In the history of streetwear, fly sneakers are a must. By trying to be so forward-thinking, designers do make some missteps. Recently Off-White revealed its first shoe, the Baller. Made to look like a basketball with orange pebbled leather and black striping like on a basketball, the Baller is about as ugly as it gets.

Let’s go back in time and look at some basketball monstrosities:

The Starbury 1 [2006]

These sneakers were US$15 and it was easy to tell

Anything to do with Jeremy Scott and Adidas [2012]

Can you imagine showing up at Rucker Park with these on?

Dada Spreewells [2001]

The idea of having spinners on a shoe is dope. Actually wearing shoes with spinners on them is not.

Kobe 2 [2001]

It’s bad to speak ill of the dead, but these shoes look like tanks for the feet.

The whole Foamposite line [1998-on]

While playing basketball, players don’t want an extra few kilos on their feet to keep them from jumping in the air.

Off-White Baller [2024]

The people who OK’ed this shoe do not play basketball. No one wants to wear a basketball while playing basketball. No one who plays basketball seriously thinks a basketball on your feet looks cool. I can see someone wearing this to a club and the bouncer closing the whole club that night because these shoes gave him PTSD. No No No.