Last night, the new NBA season jumped off, with players rocking a whole new crop of sneakers. To get some real-life player perspective on the latest performance basketball kicks, we recruited three local players to hit the court in new releases from adidas, Jordan, Nike, Pony and Converse.
Keep reading to see what our team of testers—including RON JACKSON (6'2", 245, PF/C), DO KIM (5'8", 135, PG), and JUSTIN MONROE (5'11", 155, SF) thought of the Nike Air Max LeBron 7, the adidas TS Commander, the Jordan Melo M6, and more. Game on...
Jordan Melo M6$120, jumpman23.com
DK: "The Melo M6 is a great lightweight shoe, solid support and feel on the court. The shoe was responsive and allowed me to do what I wanted when cutting and making quick direction changes. It has a good level of padding and support throughout the shoe. It's definitely a little stiff, so it does need breaking in. It's a good overall middle-ground, versatile shoe for smaller and bigger players. The ankle support was good but stiff. A piece of the shoe was digging into my foot on the outer ankle, but other than that, no major complaints."
COMFORT: 4/5
SUPPORT: 4/5
STYLE: 3.5/5
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adidas TS Cut Creator (T-Mac)$110, shopadidas.com
DK: "These have an inner sock liner/boot that was very comfortable. It felt like you were wearing two socks, which wasn't always good, because it bunches a little and you have to get used to the buttery feeling, but feels great. It's sewn into the shoe, so unlike some sock shoes, it's not gonna come out. I didn't notice the sock shifting as I made cuts, though, so that's a plus. Of all the sneakers I tested, these had the best court response. I felt the most in tune with the court and my foot. It's geared more towards guards than big men. I can't recommend it to bigger players. The lowest cut of all the shoes, and if you need that you probably want to look somewhere else. Straightforward design with no fancy designs. You don't have to pump or strap anything, which is good."
COMFORT: 5/5
SUPPORT: 4/5
STYLE: 4/5
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PONY UL-38 (Chandler)$80, ponyfootwear.com
RJ: "These are a guard-type sneaker. They're lower on the ankle than most sneakers I'd buy, but running in them is real comfortable. I did feel a little like I could roll my ankle from side to side, and if I'm playing in the post I want it to be tighter for more power and stability. When I come down and I feel like my ankles pop out, I have to stop and reset. Style wise, for Pony, it's a miracle. The strap does nothing but it looks nice and I think without it it would be a pretty plain shoe."
COMFORT: 4/5
SUPPORT: 3.5/5
STYLE: 4.5/5
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Converse Weapon EVO$80, converse.com
RJ: "It was cutting up my foot at the end of the laces, right above the bunion. If they softened up the shoe's inside it wouldn't be so bad. Be prepared to break these in for a while. They run slightly big, so keep that in mind. It's an entry level shoe, a sneaker that is built to last.
COMFORT: 2/5
SUPPORT: 2/5
STYLE: 2/5
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Nike Air Max LeBron 7$160, nike.com
JM: "The new LeBron is a great combo of a lightweight upper and a super-sturdy midsole. It feels secure without choking your foot out, and the airbag makes the sneaker really comfortable. Best LeBron yet, hands down."
Support: 4.5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Style: 5/5
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adidas TS Commander (Garnett)$100, eastbay.com
RJ: "The padded insole in this sneaker is a great inclusion. When I ran around in this sneaker, it didn't feel like I was running at all. With its extra cushion and support, this is definitely the best shoe for a big man. It feels like it's battle tested and sturdy but not heavy. Better for people with wide feet. These are the sneakers that I would play ball outside in."
COMFORT: 5/5
SUPPORT: 4/5
STYLE: 3.5/5
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Nike Hypermax$130, nike.com
RJ: "I have a wide foot but the tapered back felt good because it was snug on my foot and kept foot movement minimal. The Hypermax provided a decent amount of ankle support but the lightweight toe cap made me a little nervous on forefoot support. The toecap is a little hard, so make sure you get a pair that fits, otherwise you're going to be banging your toes into the toecap-not fun. With low-cut socks the flywire cuts you up a little bit, so keep that in mind as well. These are sexy sneakers, though, I'll walk around in these all day. In the sunlight they look purple instead of red and black."
COMFORT: 3.5/5
SUPPORT: 4/5
STYLE: 5/5
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Jordan Schoolin'$115, jumpman23.com
JM: "This sneaker is a little bulkier than the Hyperize (which I've worn) but the tradeoff is that it feels sturdier, which is good for a heavier guard. The cut-outs look cool but don't do anything for you other than perhaps add ventilation. They lose shape a little and don't hug your foot when you lace the shoes up tight. It feels like that could have been addressed, but as far as aesthetics, these are perhaps my favorite Jordan brand team shoes I've ever seen."
COMFORT: 3/5
SUPPORT: 3/5
STYLE: 4/5
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