5 Best Nike Kyrie Basketball Shoes in 2023

Dimitrije Curcic
Dimitrije Curcic on
5 Best Nike Kyrie Basketball Shoes in 2023
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Known for his incredible handles, fast cuts, and stopping in a flash, the Nike Kyrie signature basketball shoes are perfect for speedy guards and catch-and-shoot players.

To support your explosive movement on the court, the Kyrie outsole utilizes the newest Nike technology for 360-degree traction. It also comes with a rounded Zoom Air unit that delivers a responsive first step. Goes without saying, this signature shoe reflects and looks as good as the amazing Kyrie Irving.

To help you save time and narrow down your choices, we’ve rounded up and tested 18 of the best Nike Kyrie basketball shoes. Get a quick look below at our top picks with their respective in-depth reviews.

How we test basketball shoes

To ensure 100% honest and comprehensive reviews, we adhere to a strict selecting process. That means analyzing comparable data from a battery of mechanical tests conducted inside the RunRepeat lab. We also reviewed extensive feedback from our team of wear-testers and used our own knowledge about the basketball shoe market.

Here’s our approach:

  • We buy all the Nike Kyrie basketball shoes available in the market using our own money. This is to maintain our policy against bias and brand loyalty.
  • We bring all the models to tour the independent shoe testing lab, where we cut the shoes open and check the energy return, bounce, 360-degree traction, Nike Zoom Air unit, and many others.
  • Our wear-testers play many basketball games on each model and report back to us with their impressions and overall feedback.
  • We collect additional data from other experts and regular users of the Kyrie shoes.

To make the final rankings, we use our CoreScore system. Based on the collected data above, the system will make a calculation and give each Kyrie model an overall score from 0 to 100.

Best Nike Kyrie basketball shoes overall

Nike Kyrie 7
88
Great!

What makes it the best?

Kyrie signature kicks are widely considered guard shoes, hence, we believe that the best Kyrie should have an amazing containment, a lot of energy return, and a comfortable all-around feel. The Kyrie 7 delivers all these aspects with flying colors, so with no hesitation, we declare this shoe as the best in Kyrie Irving’s collection.

What’s remarkable with the Kyrie 7 is its ability to keep the foot contained at all times. We learned that even during quick and hard stops, no wobbliness is felt. The cherry on top is the realization that this shoe delivers support without being uncomfortably restrictive. We learned that there is no pain even after playing in this shoe for hours on end.

Springiness is also something that we appreciate so much. We discovered that it never stops supplying energy from start to finish. Because of this, we confidently recommend the Kyrie 7 for players who rely on their speed to get past opponents and score.

This would have been the perfect shoe if not for its serious need for break-in. We learned that this shoe, especially the midsole, starts out really stiff, like ice that needs thawing. Hence, we cannot recommend this to players who are in a hurry to battle it out on the court.

Pros

  • Remarkable lockdown
  • Super comfy
  • Feels light
  • Stable even during lateral movement
  • Durable
  • Breathable
  • Good value for money
  • For players of all levels
  • Feels springy
  • Easy on/off
  • Many color options

Cons

  • Break-in period needed
  • Slightly slipped when rocking backward
Full review of Nike Kyrie 7

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Unisex
Any color
Midnight Navy/White (DA7767402)
Midnight Navy/Midnight Navy/Lagoon Pulse (CQ9326401)
Hyper Royal/Black-White-Hyper Royal (CQ9326400)
Black/Team Orange/White (CQ9326003)
900 teal/orange-ice (CT1135900)
Black/White (CQ9326002)
Wolf grey/white (DA7767006)
Copa?dk smoke grey-rattan (CQ9326402)
More colors

Best Nike Kyrie basketball shoes

What makes it the best?

For us, the Nike Kyrie Low 4 gets the top plum as the best low-top in Kyrie Irving’s collection because it delivers top-tier traction, high levels of comfort, and a well-pronounced court feel that guards just love.

The grip blew us away with its multidirectional coverage and amazing resistance to dust; only minimal wiping is needed. 

Another awesome benefit that this shoe gives is comfort. We learned that it is light and does not need any break-in time. If you need a shoe that you can use immediately, then your search should end with the Kyrie Low 4 from Nike. 

Then there is this shoe’s impressive responsiveness, which makes the Kyrie Low 4 a beast. It’s such a delight to realize that gaining more control is not a problem because of the amazing court feel that the midsole provides.

However, it pains us to share that cushioning gets sacrificed to give a lot of court feel. Hence, this shoe doesn’t get our recommendation when it comes to players who are in need of serious shock absorption.

Pros

  • Top-tier traction
  • Quick responsiveness
  • Lightweight
  • Very comfortable
  • Stable
  • Supportive
  • No break-in time
  • Good lockdown

Cons

  • Minimal cushioning
  • Heel slippage
  • Not for outdoor play
  • Mediocre ventilation
Full review of Nike Kyrie Low 4

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Unisex
Any color
Black (DA7803001)
White (DA7803100)
Black (DA7803005)
Black (DA7803002)
Beige (CW3985005)
Black (DA7803003)
Green glow/atomic orange (CW3985300)
White (CW3985100)
More colors

Best Nike Kyrie basketball shoes

What makes it the best?

When it comes to support and lockdown, the Kyrie Infinity is definitely up there. We discovered that it just grasps the ankle with so much security that it leaves no room for any instability. Besides support, this shoe also delivers an amazing grip on the court and a well-balanced cushioning system. Hence, this gets the title as the best mid-top among all the Nike Kyries.

We learned that the outsole has a great bite even on dusty courts, and this for us is already enough proof that traction is superb. This is definitely a must-have for players who want to easily stop on a dime.

The balanced midsole tooling is also worth an honorable mention here. Aside from providing impact protection, we discovered that the Nike Kyrie Infinity is also quite responsive. This shoe gets our recommendation for players who are more flexible with their on-court roles.

It’s quite a bummer to know that this shoe does not have as much torsional rigidity as we would have wanted. We believe that this is definitely a no-no for athletes who are anxious about twisting their feet.

Pros

  • Reliable grip even on mildly dusty courts
  • Truly pronounced court feel
  • Comfortable padding in the upper
  • Solid heel support
  • True-to-size fit
  • Lightweight feel
  • Smooth heel-to-toe transition
  • Aesthetically appealing

Cons

  • Lateral support can be flimsy
  • Not enough torsional rigidity
Full review of Nike Kyrie Infinity

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Unisex
Any color
003 black/white-iron grey (CZ0204003)
University Red/University Red/White (DO9616600)
100 white/white/black (DO9616100)
Safety orange/gorge green/sesa (DO9614800)
006 light iron ore/black/moon foss (CZ0204006)
White/black-university red (CZ0204101)
Wolf Grey/Wolf Grey/White (DO9616001)
Black/white-black (DO9616002)
More colors

Best Nike Kyrie basketball shoes

What makes it the best?

It’s rare for us to report that a shoe is flawless in delivering support, but the Kyrie Flytrap 6 left us with no choice. We also learned that this shoe also boasts a responsive midsole and hardy upper and outsole materials. These benefits are enough for us to consider this shoe the best one to use on outdoor courts among Kyrie Irving’s basketball shoes.

We learned that the structure of this shoe itself is the one responsible for the superb containment that it gives. This shoe clings even on the shiftiest player, we have no doubts about this.

Being a Kyrie shoe from Nike, we are not surprised that this shoe takes court feel quite seriously. We discovered that it brings the foot closer to the ground, resulting in lots and lots of responsiveness. We surely think that this shoe is for quick outdoor hoopers. 

The upper materials are quite noteworthy. We learned that these materials feel so nice and comfortable next to the skin. No pain, no blisters. They are quite sturdy as well, just like the outsole rubber.

We shouldn’t (and we just can’t!) hide the fact that this shoe feels cheap. If you are up for all things fancy, then we firmly believe that this shoe isn’t the best pick for you.

Pros

  • Reliable traction on clean courts
  • Durable enough for outdoors
  • Low-to-the-ground profile
  • Noticeable bounce
  • Quite smooth heel-to-toe transition
  • Comfortably minimal upper materials
  • Pretty supportive structure
  • Lightweight construction

Cons

  • Impact protection is lacking
  • Fit is tricky
Full review of Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6

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Unisex
Any color
White/Black-White (DM1125101)
Photon Dust/University Red/White (DM1125002)
Black/White-iron Grey (DM1125001)
Orange Trance/Yellow Strike/Black/Canyon Rust (DM1125800)

Best Nike Kyrie basketball shoes

What makes it the best?

We are so impressed with what we know about the Flytrap 3 that we hail as the best in providing ankle support among all Nike Kyries we’ve ever studied. This shoe deserves this recognition because the Nike Kyrie Flytrap III’s hold around the ankle, we learned, is just superb. We’ve seen that this shoe’s mid-level collar height firmly keeps the ankle area quite stable even during the most aggressive movements. Additionally, this shoe is also speedy and quite supportive overall. 

We learned that this shoe’s ability to successfully assist with accelerations is its lightweight construction. We also found that its impressive traction and responsiveness contribute to more confident, forceful, and swift steps. We believe players who are lighter and more nimble are going to have fun with this shoe.

We discovered that the Flytrap III is quite supportive overall, but we realized that the midfoot lockdown is worth a special mention. The strap on the Nike Kyrie Flytrap 3 is definitely not just some flimsy decoration; we are happy to realize that it’s there to keep the foot securely in place.

It’s just too regretful that the Nike Kyrie Flytrap 3 isn’t so helpful when it comes to impact absorption. So, if you are a player who does a lot of verticals and heel strikes, we believe it’s best to veer away from this shoe.

Pros

  • Worth the money
  • Comfortable to wear
  • Fantastic ankle support
  • Excellent lateral containment
  • Good traction
  • Responsive cushioning
  • Light and fast

Cons

  • Traction needs break-in time
  • Horrible impact protection
  • Flimsy mesh material
Full review of Nike Kyrie Flytrap III

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Men
Women
Any color
White Black (BQ3060104)
White/Pure Platinum/Varsity Royal (BQ3060100)
Cool Grey/Bright Crimson-White-Black (BQ3060010)
Black/White/Volt (BQ3060001)
Black University Red Bright Crimson (BQ3060009)
Black/metallic gold star (BQ3060008)
White (BQ3060007)
Obsidian Deep Royal Blue Gym Red White (BQ3060400)
White/Black/Cool Grey (BQ3060103)

Comparison of the 5 best Nike Kyrie basketball shoes

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CoreScore
Users rating
Experts
Best price
Ranking
Popularity
# of colorways
Author
Dimitrije Curcic
Dimitrije Curcic

Dimitrije Curcic has been playing basketball for over 22 years. Like Manu Ginobili, he’s a left-hander whose moves led him to a better career-shooting percentage than the Argentine himself. After playing professionally for 10 years, Dimitrije moved to coaching for two seasons before he became a basketball statistician for StatScore, and FanSided contributor for the San Antonio Spurs. Dimitrije loves to tell hoop stories through numbers and graphics and has been featured on Fansided, FiveThirtyEight, Eurohoops, and TalkBasket among the others.