Basketball sneakers like new Jordans are athletic shoes designed to aid in the performance of athletes playing the game of basketball. Though not always used for this purpose, as many people wear them strictly for fashion purposes, it is what they were originally designed and intended for. As opposed to most other athletic shoes such as running shoes or tennis shoes, Nike Air basketball sneakers tend to cover more of the ankle area and are therefore considered to be “high-top” shoes. They can be quite heavy for a pair of Air Jordan shoes, but are designed to respond well to continuous landing that follows the continuous jumping that is required in the game of basketball.