NIKE BASKETBALL SHOES
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Latest Nike Basketball Shoe Review
Nike Sabrina 2
It’s hard to gauge whether or not a second signature shoe would be able to top its first model, but Nike absolutely killed it with the Sabrina 2. Not only did they cut weight on the shoe (28 grams lighter), but they didn’t sacrifice any support, stability, or comfort. The cushioning has received a slight upgrade. Nike switched out the React midsole for a dual-density Cushlon 3.0. setup., and kept the same top-loaded zoom air unit in the forefoot. The traction looks different but performs equally as well as in the Sabrina 1, one of the best-tractioned basketball shoes of 2024. The Sabrina 2 is practically identical to the Sabrina 1 with a couple of key upgrades. Read the full review. Price $130
Nike KD 17
To keep things short and sweet, the Nike KD 17 is basically the same shoe as the Nike KD 16. If you like that shoe, you’re going to enjoy this one. The Nike KD 17 is a top-tier and super versatile performance basketball shoe that will work well for almost every playing style and position on the floor. The KD 17 also gets extra points for being a “better than average” outdoor option, especially if you can find an XDR version. Read the full review.
Kobe 4 Protro Girl Dad
The Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Girl Dad” excels both in aesthetic appeal and material quality, featuring a premium suede upper that offers a luxurious look and feel. The shoe maintains key performance elements such as the aggressive herringbone traction pattern, a lightweight Phylon midsole, and a heel Zoom Air unit, which together provide good on-court performance. However, it falls short in terms of significant technological upgrades compared to the original model. The translucent outsole’s iridescent finish might not appeal to everyone, and the shoe’s breathability remains mediocre. Overall, the Kobe 4 Protro “Girl Dad” is more of a visually striking, elevated retro rather than a significant performance upgrade. Price $180.
Kobe 8 Protro Mambacita
The Nike Kobe 8 Protro Mambacita, like all Kobe 8’s, features excellent traction, thanks to the grippy solid rubber outsole that is etched with a combination of herringbone and scale-shaped traction pattern. This version of the Kobe 8, unfortunately, feels clunkier than other past Kobe 8s. This version features a firm EVA cage midsole which houses a React drop-in midsole. This updated drop-in will be more durable and firmer than the original Lunarlon drop-in. The updated engineered mesh upper adds to the shoe’s robust feel, while design elements like the butterfly graphics and synthetic leather with a basketball texture enhance its visual appeal. The shoes are also very snug, which might require sizing up for a comfortable fit for some. Despite the drawbacks in weight and feel, the shoe maintains strong performance features and is a heartfelt tribute to Gigi. Price $190.
Nike Book 1
The Nike Book 1 will be an awesome hoop shoe for some people. If you like 90’s style basketball shoes, this is a no-brainer. The Book 1 has everything you could ask for in terms of simplicity of design, quality of materials, and no-frills on-court performance. The Book 1 proves that lightweight textiles are more of a gimmick than a performance feature and they are widely used as a cost-cutting measure for companies and not to create better products for the consumer.
This being said, no, the Book 1 is not a high-tech, lightweight, streamlined performance model with all the bells and whistles. If you’re into that than this is definitely not the shoe for you. But they look good, they play good, and they just get the job done. End of story.
Price: $140
Nike Kobe 6 Protro Reverse Grinch
The original Nike Kobe 6 is one of the best performance basketball shoes ever created, and this updated protro version might just be a little bit better. Nike has brought us “protros” in the past that haven’t lived up to the term, offering little or no performance updates. Kobe, who actually coined the term, would be proud of this model as it makes an almost perfect shoe that much better.
As far as the colorway goes, it may not be as iconic as the standard Grinch colorway, but it’s still sleek and bright. Your chances of actually getting a pair are slim to none, but if you’re one of the lucky few to get a W you will be purchasing a really awesome basketball shoe. If you’re lucky enough to get them, do yourself a favor and play in them. Read the full review. Price: $190
Nike GT Cut 3
The Nike GT Cut 3 is a fun shoe. It’s bouncy, it’s agile, and it’s just one of those models that, as soon as you lace it up, makes you want to sprint up and down the court. The Zoom X does not disappoint, and Nike has done a very good job of implementing it into a basketball shoe. It’s soft and squishy, but by no means feels unstable or slow on court.
Materials could have been of higher quality, especially considering the price tag, and it’s somewhat of a niche performance model but all in all the GT Cut 3 is a very solid basketball shoe, and it might just be the best GT Cut model to date. Read the full review. Price: $190
Nike KD 3 Vibrant Yellow
The Nike KD 3 Vibrant Yellow sneaker was originally released in 2010 as part of the Nike Basketball Christmas Day collection and part of the Stoplight Pack. Price: $110
Nike LeBron Witness 8
The Nike LeBron Witness 8, as the name would indicate, is the 8th shoe within LeBron James’ budget signature line. The Witness line has been pretty solid, not elite, but solid, and has stood out as one of the best-cushioned budget models out there. The LeBron Witness 8, however, has taken a step back in this sense. It is still a very comfortable shoe, but all we have is a foam midsole and a heel Air Sole unit. Everything else on the shoe is basic yet functional. The one stand-out feature is the traction setup which looks like it will be a good outdoor option. In terms of sizing, this is one of those shoes you will want to try on in-store. If you are buying online, we would suggest to go half a size up. Price: $110
Nike LeBron 21
The Nike LeBron 21 promises to be a beast on court. It can be described as a remix of the Nike LeBron 20, and, that shoe was amazing, and in fact the best basketball shoe from last year. Barring any unfortunate surprises, this will be one of the top models this year, one of the most versatile, and one of the most comfortable on court, as well as an attainable Kobe substitute. Read the full review. Price: $200
Nike Air Penny 1 Stadium Green
This version of the Nike Air Penny 1 is another good non-original Nike Air Penny 1 in terms of build, but the colorway is somewhat polorizing. The shoe is very well constructed, however, it is done up in some lackluster, synthetic materials. As far as tech goes we have everything you would expect from a modern Air Penny 1 (including the smaller Air Max Unit in the heel. In terms of sizing they fit true to size, but if you are planning on playing in them, you may want to go down half a size. Price: $180
Nike Air Penny 2 Atlantic Blue 2023
This shoe originally dropped in 1996, and this OG colorway has been retroed frequently over the years. They are very similar to the original version of the shoe with some minor changes. Tech-wise we have the same thick, outdoor-ready traction pattern, forefoot zoom air, and air max in the heel, and a carbon fiber shank plate for torsional support. As far as the materials go, the leather featured on this model is comfortably above average and the build is excellent. As far as fit is concerned, go true to size. Price $200.
Nike GT Hustle 2
The Nike GT Hustle 2 is the successor to, and an enormous improvement on the Nike GT Run and might just be one of the better performance models we see this year, but it’s definitely a niche basketball shoe. The very low-profile cushioning system, the minimal support features, and the traction could make the Nike GT Hustle 2 one of the best guard shoes of the year, but it might not be enough for bigger players with a more power-based playing style. The GT Hustle is a top-notch performance model, maybe just not for everyone. Read the full review. Price: $170
Nike Sabrina 1
The Nike Sabrina 1 is a great first signature shoe for Sabrina Ionescu and is one of the best basketball shoes Nike has to offer in 2023/24. It’s a shoe that visually, and in terms of performance, could easily be a Kobe shoe, so if you’re looking for a shoe that will give you that “Kobe” feeling on court this one is a safe bet. The Sabrina 1 is a top-notch guard-style shoe that will give you great traction (indoors), a speedy and reactive cushioning setup, along with elite lockdown and support. Read the full review. Price: $120
Nike Air Penny 1 Lester Middle School
Finally, we have a good non-original colorway of the Nike Air Penny 1! The Nike Air Penny 1 Lester Middle School is supposed to pay tribute to Penny Hardaway’s middle school. The reason this is such a nice non-original colorway is because it maintains the original color blocking and just substitutes the accent color, giving the shoe a totally new look while maintaining everything you love from the original. Price: $180
Nike GT Jump 2
It’s nice to see the changes Nike made in this shoe. They have taken everything that was great in the first model and tweaked it to make the GT Jump 2 that much better as a performance basketball shoe. But this shoe is still one of the best-cushioned shoes we have ever seen, which, in combination with the upgraded materials and fit make it the most comfortable basketball shoe currently on the market. Read the full review.
Nike Zoom Freak 5
The Nike Zoom Freak 5 just might be the best Giannis Antentoukoumpo signature we have had to date. The Freak 5 does away with the visible Zoom units in the forefoot of the shoe, which adds stability and responsiveness to the shoe. The Zoom Freak 5 is a very simple shoe in terms of tech and overall design, but it will offer above-average on-court. Read the full review. Price: $140
Nike KD 16
The Nike KD 16 is another great hoop shoe in Kevin Durant’s signature line. The Nike KD 16 is very different from the Nike KD 15 (which was also an amazing hoop shoe) but there really haven’t been any downgrades. We have a new gear-shaped traction pattern etched into a translucent rubber sole, an excellent cushioning system that combines a cushlon midsole a large zoom unit in the forefoot, and an Air Stroble that covers the midfoot and heel. Materials are nothing to write home about but the mix of textiles and synthetic leather works well on court, as do all the support features in the shoe. Price: $160
Nike Kobe 8 Protro Halo
The Kobe 8 is one of the greatest guard shoes of all time. Traction – awesome. Cushion – amazing. Materials – innovative beyond belief. Fit – pretty much perfect. Ventilation – the best it’s ever been on a Kobe signature. Support – plenty.
What else is there to say? If you are a Guard then this is a shoe that you will appreciate. If there’s anything bad to be said about the Kobe 8 it is the upper durability issues on the medial side and the tendency for the Lunarlon midsole to lose compression over time. But, the Kobe is as durable as any other textile-upper hoop shoe, and in the new versions of the shoe, we will have a React drop-in midsole instead of Lunarlon.
Nike Air Pippen 2
The design of the Nike Air Pippen 2, and Scottie Pippen himself made this shoe an icon on the court. The mid-top profile, featuring a mix of leather and synthetic materials, not only exudes a sense of nostalgia but also provides added containment and durability to the shoe. The signature wavy overlays and bold lines evoke a sense of motion, emphasizing its basketball roots. While maintaining the classic design elements, the shoe’s colorways have been updated to cater to contemporary tastes, making it a versatile choice for both on and off the court.
The traction pattern on the outsole provides a decent grip on the court, aiding in quick cuts and sudden changes in direction. Within the foam midsole, we have an encapsulated, articulated Zoom Air Unit in the forefoot and an Air Max unit in the heel, which, even in 2023, is a great cushioning set up. While it may not offer the same cutting-edge features as contemporary models, the Pippen 2 is still a beast on court.
Nike Zoom Generation Court Purple
This is the third version we have seen of the Nike Zoom Generation. This shoe was LeBron James’ first signature shoe and was originally released 20 years ago. The shoe was designed by three legendary Nike designers and is a top-notch performance model as well as a nostalgia overload.
This colorway is actually a LeBron James PE, that has never been released. The Nike Zoom generation is equipped with a beefy solid rubber outsole with an aggressive outdoor-friendly herringbone traction pattern. We have a phylon midsole with a heel Air unit and a forefoot Zoom Air unit, which are extremely comfortable, and on top of that a really great insole. The upper combines synthetic leather and Cordura mesh which is great for those of us who appreciate 2000-ish shoe builds. Lastly, the Nike Zoom Generation fits true to size. Price: $180
Nike Air Flight Huarache 2023
The Nike Nike Air Flight Huarache 2023 is the beefed-up, converted into a hoop shoe, version of a classic Nike runner, and were made famous by Michigan’s legendary Fab 5 during the early 90’s. The shoe was co-designed by 2 legendary Nike designers: Tinker Hatfield and Eric Avar and it was actually the first basketball shoe Eric Avar worked on for Nike.
The Nike Air Flight Huarache takes everything great from the runner and beefs it up to make it suitable for the rigors of basketball. You have a great durable traction setup that will work well both indoors and outdoors, forefoot and heel encapsulated Air units, and that classic lightweight deconstructed upper. Materials are also on point in this version of the shoe. The Nike Air Flight Huarache 2023 fits true to size, but it does fit very snugly, so keep that in mind. Price: $130
Nike Cosmic Unity 3
The Nike Cosmic Unity 3 is a weird performance basketball model, and very different from the Cosmic Unity and the Cosmic Unity 2. The shoe seems to be designed specifically for outdoor use, it features a drop-in midsole for cushioning and it is made with at least 20% recycled materials. If the Cosmic Unity 3 actually designed for outdoors, the cushioning system isn’t great. It is more on the neutral side, which isn’t ideal for playing on the black top. The shoe is also equipped with a pretty substantial TPU shank plate that keeps the shoe stable and zippy, and the recycled upper does its job well. Price: $170
Nike Zoom Generation
LeBron James’ first signature shoe, the Nike Zoom Generation, is back again! 20 years after its original release, the Nike Zoom Generation will hit shelves once more. This shoe is a top-notch performance model as well as a nostalgia overload. The shoe features a solid rubber outsole with a beefy, outdoor-friendly herringbone traction pattern. We have a phylon midsole with a heel Air unit and a forefoot Zoom Air unit, which are extremely comfortable, and on top of that a really great insole. The upper combines synthetic leather and Cordura mesh which is great for those of us who appreciate 2000-ish shoe builds. Lastly, the Nike Zoom Generation fits true to size. Price: $180
Nike JA 1
The Nike JA 1 is Ja Morant’s first signature shoe with Nike and it is a shoe that feels a lot like a Kyrie shoe. The Ja 1 has a lot of potential to be a great performance model but at the same time, we cant brand these “bad boys” just after a first try on. They do look great, that much we can say.
In terms of cushioning, we have a reactive cushioning setup that combines a Phylon midsole and a smell rectangular zoom unit in the forefoot, very reminiscent of the Kyrie 1. The shoe’s traction is aggressive, and the rubber is relatively durable and tacky which has potential to be the shoe’s best feature. Materials are the shoe’s weakest point, but also, you can’t expect much out of a shoe at this price point. Read the full review. Price: $110
Nike LeBron Nxxt Gen
The Nike LeBron Nxxt Gen is the budget version of the Nike LeBron 20 and it is an excellent takedown model. Brans tend to skimp out on the tech when creating budget versions of their signature shoes, but that is not the case with the Nike LeBron Nxxt Gen.
This shoe is very similar to the Nike LeBron 20 just at a considerably lower price. The Nike LeBron 20 is one of the best basketball shoes of the year, and so is this shoe. Watch the full review. Price: $160
Nike Penny 2 Football Grey
The Nike Penny 2 Football Grey is a really great reimagining of a classic Penny model. Even though this isn’t an OG colorway of the shoe, nor does it feature OG materials, it is aways nice to see the Penny 2 on shelves. The original version of the Penny 2 doesn’t feature leather, but the leather on these is more than decent, and the overall design is sleek. Nike also didn’t skimp out tech-wise (which it sometimes does): we get the same zoom air unit in the forefoot and Air Max Unit in the heel as in the original version of the shoe.
If you actually wanted to play in these, you definitely could. The shoe is very pricy, but getting your hands on this classic silhouette is almost worth it. Watch the full review. Price: $200
Nike KD 3 All-Star
The Nike KD 3 All-Star was originally released back in 2010, and it is back once again in the All-Satr colorway. We are not exactly sure why Noke chose to retro this particular model, but, it’s a great shoe, so no complaints.
This shoe was originally part of Nike’s All-Star pack back in 2010 and it was pretty decent on-court performance model. The KD 3 comes equipped with the same tech specs back then. You could pick these up as an off-court model, but that would be a shame. The KD 3 features a nice and grippy outsole, a forefoot zoom air unit, a phylon midsole, and a synthetic upper that does it’s job well. The phylon in this model feels much better in this pair than on the OG version which is a nice upgrade. Watch the full review for the complete breakdown. Price: $130
Top Nike Basketball Models
Best Nike Basketball Shoe Overall
Nike KD 15
The most well-rounded on-court performance basketball shoe from Nike this year. See the full review. Price: $150
Best Outdoor Nike Basketball Shoe
Nike KD 15
Again we have the Nike KD 15. The shoe’s cushioning and traction make it an almost perfect outdoor model. The biggest drawback is the price. See the full review. Price: $150
Best Budget Nike Basketball Shoe
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is a great performance basketball shoe that just happens to be under 100$. Read the full review. Price: $90
Most Comfortable Nike Basketball Shoe
Nike Lebron 20
The Nike Lebron 20 has almost perfect cushioning and excellent materials and fit. The most comfortable Nike hoop shoe right now. Watch the full review. Price: $200
