-quality proven brand.

But remember that high-quality insoles can cost you more dimes compared to low-quality insoles. However, your bucks will be worth it because high-quality insoles are proven and trusted! 

Why Do NBA Players Rub Their Shoes Using Their Hands?

The reason why NBA players rub their shoes using their hands is for them to prevent their shoes from getting slippery. NBA players rub their shoes to wipe the dust off their shoes. Also, they do this to put some of the moisture from their hands into their shoes. So that their shoes will get more grip. 

Not only NBA players do this, but almost all basketball players. It is essential to rub your shoes using your hands every game, especially if the basketball court is slippery. The traction is necessary for stopping immediately from a fast pace run and for you to effortlessly change direction. 

Final Verdict 

NBA players remove the insoles from their shoes when giving their shoes to their fans because their insoles are custom-made, which means it is expensive. I know that it is not expensive for them, but for usual people, it is. 

However, even though the cost of custom-made insoles is just a coin to them, they still never want to give it away. Why? Because they need the custom-made insoles that were made specifically for them to reduce the chance of getting injured. When they give it away, they have to wait sometime to get their new custom-made insoles.

It can take time for their new custom-made insoles to come, and they play almost every day. This means that if the NBA players give their custom-made insoles to their fans, they have to use a generic insole while waiting for their customized insoles. By doing this, it can cause them severe injuries on their feet. 

Do you like to get an insole from your favorite NBA player? If yes, why? Comment your answers below! 

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