Kobe 3 Protro Performance Review

A Hoop Shoe I Have Been Waiting To Retro/Protro Since Who Knows When! Did They Live Up To What I Expected??

What is going on hoops fam?? AirJayP is back, and today do I have a special pair to talk about! The Kobe 3 is one of my low-key favorite Kobe models of all time. At their time, there was really nothing else like these out there, and they had a futuristic look to them. Today, I still love the look and think overall it is still a great-looking hoop shoe in 2025! Look and aesthetics are one thing though.. How did they perform?? Let's talk about it!

Traction: 5

I had absolutely no issues out of these traction-wise. Any movement, cut, stop, whatever it may be, these passed every test, every time! I was actually quite surprised, as I thought initially that this may be a weak point in the shoe. It ended up being a strong point and an area I really liked. You have a full rubber outsole that is pretty stiff or hard. It offers different patterns with some herringbone and other multidirectional patterns as well. You are getting a little bit of everything from the "look" of the outsole, but on court, it all works well together, and you are getting the best of it all! Traction was no disappointment for me here, and I could deal with this setup over and over again!

Fit: 4

I went with my usual down half in my hoop shoes, and the fit didn't bother me. I could see where most will definitely go true to size or even half up, especially if you have no intentions of playing in these. They do offer a fairly snug fit, and wide footers, I would recommend trying them on first if at all possible. Getting more of a snug fit worked well for me and gave me the fit I am looking for in my hoop shoes. The fit worked well for me and helped as well in the lockdown category, which we will discuss later.

Cushion: 5

Man oh man, these may be my favorite setup I have played in this season for releases to this point. I have played in almost all released new signatures to this point, and lots have not been reviewed yet! It's tough to keep up these days! The cushion features a Cushlon 3.0 midsole, as well as a Full-Length Zoom Strobel Cushioning setup. I have been a huge fan of Zoom Strobel, and once again, I loved it here! Mixed with the cushlon 3.0 midsole, you are getting a plush/comfortable ride, but there is also a bounce or response that initially I wasn't expecting. The first time out, I was worried these were going to be too plush for me, but after a few games, the responsiveness was very good and almost matched perfectly with the cushion to give me a feel that is unmatched with anything else right now! When I put these on, they gave me a premium feel/vibes on court, and if I wanted, I could wear these casually all day long. The comfort is great, and mixed with the response, these are going to be tough to beat for me this year!

Aesthetics/Materials: 4

The materials are again another area that they have not only a premium look, but feel on foot as well. We have a TPU upper mixed with a mesh backing that offers great breathability as well as some help with lockdown. A soft leather toebox offers once again a premium look, and overall this shoe gives 90s-2000s basketball shoe vibes.... And I Love It!!! The upper is meant to look like a basketball net, which is something I always loved from a design standpoint, as I think it is awesome to incorporate such details from the game into a sneaker. Detailing and premium materials were definitely used all around on these, from the swoosh on the heel with the Mamba logo mixed with the leather-padded tongue! You are going to love the materials on these, and if you are 30-plus, these are going to take you back to your younger hoop shoe days!

Lockdown: 5

In my previous days, I would rarely ever play in a low-top. I would always prefer a mid-cut. These give me that, but maybe a little higher than I really would prefer. This offered me no issue, and once again took me back to a sneaker I would have played in at the time I was still playing competitively. I had no movement within and with the lacing system, I can get these tightened exactly to the liking I am looking for! I felt "safe" on court and never felt as if the lockdown was an issue for me. Even with the mid/higher cut, I still felt agile and had the ability to move where I wanted. The cut of the shoe didn't offer me any setbacks. I felt locked in from heel to toe at all times. I would recommend making sure your sizing is correct though, as if it were too big, it may offer some movement, and if too tight, it may offer some issues as well. For me though, no issues with the lockdown and once again only praises from me.

Overall: 5

I give out quite a few 4s it seems in my reviews, but a 5 is few and far between. I really, really liked basically every single aspect of these. I was beyond impressed with how this protro turned out. These offered me really not even one complaint. These are currently my go-to hoop shoe, and as I mentioned, other things I am even currently playing in but haven't released a review on.. doesn't come close! Maybe it's my age, or preference of play style that they work so well with, but these just do everything I am looking for and need on court. The strongest point or most surprising for me though was most likely the cushion. When I first put them on, I was almost thinking casual shoe and had a big uh oh. I didn't think they were gonna work out at all, as I normally prefer more court feel. When I felt the response, I thought.. I finally found it! A comfort that gives me response as if I am getting court feel. I could talk about these all day! I love them, and at this point, I just can't wait for more CWs! They are very good, and I think most will love them as well!

Thank You For Checking Out This Review On The Kobe 3 Protro!

Have A Great Week, And As Always Happy Hooping!