Our verdict

The Witness 8 symbolises a wonderful improvement on this budget line from LeBron. For a fair price, you get pretty good cushioning (plus an Air Max unit at the heel!) and fantastic traction even on dusty courts. Its upper durability is much better, yet that didn't make it any less comfortable thanks to all its padding. Listening to all of us hoopers, Nike added reinforced and structural layers to this newest model to improve containment and support. Nevertheless, during our wear tests we didn't find it stable enough to perform riskier moves.

Pros

  • Great traction
  • Bouncy cushioning
  • Better containent than the W7
  • Durable upper
  • Comfortable and padded interiors
  • Budget line
  • Air Max unit at the heel

Cons

  • Not the most stable
  • Not for bigger people
  • Outsole lacks durability

Audience verdict

N/A
Not enough reviews yet

Who should buy

Let the LeBron Witness 8 find its spot in your collection if:

  • You're looking for a bouncy shoe with a fair shock absorption.
  • You want a durable and comfortable pal to play ball.
  • Sometimes you play on dusty courts and you need a hooper that offers great traction.
  • You don't want to sell a kidney to get your next pair of basketball shoes.

Nike LeBron Witness 8-profile

Who should NOT buy

If you need your shoes to have some extra stability or you have/have had ankle issues of any type, we kindly ask you to stay away from the Witness 8. Even though it has improved its containment in comparison to the previous iteration, in our experience it wasn't enough. We have reviewed many other models that focus on ankle support, which might be a much better choice for you if you're looking for some extra safety!

If you're not on a budget and you want a top-tier performer from LeBron, the LB 21 and the LB 22's playability is just wonderful, and both of them feature a durable outsole that can withstand the abrasion of outdoor courts (anyways, here you have some other hoopers to play streetball just in case).

Nike LeBron Witness 8-pieces

Cushioning

Heel stack

At 32.1 mm, this LeBron's heel stack is higher than average. It features an Air Max unit at the rearfoot that offers some bounce and impact protection. Nothing spectacular, but we aren't complaining about it either.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Heel stack

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 32.1 mm
Average 29.1 mm
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
23.2 mm
Heel stack
38.4 mm

Forefoot stack

There's also a substantial amount of cushioning at the forefoot. Our calliper returned 22.8 mm, surpassing the average of this category once again.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Forefoot stack

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 22.8 mm
Average 21.6 mm
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
15.5 mm
Forefoot stack
26.8 mm

Drop

The full-length Phylon foam used in the Witness 8 hugs a big Max Air unit at the heel. That's why this shoe's drop goes all the way up to 9.3 mm, which is neither good nor bad! Your rearfoot will just feel slightly higher, but this doesn't affect performance or playability negatively at all.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Drop

Apart from this Nike technology at the back, this LeBron pair also features a shank at the midfoot. It's the black line you can see right in the middle of the shoe, and it improves its overall support and structure.

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 9.3 mm
Average 7.5 mm
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
3.9 mm
Drop
13.7 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

When we measured the softness of this shoe's midsole, our durometer marked 35.0 HA. As this result is way higher than average, the Phylon foam used also feels harder! Nevertheless, as the Max Air unit offers some impact protection, easing this feel and making landings smoother.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Midsole softness

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 35.0 HA
Average 25.1 HA
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
11.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
38.6 HA

Insole thickness

The 5.0 mm thick insole doesn't do much, as it's pretty standard, but we did find it more comfortable than other thinner orthotics.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Insole thickness

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 5.0 mm
Average 4.8 mm
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Insole thickness
8.6 mm

Size and fit

Size

Nike LeBron Witness 8 is half size small (219 votes).

Owners of this shoe, how does this shoe fit?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 71 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Toebox width - widest part

Measuring the interiors of a shoe accurately is not an easy task at all! After giving it some thought and doing many tests, we finally got our beloved gel, which is the green thing you can see in the video below.

And we were not afraid to spill it all! What we do is pour it into every shoe's toebox, freeze it up, and then create a mould that we can measure in the lab with a calliper. In this case, the tool marked 92.3 mm, which is pretty much average.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Toebox width - big toe

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 92.3 mm
Average 92.8 mm
Compared to 28 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
88.9 mm
Toebox width - widest part
96.6 mm

Toebox width - big toe

We measure the toebox width once again, but this time at the big toe. Our calliper returned 72.4 mm, surpassing the average and making us nod in approval. The Witness 8 doesn't taper like crazy despite being a Nike pair, and our toes were really grateful!

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Toebox width - widest part

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 72.4 mm
Average 69.3 mm
Compared to 28 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
64.2 mm
Toebox width - big toe
72.6 mm

Toebox height

The upper of the Witness 8 sits pretty low at the toebox, though. When we measured the vertical height in this area, our calliper marked 20.1 mm, which is not much compared to the average. The issue here is that this newest iteration has substantially reinforced its upper with multiple layers in comparison to the Witness 7, so don't expect it to be that stretchy.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Toebox height

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 20.1 mm
Average 23.4 mm
Compared to 28 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
20.1 mm
Toebox height
27.4 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

In our experience, the Witness 7 doesn't offer much lateral support at all. Its materials were way too soft for that, and even though this 8th iteration has improved that... we still didn't feel the safest playing with it. It wiggles a lot, and if we put our weight all to the outer side, it felt like our ankles could snap in a hot minute.

Torsional rigidity

When we took this hooper to our lab, it was surprisingly hard for our fingers to twist it. Even though it didn't feel like the most stable on foot, its structure didn't let us play with it.

That's why we believe it's so important to not only analyse the shoes in our lab, but also put them on to play basketball for a while. Even though the Witness 8 scored a 5/5 on our torsional rigidity test, its foothold is definitely not the firmest we've tried so far.

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 5
Average 4.4
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

This LeBron scored a 3/5 on our heel counter stiffness test. Even though its support and containment overall are nothing crazy, there has definitely been improvement in comparison with the previous iteration. Nike listened to the hoopers' complaints, so this shoe feels definitely safer. Still, we would not recommend it to people with stability needs or ankle issues of any kind.

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 3
Average 3.7
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

Midsole width - forefoot

The wider the midsole, the more stable the shoe. And that's it, we don't make the rules! We believe the Witness 8 could've got some extra points in this aspect if its landing base had been wider, yet our calliper marked only 111.8 mm, which is smaller than average.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Midsole width - forefoot

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 111.8 mm
Average 114.9 mm
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
106.2 mm
Midsole width - forefoot
124.5 mm

Midsole width - heel

The heel is even narrower, at only 84.0 mm... which is actually lower than the Witness 7's score on this same test! Taking into account the stability issues of this previous iteration, it took us completely by surprise. But it might just be a strategy from the brand to reduce the overall weight of this hooper, though.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Midsole width - heel

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 84.0 mm
Average 90.1 mm
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
80.0 mm
Midsole width - heel
105.1 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

In our flexibility test, this hooper from LeBron needed 40.4N of force to go all the way up to 90 degrees. We can see why, as it now offers much better containment than the previous version with its reinforced upper.

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 40.4N
Average 38.8N
We use an average of four tests. The video shows one of those tests.
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
17.6N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
62.2N

Weight

Despite its looks, the Witness 8 didn't feel excessively heavy during our wear tests. We didn't really notice that much difference in comparison to the previous model on foot, but when we took it to the lab, our scale marked a lower result.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Weight

At 13.26 oz/376g, this newest iteration is on the lighter side of our hoopers category. We can't say it's a speedy shoe, as we didn't really find its structure safe enough to perform the fastest cuts or changes of direction. Nevertheless, we appreciate the brand's effort: it made it more supportive than the 7th and, somehow, it also managed to reduce its overall weight!

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 13.26 oz (376g)
Average 13.79 oz (391g)
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
11.29 oz (320g)
Weight
17.46 oz (495g)

Breathability

All the added layering in order to reinforce the upper took a toll on this shoe's breathability. The Witness 7 and its softer materials scored a 4/5 on this test, yet the 8th only managed to get a 2/5.

Our light test was a clear indicator of what was coming. The LED could shine through a small section of the toebox, yet the smoke didn't have it easy on its way out! In comparison to the Ja 2, the Witness 8 definitely felt hot on foot.

We believe the brand did what it could to fix the containment and stability issues of the previous model, and it looks like that meant sacrificing breathability.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Breathability-3

This reinforced upper offered more structure, but just by looking at it through our microscope, you can definitely tell it's not gonna offer the best ventilation out there.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Breathability-4

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 2
Average 2.6
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Toebox durability

Even though this shoe's breathability left much to be desired, it improved a lot on durability. At 5K RPM and with 2N of force, the Dremel couldn't really do much to its armour-like upper, so we decided to give it a 4/5 on this test.

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 4
Average 3.8
Compared to 64 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Toebox durability
5

Heel padding durability

The heel fought just as bravely. As you can see in the video below, the tool couldn't do much to damage this shoe's padding, so we decided to give it another 4/5 on durability.

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 4
Average 3.6
Compared to 61 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel padding durability
5

Outsole hardness

Our durometer marked 78.0 HC when we analysed this shoe's outsole hardness. This score is lower than average, and it might mean that the rubber used focuses more on traction than on durability.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Outsole hardness

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 78.0 HC
Average 81.5 HC
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
61.3 HC
Outsole hardness
91.0 HC

Outsole durability

We confirmed our previous hypothesis when we turned on the Dremel one last time. With the same 2N of force but this time at 10K RPM, it drilled the Witness 8's outsole mercilessly during 18 seconds.

When we measured the dent, our tread gauge returned 1.6 mm, which is fairly higher than the average for the hoopers we have reviewed so far. Therefore, abrasive surfaces might destroy this pair sooner than what you'd like.

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 1.6 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 52 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

Once we had cut this shoe in half, we could measure its outsole thickness. Its 4.0 mm make it just average, so it's not like the Witness 8 has loads of rubber to wear out before it gives up.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Outsole thickness

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 4.0 mm
Average 4.0 mm
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
6.9 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

We're pretty happy with this shoe's traction. It changed its pattern completely from the previous iteration, adding different shapes and even dented lines. On the one hand, it works well on outdoor courts but... on the other hand, its durability is not the best to withstand the abrasion.

All in all, the grip level is great and it even performs well on dusty courts!

Nike LeBron Witness 8-outsole

Price

As a budget shoe from the LeBron line, we do believe you get a fairly good cushioning and traction, as well as Nike's Air Maz technology, for the price. Nevertheless, the Witness 8 costs £110, and there are many other models for a similar price that offer better support and containment (like the Luka 2 or the All Pro Nitro). To us, those are 2 key features to go all out whilst playing basketball and bring out your best performance.

Nike LeBron Witness 8-top

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 $110
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
£70
Price
£200

Reflective elements

There are no reflective elements in the LeBron Witness 8, but it's not like we expected it to have any, as it's part of the player's budget line.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Reflective elements

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 No

Tongue padding

The 7.7 mm of padding this shoe has at the tongue were enough to protect us from any lace bite and offer comfort at the same time.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Tongue padding

One of the things that we liked about this hooper's design is that it's fairly padded overall, which makes it really comfortable, yet this doesn't translate in any extra weight.

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 7.7 mm
Average 9.2 mm
Compared to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1.3 mm
Tongue padding
15.9 mm

Tongue: gusset type

The tongue is fully gusseted, and it mixes with the upper to create some kind of bootie construction. Even though this adds support most of the times, we can't say that's what we felt when we put on the Witness 8 during our wear tests.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Tongue: gusset type

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 Both sides (full)

Heel tab

This Nike pair doesn't have a heel tab. Nevertheless, and despite having a fully gusseted tongue, we didn't have any problems putting it on and off.

Nike LeBron Witness 8-heel

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 None

Removable insole

If you need or want to use your own orthotics, this LeBron makes it easy, as it features a removable insole that you can change at any moment.

Nike LeBron Witness 8 Removable insole

Test results
LeBron Witness 8 Yes