Our verdict
- Our top pick in best Nike basketball shoes
- Our top pick in best cheap basketball shoes
Pros
- Nike LeBron 8 'Pre-Heat' New Image
- Impressive impact protection
- Optimum comfort
- Breathable upper
- Reliable heel lockdown
- Nike Shooter NBA 2.0 Arm Warmers
- Great outdoor option
- Fashionable design
Cons
- Lacks court feel
- Poor upper durability
- NIKE WMNS AIR JORDAN 4 SHIMMER 24.5cm
Audience verdict
- Air Force 1 Supreme Hi Work Boots basketball shoes
- Top 6% in Nike basketball shoes
Comparison
The most similar basketball shoes compared
+ + Add a shoe | |||||
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Audience score | 89 Great! | 79 Good! | 79 Good! | 89 Great! | |
Price | $105 | $120 | $170 | $120 | |
Signature | LeBron James | - | - | Zion Williamson | |
Top | Mid | Mid | Mid | Mid | |
Ankle support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Weight lab | 13.7 oz / 387g | 13.1 oz / 370g | 15.7 oz / 444g | 15.2 oz / 431g | |
Lightweight | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | |
Breathability | Breathable | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | |
Outdoor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Outsole durability | - | Good | - | - | |
Drop lab | 8.9 mm | 9.9 mm | 7.2 mm | 8.0 mm | |
Boston Celtics Nike City Edition 2.0 Courtside Jacket | 34.1 mm | 31.2 mm | 27.9 mm | 27.1 mm | |
Forefoot | 25.2 mm | 21.3 mm | 20.7 mm | 19.1 mm | |
Midsole softness | Firm | Balanced | Firm | Balanced | |
Stiffness | Moderate | Stiff | Stiff | Stiff | |
Torsional rigidity | Stiff | Stiff | Moderate | Stiff | |
Heel counter stiffness | Moderate | Flexible | Moderate | Stiff | |
Toebox width at the widest part | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
Toebox width at the big toe | Medium | Narrow | Medium | - | |
Midsole width in the forefoot | Narrow | Wide | Average | Narrow | |
Midsole width in the heel | Narrow | Average | Average | Narrow | |
Nike Blazer Mid77 | Bad | Good | Decent | - | |
Toebox durability | Bad | Decent | Good | - | |
Insole thickness | Average | Average | 0 | Average | |
Outsole hardness | Average | Average | Hard | Average | |
Outsole thickness | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
Heel tab | Finger loop | None | Finger loop | None | |
Ranking | #8 Top 19% | #39 Bottom 11% | #38 Bottom 13% | #6 Top 14% | |
Popularity | #19 Top 44% | #9 Top 21% | #13 Top 30% | #22 Top 50% |
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Мужские кожаные зимние ботинки nike на меха LeBron James' Witness 7 best suits basketball players who:
- are price-conscious or have a limited budget
- prioritise impact protection over anything else
- love to take their games outdoors, especially on asphalt courts
- look for stylish performance shoes that they can use as lifestyle trainers
Futuristic Grayscale Gradients And Grids Land On This GS Nike Air Force 1 Crater | Who should NOT buy
Players, especially the more agile ones, who love to get a lot of ground feedback may find that the LeBron Witness 7 sits way too high off the ground. For them, we recommend the Lebron NXXT GEN - Duik in het leven van een ontwerper en stel jouw eigen Air Force 1 samen.
Being a more affordable option, the LeBron Witness compromised its upper durability. But we've seen even cheaper hoop shoes that did better with abrasion resistance like the Nike Air Max Impact 4 and the UA Lockdown 6.
Futuristic Grayscale Gradients And Grids Land On This GS Nike Air Force 1 Crater | Breathability
The Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look beats breathability records among our lab-tested basketball shoes!
Featuring soft materials, the shoe's upper allowed a good deal of smoke to pass through in our smoke-pumping test. Not only did the smoke get through the tongue and eyelets, but also seeped through the toebox itself. That rarely happens in hoop shoes.
The shoe gets a high score of 4 out of 5 for breathability.
Looking at the toebox fabric through a microscope, we can see that it is tightly woven and yet much more porous than most upper materials.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 4 |
Average | 2.4 |
Durability
Toebox durability
But there is a big downside to all that airy softness. It's a total lack of wear resistance.
The toebox material failed to hold up to our 12-second Dremel test which resulted in a large see-through tear. On a 1-5 scale where 5 is the most durable, we rated the shoe as low as 1.
For comparison, the woven upper of the Nike Cosmic Unity 3 did significantly better in the same conditions. But to be fair, it also costs £70 more than the Witness 7.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 1 |
Average | 3.8 |
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The shoe's plush and cosy heel padding performed just as badly. After only 4 seconds of holding the Dremel against it, we saw considerable wear.
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Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 1 |
Average | 3.6 |
Outsole hardness
Fortunately, the shoe comes back strong in the outsole. This must be the toughest part of the Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look.
Using a durometer to check its rubber hardness, we found that it is a head taller than most basketball shoes on our list.
With a reading of 85.8 HC, it is notably harder than average! And that always implies a more hard-wearing outsole.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 85.8 HC |
Average | 81.7 HC |
Outsole thickness
The amount of rubber used for the outsole is also quite substantial. We measured it at 4.1 mm which is a solid thickness for a £100 shoe.
Based on its hardness and thickness as well as performance on the court, we can wholeheartedly recommend the Nike Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look for outdoor play. That also includes the most abrasive concrete courts.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 4.1 mm |
Average | 4.0 mm |
Weight
Given that the average weight of LeBron basketball shoes hovers around 14.3 oz (406g), the Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look is among the lightest in the series. But it's not the lightest compared to other brands.
Tipping the scales at 13.7 oz (387g), the shoe weighs the same as the average of all our lab-tested hoop shoes.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 13.65 oz (387g) |
Average | 13.90 oz (394g) |
Cushioning
Heel stack
It's pretty impressive that this Nike shoe keeps the weight low despite its massive stack height.
We used a calliper to measure the shoe's heel height and it returned a whopping 34.1 mm! This is by far the tallest shoe in our catalogue! This is primarily due to the large Max Air unit embedded into the midsole.
On the court, this Lebron Witness shoe offers top-notch impact protection. All the shock departure from our aggressive heel strikes and harsh landings was sufficiently absorbed, leaving our feet and legs free from pain all throughout the playtest.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 34.1 mm |
Average | 29.3 mm |
Forefoot stack
The shoe's forefoot is just as generously cushioned. With a calliper measurement of 25.2 mm, this Lebron shoe is a few millimetres taller than average.
Futuristic Grayscale Gradients And Grids Land On This GS Nike Air Force 1 Crater.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 25.2 mm |
Average | 21.7 mm |
Drop
It also turns out that the LeBron Witness 7 has a higher-than-average drop of 9 mm. This is a couple of millimetres higher than the average 7 mm.
The Max Air unit elevates the heel a little more to maximise protection for those heel-dominant strikes. Just like all LeBron shoes, it makes for an excellent option for centres.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 8.9 mm |
Average | 7.7 mm |
Midsole softness
The primary cushioning foam of the LeBron Witness 7 feels a little of the firm side. Our durometer shows a reading of 30.3 HA, which is 9% firmer than average.
We found that the firm nature of foam helps to make the platform more stable in lieu of its tall stack height.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 30.3 HA |
Average | 25.6 HA |
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On the other hand, the foam layer underneath the Max Air unit is very plush. It creates space for bounce by being extra squishy.
We measured the foam to be as soft as 14.1 HA! That's a whole 115% plusher than the primary cushioning. As a result, the shoe feels perfectly balanced underfoot.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 14.1 HA |
Average | 28.3 HA |
Insole thickness
Of course, this highly cushioned hoop shoe from LeBron had to have a very well-padded insole. We measured its thickness at 5 mm, a little cushier than average.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 5.0 mm |
Average | 4.5 mm |
Stability
Lateral stability test
Nike made sure to throw a whole bunch of supportive overlays onto the shoe to really level up its stability.
Overall, we think that the brand succeeded. But if you are an agile and super shifty player, you may want more support around the forefoot. We found that the material was a little too soft to hold the foot in place.
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Torsional rigidity
The platform is rock-solid in the LeBron Witness 7. Attempting to twist the shoe with our hands revealed that it is exceptionally stiff. We rated its torsional rigidity with the highest score of 5/5.
According to Nike, it's the Max Air unit that's responsible for the shoe's lateral stability and it also "helps harness and direct your force."
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 5 |
Average | 4.5 |
Heel counter stiffness
The shoe's heel lockdown is very much on point too. We never had to worry about wobbling or heel slippage while wearing the shoe.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 4 |
Average | 3.6 |
Midsole width in the forefoot
The shoe's base is not the widest out there but it does its job well. However, if you are someone who relies heavily on those outriggers on the side, this is not the right shoe.
Measuring the widest part of the forefoot, we got 110.5 mm - a little narrower than average.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 110.5 mm |
Average | 114.5 mm |
Midsole width in the heel
In the widest part of the heel, we also found it to be a few millimetres narrower than average at 86.3 mm.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 86.3 mm |
Average | 90.4 mm |
Flexibility
Stiffness
When it comes to the shoe's stiffness, the LeBron Witness 7 is not that much different from the rest of our tested basketball shoes.
It took about as much force to bend the shoe to a 90-degree angle as it takes on average. Our force gauge shows that it required 38.8N, only 8% less than the average.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 38.8N |
Average | 39.8N |
Grip / Traction
The Nike LeBron Witness 7 showed phenomenal traction on the court! The multi-directional pattern on the sole was able to pull off quick stops and swift direction changes throughout our field tests.
Size and fit
Toebox width at the widest part
With the soft and slightly stretchy nature of the upper material, it feels like this Nike shoe offers a little more wiggle room.
In the widest part of the forefoot, we measured the Witness 7 at 103.1 mm - that's about 3 mm wider than average!
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 103.1 mm |
Average | 101.5 mm |
Toebox width at the big toe
A fabric finger loop at the back helps with getting the shoe on with less effort. It also adds a stylish flair to the overall look of the Witness 7.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 76.5 mm |
Average | 76.7 mm |
Tongue: gusset type
Given the shoe's budget-friendly price point, a gusseted tongue is not to be expected here. But the standard non-attached tongue of the Witness 7 is still doing a pretty good job of staying in place and holding the foot.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | None |
Comfort
Tongue padding
The tongue is sufficiently padded on this LeBron shoe. Based on our calliper measurement, it is 9 mm thick. About the same as the average.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | 9.0 mm |
Average | 9.5 mm |
Heel tab
A fabric finger loop at the back helps with getting the shoe on with less effort. It also adds a stylish flair to the overall look of the Witness 7.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | Finger loop |
Removable insole
The shoe's insole is easily removable. It can be replaced with a custom insert is needed.
Nike KD 6 GS Vulcanized First Look | Yes |