I have been fortunate enough not to have to wear basketball glasses however, there are a number of people I know who have played with basketball glasses and there are popular icons within the NBA who have worn glasses. It did make me wonder What NBA players wore Goggles?
What NBA Players wore glasses for basketball? Although a lot of players have to wear glasses within their social lives the main icons of the NBA to wear glasses or goggles on court are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Horace Grant, Tony Parker, James Worthy, Thurl Baiely and Kurt Rambis.
Wearing glasses in basketball can feel daunting and there maybe numerous questions that you require answering. Therefore, we have put together a guide on basketball glasses to help you through choosing a pair of basketball glasses and to answer any questions you may have.
Can I Play Basketball with Glasses?
Yes you can play basketball with glasses. I used to play with a 6’7 power forward who used to wear glassed (with no strap either). Sometimes when he dunked the glasses would fall off but he just pop them back on. There are no rules stopping an individual wearing glasses when playing basketball however, from a practicality perspective it would be easier to wear basketball goggles rather than glasses.
LeBron James wore glasses in a game against the Washington Wizards. LeBron did not have the greatest of starts however, by the second quarter LeBron took his glasses and threw them off. He was clearly getting a frustrated with them and as soon as he threw them off he started throwing down dunks.
Can I play basketball without glasses?
If your eyesight is bad, playing basketball without glasses can be quite scary. If you have poor vision is it may not be possible to play effectively. Therefore, it is always best to wear your glasses. If you do not want to wear basketball glasses you can always opt for contact lenses.
How much are Basketball Glasses?
Basketball glasses vary in price however, the recognised brands tend to be on the more expensive end of the market where as the lesser brands are cheaper. We have therefore put together a table to show the different prices of the brands.
| Brand | Lowest Price Basketball Glasses | Highest Price Basketball Glasses |
| Oakley | $153 | $303 |
| Nike | Not Listed | Not Listed |
| Bolle | Note Listed | Not Listed |
| Amazon | $7.14 | $23.45 |
| Ali Express | $0.90 | $12.80 |
Where can I buy Basketball Glasses?
If you require basketball glasses then you maybe thinking where can I buy basketball glasses to wear? We have put together a little guide to show you:
Oakley Basketball Glasses
Oakley make a number of sports glasses which can be worn. Obviously these require a strap like mentioned in the previous section. The glasses made by Oakley have a high bridge and a small padded area on the bridge to ensure a comfortable fit whilst playing basketball. When purchasing the glasses, the bridge can be chosen from five different sizes to ensure the best fit to your nose. The Oakley range of glasses consist of the Oakley Crossrange and Oakley Crosslink. Both of these makes have various variations and range between £105-£110.
All Oakley glasses come with a case and a microbag. These items are essential as only to regularly are sports bags are crushed by others bags or worst of all a shower gel explodes in a bag.
Nike Performance Glasses
Nike have a specalised website for sports glasses called Nike Vision. The glasses are for multi sports and Nike is a brand that is usually favoured by athletes. The Nike glasses range are made up of the following models:
- Nike Tailwind S;
- Nike Vaporwing Elite;
- Nike Vaporwing;
- Nike Tailwind;
- Nike Tailwind Swift; and
- Nike Bandit .
All the glasses have a clean and lightweight design to help an athlete during a game situation. All glasses can come in a variety of colours and the lenses can come in different colours as well.
Bolle Glasses
The Bolle Brand have a number of glasses in their range which can be worn by basketball players. What makes the Bolle Glasses unique is that they have a splash of colour to their range. The Bolle sports range, which can be worn by basketball players, is as follows:
All Bolle Glasses are available for prescription lenses. This is due to the thin design of the Bolle glasses. The Bolle glasses have been designed with a shock absorption system, this is through a mixture of hard and soft materials used in the glasses which enable impacts to be absorbed without impacting the player.
The Bolle Glasses also have an anti fogging system to ensure that your glasses never get fogged up again. Straps are also easily attachable to all Bolle Glasses. We have included images of the Bolle range below.
Versport Basketball Glasses
Versport have produced a pair of basketball glasses called the Zeus DTS. These glasses are ideal for the basketball and have anti fog spray. The glasses come with a strap and therefore, ensuring that your glasses won’t come off whilst playing.
Amazon Basketball Glasses
Amazon have a wide range of basketball glasses however, it is important to remember to research the supplier to ensure that the glasses serve their process. If the glasses come from Amazon directly then there should be no problem. The basketball glasses currently on Amazon are as follows:
- Enzodate 2 in 1 Basketball Glasses
- Wenjuresty Basketball Glasses
- WYOUTDOOR Basketball Glasses
- Wilson Nvue Eyeguard
- KTCLE Basketball Glasses
- Mira Breeze Y Basketball Glasses
- SX Basketball Glasses
Basketball Glasses Aliexpress
Aliexpress is probably the last resort when it comes to purchasing basketball glasses, this is because you are unsure of the quality of the glasses. There are a wide range of basketball glasses on Aliexpress however, as mentioned you can’t be sure of the quality. Therefore, I wouldn’t invest a large amount of money into the glasses, just to be on the safe time. Although there is a money back guarantee if the product is not what was described.
Basketball Strap for Glasses?
There a number of basketball straps glasses that an individual could purchase. A cheap option is to purchase a glasses strap with a small toggle on the back. These are great as it means you can secure the glasses comfortably and ensure that they will not fall off. The strap is also adjustable which is extremely helpful if you have a big head like me.
Another option for a basketball strap for glasses, is to purchase a rubber adjustable strap which can be fitted to the head more easily. The rubber strap ensures that the basketball glasses will not fall off, in a similar way to swimming goggles.
Can Basketball Glasses have Prescription Lenses?
Most basketball glasses can have prescription lenses added to them but it does depend on the supplier. It is best to check out whether prescription lenses can be added to the glasses.