Sole Watch: The Best Sneakers from the First Round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament

This year, it's all about school-themed NIKEiD PEs, retro Jordans and a variety of styles from Derrick Rose's adidas signature line.

words // Brandon Richard

The first round of the NCAA Tournament provides us with some of the most exciting moments in sports every year. It's also become one of the best platforms for showcasing sneakers.

Some teams opt for a unified look, while others give the players freedom of choice. Either way, the Tourney never disappoints when it comes to sneaker spotting. This year, it's all about school-themed NIKEiD PEs, retro Jordans and a variety of styles from Derrick Rose's adidas signature line.

Read on for a comprehensive look at the best sneakers worn in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament and let us know which players you think stood out from the rest.

images via Getty, USA Today, AP

Will Yeguete wearing Nike LeBron 11 Florida Gators PE

Will Yeguete -- NIke LeBron 11 Florida Gators PE

 

DJ Evans wearing Nike Zoom Soldier VII 7 Court Purple Flash Lime

DJ Evans -- Nike Zoom Soldier 7 'Court Purple'

 

Askia Booker wearing Air Jordan X 10 Retro Powder

Askia Booker -- Air Jordan 10 Retro 'Powder'

 

Cameron Wright wearing Air Jordan X 10 Retro Venom Green

Cameron Wright -- Air Jordan 10 Retro 'Venom Green'

 

Michael Young wearing Nike LeBron XI 11 Gamma Blue

Michael Young -- Nike LeBron 11 'Gamma Blue'

 

James Robinson wearing Nike KD VI 6 Precision Timing

James Robinson -- Nike KD 6 'Precision Timing'

 

Lamar Patterson wearing Nike Zoom LeBron III 3 Oilers PE

Lamar Patterson -- Nike Zoom LeBron 3 'Oilers' PE

 

Jordan Burgess wearing Air Jordan X 10 Retro Steel

Jordan Burgess -- Air Jordan 10 Retro 'Steel'

 

Treveon Graham wearing Air Jordan XI 11 Retro Low Black/White

Treveon Graham -- Air Jordan 11 Retro Low Black/White

 

James Woodard wearing Nike Air Zoom Flight The Glove Royal

James Woodard -- Nike Air Zoom Flight The Glove 'Royal'

 

Kyle Anderson wearing adidas Crazy 1 White

Kyle Anderson -- adidas Crazy 1

 

Jordan Adams wearing adidas Crazy Light 3 UCLA PE

Jordan Adams -- adidas Crazy Light 3 UCLA PE

 

Tim Peete wearing Nike LeBron 8 PS Blue

Tim Peete -- Nike LeBron 8 PS

 

Aaron Craft wearing Nike Zoom HyperRev

Aaron Craft -- Nike Zoom HyperRev

 

Sam Thompson wearing Nike Zoom Soldier VI 6 Ohio State Digi Camo PE

Sam Thompson -- Nike Zoom Soldier 6 Ohio State PE

 

LaQuinton Ross wearing Air Jordan XII 12 Retro Playoff

LaQuinton Ross -- Air Jordan 12 Retro 'Playoff'

 

Amir Williams wearing Nike LeBron XI 11 iD; Jalen Robinson wearing Nike LeBron XI 11 Graffiti

Amir Williams -- Nike LeBron 11 iD

Jalen Robinson -- Nike LeBron 11 'Graffiti'

 

Trey McDonald wearing Nike LeBron 11 XI iD

Trey McDonald -- Nike LeBron 11 iD

 

Jordan Sibert wearing Nike Kobe 8 System Red Boa

Jordan Sibert -- Nike Kobe 8 System 'Red Boa'

 

CJ Fair wearing Air Jordan XI 11 Retro Concord

CJ Fair -- Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Concord'

 

Jared Klein wearing adidas D Rose 4.5

Jared Klein -- adidas D Rose 4.5

 

David Brown wearing adidas adizero Crazy Light

David Brown -- adidas adizero Crazy Light

 

Baye Moussa Keita wearing Jordan Melo M10 Syracuse PE

Baye Moussa Keita - Jordan Melo M10 Syracuse PE

 

Orlando Wiggins wearing Air Jordan V 5 Retro Fire Red

Orlando Williams -- Air Jordan 5 Retro 'Fire Red'

 

Andrew Wiggins wearing adidas Crazy Fast 2 Kansas Jayhawks PE

Andrew Wiggins -- adidas Crazy Fast 2 Kansas PE

 

Jamari Traylor wearing adidas D Rose 4.5 Draft Lotto

Jamari Traylor -- adidas D Rose 4.5 'Draft Lotto'

 

Naadir Tharpe wearing adidas Crazy Light 3 Kansas Jayhawks PE

Naadir Tharpe -- adidas Crazy Light 3 Kansas PE

 

Malcolm Brogdon wearing Nike Kobe VII 7 System

Malcolm Brogdon -- Nike Kobe 7 System

 

London Perrantes wearing Nike KD VI 6 iD

London Perrantes -- Nike KD 6 iD

 

El Hadji Ndieguene wearing Air Jordan 2011

El Hadji Ndieguene -- Air Jordan 2011

 

Alvin Ellis III wearing Nike KD VI 6 Michigan State PE

Alvin Ellis -- Nike KD 6 Michigan State PE

 

Travis Trice wearing Nike KD VI 6 Michigan State Spartans PE

Travis Trice -- Nike KD 6 Michigan State PE

 

Matt Costello wearing Nike LeBron XI 11 Michigan State Spartans PE

Matt Costello -- Nike LeBron 11 Michigan State PE

 

Tyler Harris wearing Air Jordan XI 11 Retro Black/Red; James Michael McAdoo wearing Jordan Melo M9 Breast Cancer Awareness; Brice Johnson wearing Jordan CP3.VII 7 UNC Camo

Tyler Harris -- Air Jordan 11 Retro Black/Red

James Michael McAdoo -- Jordan Melo M9 'Breast Cancer Awareness'

Brice Johnson -- Jordan CP3.VII 'UNC Camo'

 

Emmanuel Chapman wearing Nike Air Flightposite Carbon Fiber

Emmanuel Chapman -- Nike Air Flightposite 'Carbon Fiber'

 

Langston Galloway wearing Nike Kobe 8 SS

Langston Galloway -- Nike Kobe 8 SS

 

DeAndre Bembry wearing Nike LeBron X 10 Elite Championship Pack

DeAndre Bembry -- Nike LeBron 10 Elite 'Championship'

 

Kris Jenkins wearing Nike LeBron XI 11 Villanova PE

Kris Jenkins -- Nike LeBron 11 Villanova PE

 

Jordan Aaron wearing adidas Crazy 1 Sunshine

Jordan Aaron -- adidas Crazy 1 'Sunshine'

 

Nick Johnson wearing Nike KD VI 6 iD Chroma

Nick johnson -- Nike KD 6 iD 'Chroma'

 

Jeremy Senglin wearing adidas Crazy 8

Jeremy Senglin -- adidas Crazy 8

 

Angel Nunez wearing Nike LeBron XI 11 Gonzaga PE

Angel Nunez -- Nike LeBron 11 Gonzaga PE

 

Markel Brown wearing Air Jordan XVII 17 Retro CDP

Markel Brown -- Air Jordan 17 Retro CDP

 

Gerard Coleman wearing Nike Air Force Max 2013 Fire Red

Gerard Coleman -- Nike Air Force Max 2013

 

Xavier Thames wearing Air Jordan IX 9 Retro Cool Grey

Xavier Thames -- Air Jordan 9 Retro 'Cool Grey'

 

Dwayne Polee II wearing Nike Air Max Uptempo

Dwayne Polee II -- Nike Air Max Uptempo

 

Aqeel Quinn wearing Air Jordan IX 9 Retro Fontay Montana

Aqeel Quinn -- Air Jordan 9 Retro 'Fontay Montana'

 

Rico Gathers wearing adidas Crazy 1 Playoff

Rico Gathers -- adidas Crazy 1 'Playoff'

 

Gary Franklin wearing adidas Crazy 97 South Beach

Gary Franklin -- adidas Crazy 97 'South Beach'

 

Jahenns Manigat wearing Air Jordan XI 11 Retro Gamma Blue

Jahenns Manigat -- Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Gamma Blue'

 

Will Artino wearing Air Jordan XIII 13 Retro Flint

Will Artino -- Air Jordan 13 Retro 'Flint'

 

Devin Brooks wearing Nike Zoom Soldier III 3

Devin Brooks -- Nike Zoom Soldier 3

 

Johnathan Loyd wearing Nike KD VI 6 Oregon Ducks

Johnathan Loyd -- Nike KD 6 Oregon PE

 

Fred VanVleet wearing Nike Zoom Kobe V 5 Blackout

Fred VanVleet -- Nike Zoom Kobe 5 'Blackout'

 

Cleanthony Early wearing Air Jordan VIII 8 Retro Playoff

Cleanthony Early -- Air Jordan 8 Retro 'Playoff'

 

James Young wearing Air Jordan XX8 28 Bamboo

James Young -- Air Jordan XX8 'Bamboo'

 

Julius Randle wearing Nike Kobe IX 9 Elite Perspective

Julius Randle -- Nike Kobe 9 Elite 'Perspective'

 

Willie Cauley-Stein wearing Nike Kobe 9 Elite Gumbo League

Willie Cauley-Stein -- Nike Kobe 9 Elite 'All-Star'

 

Ralston Turner wearing adidas D Rose Englewood

Ralston Turner -- adidas D Rose Englewood

 

Jordan Vandenberg wearing adidas D Rose 2.5

Jordan Vandenberg -- adidas D Rose 2.5

 

Beejay Anya wearing adidas Crazy 8 Brooklyn Nets

Beejay Anya -- adidas Crazy 8 'Brooklyn Nets'

 

Montrezl Harrell wearing adidas Crazy 97

Montrezl Harrell -- adidas Crazy 97

 

Luke Hancock wearing adidas Crazy 8 Matt Bonner

Luke Hancock -- adidas Crazy 8 'Matt Bonner'

 

Chaz Williams wearing adidas D Rose Englewood 2 Bahia Mint

Chaz Williams -- adidas D Rose Englewood 2 'Bahia Mint'

 

Jordan McRae wearing adidas No Mercy Tennessee

Jordan McRae -- adidas No Mercy 'Tennessee'

 

Jabari Parker wearing Nike LeBron 10 X Elite Duke Blue Devils PE

Jabari Parker -- Nike LeBron 10 Elite Duke PE

 

Amile Jefferson wearing Nike LeBron XI 11 Duke Blue Devils PE

Amile Jefferson -- Nike LeBron 11 Duke PE

 

Quinn Cook wearing Nike LeBron X 10 Duke Blue Devils PE

Quinn Cook -- Nike LeBron 10 Duke PE

 

Rasheed Sulaimon wearing Nike KD VI 6 Duke Blue Devils PE

Rasheed Sulaimon -- Nike KD 6 Duke PE

 

Rodney Hood wearing Nike Zoom Soldier VII 7 Duke Blue Devils PE

Rodney Hood -- Nike Zoom Soldier 7 Duke PE

 

Jahii Carson wearing Air Jordan IX 9 Retro Olive

Jahii Carson -- Air Jordan 9 Retro 'Olive'

 

Glenn Robinson III wearing adidas Crazy Fast 2 Michigan Wolverines PE

Glenn Robinson III -- adidas Crazy Fast 2 Michigan PE