Skateboard and skate shoe brands rely on their teams to help sell boards. Nobody is going to buy a team board or pro model if they aren’t impressed by the pro skaters on the lineup. Pro skaters come and go, but some brands always manage to keep a great team.
The best skateboard teams are defined by the skaters on the roster. Many of the best teams, like Baker and Birdhouse, boast lineups that feature new and old pro skaters that appeal to each generation. Follow along as we highlight the 10 best skateboard teams and see what makes them so special.
1. Deathwish
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Jamie Foy, Erik Ellington, Taylor Kirby, Jim Greco, and the Lizard King are just some of the people on the Deathwish roster. These names alone are enough to solidify Deathwish as the best current skateboard team. Deathwish is somewhat of a spinoff of Baker, and the team has grown since its 2008 inception.
Many great skaters have come and gone from the Deathwish team over the years, such as Antwuan Dixon and Pat Rumney. However, the brand has never had a difficult time finding new talent. Deathwish has been the best skateboard team since the addition of Jamie Foy and the release of the The Deathwish video.
2. Real
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Real has always done a great job of mixing the old with the new and keeping their roster fresh. The current Real lineup is among the best skateboard teams with skaters like Ishod Wair, Nicole Hause, and Zion Wright. Real also boasts an impressive amateur team that is worth watching closely.
Amateurs like Nate Viands, Christian Henry, and Jafin Garvey show plenty of promise and will likely join the pro team soon. Real would be one of the best skateboard teams even if they only had Ishod Wair, but luckily, the rest of the lineup is fresh and exciting.
3. Anti Hero
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With skaters like Daan Van Der Linden, Grant Taylor, and Frank Gerwer, it is clear that Anti Hero is one of the best skateboard teams. Anti Hero has always had interesting lineups since early rosters that included everyone from Andy Roy to Bob Burnquist.
The current lineup includes a perfect mixture of transition skates and street skaters like Austin Kanfoush. Anti Hero does a great job of showcasing their skate team with newer videos like Implosionistic Tendencies and Fantastic Voyage.
4. Adidas
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Skate shoe brand teams can sometimes be lackluster. However, that isn’t a problem with the current Adidas skate team. Adidas has always managed to sponsor popular pro skates, such as Mark Gonzales and Daewon Song.
The best part of the Adidas skate team is that it includes the best skaters from great skateboard brands like King, Baker, and Thank You. Kader Sylla is the most exciting addition to the Adidas skateboard team because he is quite young to have gotten such reputable sponsors. He is one of the few pro skaters that appear on two teams in this list as he also skates for Baker.
5. Creature
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Creature has consistently had great rosters since the brand started in 1994. However, Creature’s current team is the best and most exciting lineup that they have had in years. Pro skaters like John Gardner, David Gravette, Stu Graham, and Yurin Fujii keep Creature’s team exciting to watch.
Creature does a better job of consistently releasing video content than many other skateboard teams. This makes it easy to keep up with the team and check out new video parts and promos as they come out. I recommend following the current Creature team closely as many of the skaters on the roster, like Colin Provost, consistently release insane video parts.
6. Primitive
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It should come as no surprise that a brand founded by Paul Rodriguez has one of the best skateboard teams. Led by P-Rod, Primitive boasts many talented skaters such as Miles Silvas, Tre Williams, and Dylan Jaeb. Many of the skaters on primitive are quite young and some have only recently turned professional.
Teams like Primitive that mix older skaters who rode for other brands with new skaters almost always have the best roster. Primitive is no exception, and their videos like Fourth Quarter and Define showcase how impressive the team is.
7. Baker
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Baker is an iconic skating institution, and they currently have one of the best skateboard teams. Everyone from Riley Hawk, Kader Sylla, and Elissa Steamer to Tyson Peterson and Rowan Zorilla rides for Baker. It is seen as a badge of honor to be on the Baker team as their ‘90s roster set the stage for modern skating.
Baker released the Baker 4 video in 2019, and it was the last significant long-form display of the team. The majority of the skaters that appear in that video are still on the team. We should be due for Baker 5 soon, and it will be great to see what the team has been up to.
8. Nike SB
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Nike SB has one of the best skateboard teams with an all-star lineup of Leticia Bufoni, Nyjah Huston, Elissa Steamer, and more. It should come as no surprise that Nike could recruit so many incredible skaters from nearly every major board brand given their resources and reputation.
However, it’s impressive that Nike SB has always managed to find and keep talented skaters as sponsors frequently come and go in the skating world. Legends like Eric Koston as well as popular newcomers like Daan Van Der Linden are among the best skaters on the Nike SB team.
However, there is no shortage of great skaters on Nike SB as they have a bigger roster than most teams on this list.
9. Birdhouse
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Founded by Tony Hawk, Birdhouse has always made sure to maintain a lineup of impressive skaters. Birdhouse boasts one of the best skateboard teams with everyone from Aaron “Jaws” Homoki and Lizzie Armanto to Ben Raybourn and Clive Dixon.
You may assume that a Tony Hawk-led skateboard team is made up of vert skaters, but that’s not the case. For example, Clive Dixon has released some of the coolest street skating video parts that I have seen in recent years. Impressive and technical vert skaters like Elliot Sloan add variety to the Birdhouse team.
10. Girl
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Girl is one of the most iconic skateboard brands in the world. That’s why it should come as no surprise that they have one of the best skateboard teams with skaters like Breanna Geering, Rowan Davis, Griffin Gass, and Simon Bannerot. Not to mention, the Girl team features the brand founders Mike Carroll and Rick Howard who are iconic street skaters.
Jeron Wilson and Mike Mo Capaldi have been on Girl for a long time, and they are staples of the team. Nervous Circus is the best Girl video in recent years and it’s worth checking out to see how impressive the lineup is.
Read our related post of the 10 Best Skateboard Brands for Adults here.
Honorable Mentions
Bones Brigade
The “Bones Brigade” was a professional skateboarding team that was active during the 1980s and early 1990s. Their company was founded by Stacy Peralta and George Powell in 1978.
They created a team and it consisted of some of the most influential skateboarders of that era, the members were Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Lance Mountain, Mike McGill, Tommy Guerrero, and Rodney Mullen, among others.
The Bones Brigade team was known for pushing the boundaries of skateboarding and inventing many of the tricks and techniques that are still used in todays world of skateboarding. Their team was most influential in vert and bowl skateboarding.
The team was featured in several influential skateboarding films, including “The Bones Brigade Video Show,” “Future Primitive,” and “The Search for Animal Chin.” These films helped to popularize skateboarding and inspire a new generation of skateboarders.
Overall, the Bones Brigade team was a key part of the evolution of skateboarding during the 1980s and 1990s, and their influence is still felt in the sport today.
Bones still makes the best skateboard bearings and wheels, and is highly respected in the sport.
The Z-Boys (Zephyr Skate Team)
The Zephyr Team was a group of exceptionally talented skateboarders that formed in the mid 70s that included Chris Cahill, Tony Alva, Nathan Pratt, Alan Sarlo, Stacy Peralta, Jay Adams, Bob Biniak, Paul Constantineau, Peggy Oki, Jim Muir, Shogo Kubo, and Wentzle Ruml.
Each skater had their own unique impact on the sport, but together, they were a force to be reckoned with. Their influence on skateboarding still resonates today, and they are often credited with starting a movement that has become a cultural phenomenon. Their legacy is a testament to the power and impact of skateboarding.
Alien Workshop Team
There is a video called “Mindfield” by Alien Workshop made in 2009. Still today many say it is their favorite skateboard film. The video includes a large number of skaters including members in order Omar Salazar, Jake Johnson, Arto Saari, Dylan Rieder, Rob Dyrdek, Steve Berra, Josh Kalis, Grant Taylor, Jason Dill, Tyler Bledsoe, Mikey Taylor, AVE, and Heath Kirchart.
Alienworkshop was founded in 1990, and eventually was under ownership of Burton snowboard company and Rob Dyrdek in 2012. In 2013 Alien Workshop was acquired by Pacific Vector Holdings.
In 2017 Alien Workshop had an all amateur team with Tum Yeto skateboard company but that relationship has ended and they returned their operations back to Ohio.
In 2023 you will see riders on their social media channels such as Frankie Spears, Joey Guevara, Johnny Purcell, Joey O’Brien, Yaje Popson, and others.
Flip Skateboard Team
The Flip skateboard team is a professional skateboarding team that was founded in 1991. The team is known for its roster of top skateboarders, including Geoff Rowley, Bob Burnquist, David Gonzalez, Luan Oliveira, Curren Caples, and Alec Majerus, among others.
The Flip team is known for its technical and innovative style of skateboarding, and has been a major influence on the sport over the years. The team has also released several influential skateboarding videos, including “Sorry,” “Extremely Sorry,” and “Xtremely Sorry.”
Overall, the Flip team is considered to be one of the most influential and successful teams in the history of skateboarding, and has played a major role in shaping the direction of the sport.
Lakai Team
Lakai Skateboards was founded back in 1999 by two pro skateboarders, Mike Carroll and Rick Howard. They were both previously affiliated with Girl Skateboards.
The Lakai skateboard team is made up of a really diverse group of talented skateboarders from all over the world. These guys are known for their crazy technical abilities, creativity, and unique styles. Some of the most famous members of the Lakai team have included Guy Mariano, Riley Hawk, Tony Hawk, Vincent Alvarez, and Stevie Perez.
The team is always competing in different skateboarding competitions and appearing in videos and films that are produced by Lakai. But that’s not all they do. They’re also really involved in community outreach programs that aim to promote skateboarding as a positive and inclusive activity for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Overall, the Lakai skateboard team is made up of a bunch of super passionate skateboarders who are always pushing the boundaries of the sport while also spreading its culture and values to a wider audience. Whether it’s through competitions, videos, or community initiatives, these guys are always inspiring and influencing the skateboarding world with their amazing talent and dedication.
Final Thoughts
Deathwish, Real, and Anti Hero are the best skateboard teams. The 2023 lineups for teams like Baker, Birdhouse, and Primitive also feature some of the best pro skaters in the scene right now. Check out teams like Adidas, Girl, Nike SB, and Creature which all feature great pros and amateurs alike.
But we cannot forget the past, skateboarding evolved from teams over the years and our honorable mentions include some of the best teams that created how we know skateboarding today.
If you have any questions or teams you like, then make sure to leave a comment below.
Nick Durante is a professional writer that primarily focused on action sports. Skateboarding and Longboarding are his particular areas of expertise. When he isn’t writing about action sports, he is catching up on the world of skateboarding and spending time outside.