Facts
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Top
High-Top
Basketball sneakers that rise well above the ankle to keep sprints and jumps stable and well-supported. You sure can fly high when you have high-top basketball shoes to tie.
Mid-Top
Basketball sneakers that rise just up to where the ankles are. Providing support and flexibility so fine, mid-top basketball shoes surely hold the line.
Low-Top
Basketball shoes that leave the ankles exposed for a better range of motion. Be flexible with your blows, get basketball shoes that are low.
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LockdownLace-Up
Strap
Hoop shoes that drop the traditional laces in favor of velcro straps for better efficiency. Secure strap basketball shoes, and have them in various hues.
Lace-Up
Basketball shoes that stick with the good old laces for that familiar security and lockdown. Get lace-up basketball shoes to tie because they never go out of style.
Slip-On
Basketball shoes with uppers that provide a glove-like fit without the help of any lockdown mechanism. Do nothing but go in with slip-on basketball shoes .
Good to know
Some basketball shoes combine the powers of more than one lockdown styles for an improved fit and a much more stable ride. Get more bases covered with these basketball shoes.
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Price$100
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Weight13oz
Good to know
Basketball shoes usually weigh between 300g and 400g for speed and agility. Write your on-court tale with basketball shoes that barely tip the scales.
Rankings
Expert Reviews
Experts are basketball players, who post reviews at youtube, directly at RunRepeat or at their own websites. Each expert is categorized from level 1 to level 5 based on expertise. See stats on expert reviews and how we calculate scores here.
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86 / 100 based on 1 expert reviews
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It's a banger for a cheap shoe. It feels like a Kobe. It is one of my favorite budget models. One of the budget models I recommend that I've tested personally.
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Profile of the Nike Zoom Live 2
The Zoom Live 2 is another budget model from the Swoosh. It has the same setup as its predecessor the Nike Zoom Live 2017, only with a different upper design. Despite its $100 price tag, Nike packs it with Zoom technology at the forefoot and full-length Phylon midsole. The setup favors guards who are always on their forefoot during play. The outsole is covered with circular patterns to provide a good grip on any surface. The existence of the deep grooves eliminates dust and the squeaking sound most basketball sneakers have. Quick and aggressive footwork requires a lightweight shoe with a low-to-the-ground feel such as the Nike Zoom Live 2.
Wearers who want shoes other than the Zoom Live 2 can check affordable shoe options such as Clyde Court Disrupt from Puma Hoops, third Nike Paul George shoe, and Klay Thompson’s 4th Anta basketball shoe.
Performance
Cushion. The midsole of the Zoom Live 2 consists of a firm Phylon carrier and a Zoom unit at the forefoot. The Zoom unit is top-loaded to provide a good balance of comfort, impact absorption, and responsiveness. The full-length Phylon gives comfort, lightness, and court feel.
Traction. Depending on the colorway, the outsole rubber of the Nike Zoom Live 2 can either be gum or solid rubber. It has a multidirectional traction pattern with deep grooves. These grooves resist dust and grip court floors well. The shoe model aims to minimize wiping and to free wearers from worries about possible slipping. The pattern runs up to the sides of the shoe for better stopping power and grip, especially for side-to-side movements.
Fit
Length and Width. Nike manufactures basketball sneakers in the standard lengths and widths. This holds true for the Zoom Live 2; wearers with normal feet can go true to size. Wearers with wider feet are advised to fit the shoe before purchasing.
Lockdown. The Nike Zoom Live II has Flywire cables and a standard lace-up system to keep the foot down. The Flywire technology uses nylon or Vectran installed on the shoe in the same way as the wires that support suspension bridges, providing lightweight and durable support.
Material
The upper of the Zoom Live 2 is made of breathable mesh with fuse overlays for durability. The shoe has smooth fabric lining and a molded insole for a nice step-in comfort. The collar and tongue of the shoe has thick foam pads, giving the ankle a comfortable and secure hug.
Style
The Nike Zoom Live II is a low-top shoe that comes in five colorways. The shoe model has a simple design with Swoosh logos found on both the tongue, insole, and both sides of the shoe. A “ZOOM LIVE” callout is diagonally printed on the tongue of the shoe.
Special Colorways of the Nike Zoom Live 2
The Zoom Live 2 may be a budget model, but these low-top basketball shoes from Nike are available in attractive colorways.
- Black/Anthracite/Gum Light Brown/Reflect Silver
- Black/White
- Cool Gray/Reflective Silver/Pure Platinum/Gum
- Laser Blue/White
- Red/Black
- White/Reflective Silver/Pure Platinum/Gum
- White/White
- White/White/Translucent