Sneaker Sunday: Kobe AD NXT 360

     Ball is life.  I play four times a week and sometimes I wish it was more.  The frequency with which I play is so high, that the gear I wear on court is of the utmost importance.  I did a post last year on my favorite hooping shoes of the summer and it made me realize the value in having good, sturdy footwear.

Nike’s Kobe line has been my “go-to” for the last couple years and when he retired, I figured his sneakers would eventually go away.  Not to be outdone by current players though, Kobe continues to release new sneakers (we are up to 4 sneakers post-retirement).  I think the best thing that can be said about the Kobe line is the constant love it receives from not only NBA guys (ie: Demar Derozan, Montrezl Harrell) but basketball players at all levels.  I still see people playing in the flyknit Kobe XI’s just as frequently as the new Kobe AD’s.  The Kobe line is comfortable, durable and quite simply, some of the best hooping shoes I’ve ever worn.  Check out my collection below:

      For the past year, my feet have taken a beating.  From playing 4 times a week running on hard cement and hardwood floors, my legs have seen a lot of miles.  It’s been a struggle to find a sneaker that is comfortable for me no matter how my feet feel on that particular day.  I saw the NXT 360’s in person for the first time at a Nike outlet in Northern California.  They were on sale and I had a gift card so the high price seemed worth it to me.  After I tried them on and walked around a bit, I knew I had to get them.

This is one of the most comfortable sneakers I’ve ever worn.  I can feel the floor as I move and cut but I still get the support I need on landings.  The most unique aspect of these kicks is the wraparound flyknit (where the 360 come from).  In the pictures below, you can see the sneaker is pliable which allows the flyknit to mold and shape to your foot.  Also in the pictures, note the removable sole which contains both lunarlon and Nike React foam technology.

I also love the colors and the look of this shoe.  It’s low profile gives it a stealth feel on the court and the colorful flyknit pops against the black flyknit.  The yellow accents are a little too “Laker friendly” for me but it wasn’t enough for me to discard the shoe entirely.  The all black swoosh is a nice tough as well.

      In conclusion, this is one of the best sneakers I’ve ever hooped in.  It responds well to the movements of your foot and it offers the achilles protection that I in particular need in a basketball shoe.  The materials are quality and the overall look of the shoe is steezy.  The only negative aspect of this sneaker is the durability.  Each time I play, I notice that the grip slowly erodes on the sole.  Since I’m lucky enough to rotate a couple sneakers for my basketball needs, I should be able to prolong the life of these for a couple years.  I see this sneaker being in my top 5 hooping shoes of summer ’19 in the near future.