Verdict from 6.6 hours of research from the internet

7 reasons to buy

  • A couple of reviewers rave about the leather upper of the Nike Air Maestro 2. They claim that the upper feels buttery soft and smooth.
  • According to testers, the herringbone pattern makes the rubber outsole grip court floors well.
  • The Nike Air Maestro II provides excellent lockdown. The inner sleeve is packed with foam to deliver a supportive hug to the ankles.
  • These Nike high-top basketball shoes come with a really comfortable polyurethane midsole, claim some buyers.
  • Many users mention that the Air Maestro 2 is true to size.
  • A good number of owners are happy that the shoe is affordable.
  • Several reviews claim that the rubber outsole does not attract dust at all.

3 reasons not to buy

  • There are a few shoe shoppers who wish for more colorways.
  • The material used in the Swoosh logo feels cheap, mention a buyer.
  • A handful of users claim that the Nike Air Maestro 2 is bulky.

Bottom line

The Nike Air Maestro 2 is still a performance shoe with an undeniable historical value. For only $140, buyers can get a 90s-inspired basketball shoe that provides a great deal of comfort. These Nike basketball shoes can be used outdoors without worrying about any wear and tear. Besides the fact that the Nike Air Maestro 2 is good on the court, new buyers are advised to cop a pair of these classics because no one really knows when the Air Maestro II will be released again, if at all.

Tip: see the best basketball shoes.

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The Nike Air Maestro II Trifecta was re-released on May 10, 2018 for $140. As part of the ‘Art of a Champion’ collection, these signature shoes come with a gold Larry O’Brien Trophy hang tag.

The design of these high-top Nike basketball shoes are inspired by the early 90s. These retros come in a combination of synthetic and nubuck leather. The leathers in the retro Nike Air Maestro 2 are not as good as those in the original release. However, they are still of premium quality and comfortable.

The outsole of these Nike shoes are made of durable solid rubber. The midsole features a lightweight and full-length polyurethane foam and an encapsulated Air unit at the heel for impact protection.

The Air Maestro 2 in the modern days is considered a collector’s item. This model is said to be not appropriate for gaming anymore. Nike has the Hyperdunk series for ten years and buyers are excited to grab them every year.

Cushion. The responsiveness of the Nike Air Maestro II comes from the full-length polyurethane in its midsole. This classic midsole foam is lightweight and absorbs impact really well. The heel has an encapsulated Air unit that provides impact protection during landing. This cushioning setup suits heavy and big players well.

Traction. The Nike Air Maestro 2 comes with a durable solid rubber outsole. It is designed to withstand both indoor and outdoor surfaces. The sole features herringbone with circular patterns on the side and heel. The midfoot has two thick and wide grooves. These deliver good court grip and flexibility.

Length and Width. Nike follows shoe sizing standards. However, because of their unique designs, shoe models might run long or narrow. As for the Nike Maestro 2, there are reports from both narrow- and wide-footers that the shoe is true to size. The inner sleeve conforms to the shape of the foot for a one-to-one fit.

Lockdown. To deliver excellent lockdown without compromising comfort, the inner sleeve of the Nike Air Maestro II is filled with foam. This setup securely keeps the foot in place. As classics, these Nike shoes make use of traditional lacing systems.

The upper of the Nike Air Maestro II is made of synthetic and nubuck leather. The combination of the two leathers delivers durability. There are perforations in the sides of the shoe to help wick away moisture during play.

The Air Maestro 2 is considered one of the best-looking signature shoes from Nike. The Swoosh logos are seen on both sides of the shoe. The ‘Flight’ callout on the tongue grabs people’s attention. Another Nike branding element is found on the heel. There is also a dainty and sturdy pull tab on the heel.

The Nike Maestro 2 is one of the shoes in the ‘Art of a Champion’ collection of the Swoosh brand. The shoe comes in the Trifecta colorway. This version is a predominantly red basketball sneaker with white Swoosh logos on both sides. It also has details of black and white throughout.

The other colorways of the Nike Maestro 2 are as follows:

  • Black/White
  • Gym Red
  • Hyper Jade
  • Rush Orange
  • USA
  • White Metallic

Kith X Nike Air Maestro 2 Red Suede

Kith and Nike collaborated to re-create the Red Suede colorway of the Air Maestro 2. In 1994, Scottie Pippen wore the Air Maestro 2 Red Suede and won his first NBA All-Star Game MVP award.

Size and fit

True to size based on 35 user votes
Small (31%)
True to size (66%)
Large (3%)
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How Air Maestro 2 compares

This shoe: 88
All shoes average: 86
51 99
This shoe: £140
All shoes average: £130
£40 £480
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.

dimitrije@runrepeat.com