You will be seeing these a lot on court this upcoming season and that is for good reason!
What is going on everyone? AirJayP back here and today we are going to discuss the 5th signature model from the Giannis line from Nike Basketball.
I have enjoyed basically every single pair 1-4 from this line so far, but these 5s... They are definitely my favorite thus far and one of my favorite lower top models I have played in, in quite some time! Let's jump in and talk about how they performed on court!
Traction: 5
I was a little worried initially as the cw I got did have a translucent outsole. I couldn't have been more wrong though as these things gripped so well and were one of my favorite aspects to this shoe. The outsole has several different things going on pattern wise. The toe to forefoot area has one pattern which is sort of like a herringbone with several "GA's" into the pattern. The forefoot down to the heel is basically large lines transitioning down to triangles. I am on my toes quite a bit when I play, and this setup offered me great grip to the floor whether I was moving laterally or vertically. I noticed great stopping while cutting and when moving laterally I was able to switch directions quickly, and had great movement due to the traction. Dusty floors, clean floors, and even outdoors these were good to go for me and offered no issues at any point traction wise for me.
Aesthetics: 5
From a "looks" standpoint, I think you are getting a pretty sweet looking basketball shoe. The highlight is definitely the large swoosh on the side. Several color ways are available already, but I do think the best are yet to come once the season gets started! One thing that also stood out to me is that Nike Air that is placed on the heel almost giving you that Jordan retro type vibe. The material choices and look also give me an old school type look with a new school type feel. There are so many options cw wise that can be done with this shoe due to the use of materials, midsole colors, as well as the outsole color as well. I almost feel like your are getting a Jordan retro, mixed with a Kobe and Giannis sneaker and I absolutely love it!
Fit: 5
The fit was very nice in my opinion. I. went with my standard true to size and they worked perfectly for me that way. If I wanted a little more snug of a fit I could have went down half a size, but honestly I like how these fit for me tts. I personally wouldn't go up half a size with these, but that is just my personal opinion. They do fit or have somewhat of the previous greek freak line feel, so If you played in any of those then you might go with the same sizing as you did with those. For me it was tts and I have no complaints.
Cushion: 5
The cushion was another area that I really enjoyed and thought was also a strongpoint to the shoe. The top loaded zoom air unit in the forefoot mixed with the soft foam midsole underfoot makes for a nice ride on court for extended periods of playing or time. With what sounds as not a super complex setup which it isn't, I felt it offered a nice comfort on court and kept me playing for as long as I desired. You still get a good mix of court feel with this setup, but it was almost like the perfect mix for me. It was just enough cushion to keep my knees from hurting after playing, but also offered me the court feel I like to feel while playing on court. This is the setup I am always trying to describe I am looking for when testing shoes. One that basically lets me have the court feel I want, but gives me the cushion I need whether I am really super feeling or noticing that. These offered me that, and I couldn't be happier with how these felt on court.
Lockdown: 4
The lockdown is an area that I don't have any complaints about, and it definitely exceeded all expectations for me. First off you have a very low top sneaker here, and one in my past that I would not have probably even tried on court. I have definitely branched out from my mids and high tops. With that being said without a strong lockdown system I don't think I would have the same praises or results we have discussed in all previous sections above. With that being said from the time you put these on you will have a nice locked in feel in the heel as long as sizing is precise. Moving on to the forefoot you will also have a nice snug locked in feel as well. Not as tight as the Ja 1's, but definitely still locked in. The traditional lacing will also allow you to get these laced up to your liking which is always a fave of mine. When on court I felt able to make any move or cut I wanted without feeling constricted, but also without feeling like I was at risk of an injury from non containment within the shoe. Anytime I play in a shoe that is this low top the containment/lockdown worries me somewhat, and these met and exceeded all expectations I would be looking for and hoping for in a model like this.
Materials: 4
Basically synthetic materials all over the shoe that upon first look almost looks like premium leather on the toe box offers a nice feel on court, and has held up very well for me thus far on court. Another area that sometimes gets overlooked in my opinion is the tongue of a sneaker. The tongue has nice soft material, and feels nice on the top of your foot. It offers nice padding and feels great on court. The 5s also have great breathability while on court and also feel very lightweight while on foot as well. The materials worked out well for me on court and offered me no complaints whatsoever.
Overall: 5
I have literally had so much fun playing in these sneakers from the first time straight out of the box until even about 30 minutes before typing this review as I had just played in them again. There is occasionally one of those shoes that just work so well for you from every aspect or category so to speak and this was just one of those sneakers for me. If I was still playing competitively this currently would be the pair I would even play an entire season in. since I have transitioned to testing sneakers, I don't get to play in pairs for such an extended period of time, but back in those playing days I would find a pair and get a few cw's and those were the go-to's. These are on that level for me! These will definitely be in the gym bag as a backup pair until they get knocked from that spot! If your are looking for some basketball sneakers and enjoy playing in low tops, you might want to give these a try!!
Thank You For Checking Out This Review!
Have A Great Week & As Always Happy Hooping!
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