Nike Kobe AD Mid

The popularity of the Kobe Bryant shoe line is surely noted among players who have played basketball at any level for a decent amount of time. Pulling up at any basketball court, it is unsurprising to see any of his original series starting from the Kobe 4 being rocked. Yes, over a decade worth of signature kicks still making their routine appearances. 

In my opinion, they are the most sacred signature line in the hoops world. Credits to their clean design, innovative lightweight tech specs, and exclusivity (they are often among the most expensive performance sneakers released each year with limited supply). 

Last year, I finally decided to pull the trigger and get my first Kobes. Growing up, I had typically opted for team models like the Hyperdunk and Hyperfuse chains due to Kobes being a good deal higher in price, but I caught these on retail for $70 and had to cop!

I loved their simplistic mid-cut design and also noted their popularity among many favorite NBA stars.

Traction

I found the traction on these to be very strong on clean courts, with a consistent reliable grab. When playing on dusty courts, they did collect dust pretty quickly. So, be prepared to wipe frequently, but they will still do a good job.

I do want to note the traction needed no time to break in for me and were beastly out of the box. 

One unfortunate aspect to note is their durability. After about fifteen or so long indoor pickup sessions, you can see some minor heel drag and upper traction wear. So, I wouldn’t grab these as the sole option for a long season and I definitely would not recommend them for outdoor play.

The rubber is quite soft but should serve any weekend warrior for a good satisfactory time. 

Cushioning

I loved the cushion on these! Full Lunarlon was pleasantly felt, and this was the perfect ratio of softness to fitness for me; soft enough where you felt good to support for landings but firm enough to not feel like you’re sinking into your shoe. Had the traction been a bit more firm or responsive, this would have been the perfect setup for me.

Fit/support

I went true to size as a wide footer and it was a good call. These did fit very snugly, and during the first 1-2 hooping sessions, there was some discomfort with too much tightness. However, this disappeared after these initial usages.

Once broken in, I really really enjoyed the fit—super snug, where I felt minimal dead space and that the shoe was completely locked in with no wiggle. 

Support was also sound. This is a typical good coverage from a mid-cut basketball shoe—noticeable wrap without being restrictive or uncomfortable. I felt a stable ride in the midsole and didn’t feel any glaring deficiencies anywhere.

Materials and breathability

A standard synthetic mesh upper with a very thin tongue and soft rubber outsoles. As someone who doesn’t give too much attention to materials, I thought these are fine.

My one complaint is that while the materials performed well overall, both the outsole and upper could use an upgrade in terms of durability after seeing noticeable wear after less than 2 months of usage. 

The breathability score for the Kobe AD Mid is very low, as you may have guessed from the pictures of it. The mesh material doesn’t really offer any areas of ventilation. 

For some occasions, I could notice the sweat after playing. Luckily, this never led to any blisters that some players experience with sweaty shoes. 

Conclusion

Kobe Bryant not only left a legendary legacy on the basketball world but also in the hoop sneakers culture. I’m thankful after his retirement and closure of the Kobe 1-11 line that Nike decided to continue releasing high-performing sneakers in his likeness. My only complaint is that the durability was not super strong, otherwise, I would have strongly considered stocking up on another pair or two. 

Although breathability was also not strong, it's a factor I give much less importance, compared to other aspects. If it's something you strongly care about, I would consider thinking twice about these. 

I’d recommend this shoe to anyone ranging from explosive point guards to agile post players. For players doing a lot of crashing in the post, I’d recommend something with slightly more cushioning. 

These are one of my top performers of all time and I want to shout out they were my shoe of choice for gameday in all the competitive leagues I played in for many months last year!