If we were to place the creation of the Diadora MI Basket in time, we would have to start by talking about the early shapes from between 1978 and 1985. Created to meet Diadora's high standards, achieved through the use of fine and sophisticated materials, and boasting a quintessentially 80s design, the MI Basket made history on the court but also on the streets of Italy and beyond, to become a flagship model of the brand’s Heritage line.
But let’s start at the beginning, by taking a stroll down memory lane through the archives of Caerano di San Marco (our official headquarters since 1948). The first Miss Match 270 and 271 styles (which were high-top and low-top respectively) were launched from 1978 to 1980. They’re slim and simple and made with a full-grain leather upper. The sole comes in a patented dual-compound rubber, which makes it more supple and sensitive to the court. The heel is reinforced, while the tongue is padded and the insole provides elasticity and rebound in the event of falls. The sole is stitched directly onto the upper and features the embossed Diadora logo on the heel.
In 1980, the Miss Match officially hit the courts of the best Italian and European matches to become the shoe of players of great teams such as Treviso, Venice, Brindisi, Varese and Yugoslavia. A canvas version was introduced in the same year, the 272 (high-top) and 273 (low-top).
The 1981 version has been improved
To give the shoe more padding around the ankle and on the heel. The sole is the same, made from natural rubber featuring a technical pattern for extra grip and reinforcement on the points that get the most wear and tear. The foam rubber insole and carbon midsole absorb shocks when falling and keep the feet from overheating
Yet it is with the Play-Off styles from 1982 and 1984, the 2270 and 2271, that we have the moment of greatest technical innovation globally. For the first time, studies and field tests are carried out. A split leather toe cap is introduced and the ankle padding becomes multi-layered to add more protection and give the sneakers a 3D aesthetic. A heel-cushioning cup protects the heel and the sponge rubber insole provides arch support. The inner sole is made from injected polyurethane for extra cushioning when jumping on the court.
We’ve reached 1985 with a general overhaul of the silhouette, both technically and above all aesthetically. The 2771 Boston, 2772 Magic and 2273 Madison styles arrive on the scene and it’s with these three that we will see the greatest resemblance with the current MI Basket.
The “surfoam” padding on the heel collar, the “rubber sponge” insole with arch support, the midsole made from shockproof “rubber foam”. The insole is in Texon.
A new generation of models for the Diadora basketball collection made with the intention of ensuring that the most demanding athletes have access to the highly qualified product they need for their high-tech performance. The brand-new “Noene” heel cup absorbs all the negative energy generated by the vibrations from ground shocks and takes the stress off muscle and tendon mass. The sole features side protection and a flexion zone on the metatarsal position of the foot.
These are just a few of the technical details and accents that gave life to one of Diadora’s best-selling sneakers in 1984, which continues to represent a lifestyle shoe today. The MI Basket is the symbol of Italian sneaker culture, on and off the court, and was made especially for Dino Meneghin.
Standing at almost 6.8 ft, it’s no surprise that he’s known as the “Giant of Alano di Piave”. Dino Meneghin took to the court at just 16 years old and left it at 44. He’s considered to be the best Italian player of all time, with 836 games played and 8,580 points scored. He took part in 13 Champions Cup finals, winning seven of them, 4 Intercontinental Cups and many more. With the Italian National Team, he took part in four Olympic Games (silver medal in Moscow 1980) and
won one gold and two bronze medals at the European Championships. However, one of his most profound moments was when he faced his son on the Serie A court.
He was looking for a shoe with good grip and a rigid upper that wasn't too hard. So he asked Diadora to create a shoe that would help prevent any injuries. Thus the Mi Basket was born, improving his life and career. Dino played during the most important 30 years of the evolution of basketball shoes, going from canvas to reinforced shoes. Due to his height and weight, he helped improve the sneakers by testing them for his team mates as well
We owe Meneghin the merit of having elevated Italian basketball to the international stage. His story of talent, determination, highs and lows, provided the inspiration to future players and to the world of sports fans.