Words by: Juan Carrillo
Images by: Nike Los Angeles & Juan Carrillo
The Nike Adapt BB was unveiled in New York last week. Although we didn’t attend that event, Nike Basketball and Nike Los Angeles gave KicksonFire and a few other select media outlets a first hand look at the future of basketball sneakers earlier this week.
The event took place a the Lakers training facility in Los Angeles. Once all media got settled in, we were greeted by two of the top Nike Adapt BB designers at the Lakers Press Room. Although the Nike Adapt BB has a very complex design (obviously), they really managed to break it down in a way that all of us were all able to grasp and understand. Much was said and discussed about the shoe. They emphasized that every single piece of the shoe was strategically designed for this very model. From the particular design used on the self lacing “lacing system” (out of hundreds that were mocked up), to the type of material used on the insoles that retract force so that you don’t crush the sock liner. All was strategically created for this new silhouette.
As soon as the intro ended we headed out to the locker rooms to get our first look at the Nike Adapt BB. The vibe in those lockers rooms was dope since each locker had your name in a lit up LED sign alongside the jerseys and of course, the kicks.
We got dressed and “laced” up the shoes. I requested a size 10 and got a size 10. As soon as I tried putting the shoe on, I felt like I was going to have a hard time doing so. Since you can’t really unlace them to loosen them up, I started messing around with them a little but and noticed that that tongue does stretch outwards a bit making the shoe a lot more easier to put in and slip on. So for those asking if the shoes fit true to size, my answer would be yes. Nike also provided us with a smart phone that came with their upcoming “Adapt” app. The Adapt app allows you control the tightness and looseness of the shoe, while also giving you the ability to choose color displayed on the LED lights on the shoe. Sidenote: You don’t need to have the phone with you at all times to loosen or tighten the shoes, pressing the two LED lights on the soles “loosen” and “tighten” the shoe the very same way the app on the phone does.
As soon as we got dressed, we then headed down to courts to test out these bad boys. Anyone who wanted run full-court games (that NBA regulation court is no joke) was more than welcomed to do so. While I didn’t get to play as much as I would have liked, there were a few things that I’d like to point out about the Adapt BB:
- At first, the sneaker “felt” like it was going to fall off once you started playing, but trust me when I say the sneakers are not going anywhere, it’s staying on your feet.
- It’s very comfortable for it being a basketball shoe. It’d be unfair to compare the comfort vs. the comfort of a lifestyle sneaker, but for a basketball shoe the comfort is exceptional.
- At the most “loose” or “relaxed” tightness setting, the Adapt BB still felt pretty snug on foot. Since you can really tighten up the sneaker when opting for “max” tightness, you should be good going true to size or even going up half a size.
- I can definitely see people wearing these as a lifestyle sneaker. It’s sleek and definitely has a cool/futuristic vibe to them.
- It’s a lot lighter than I expected it would be. This is a nice and pleasant surprise since the shoe has so many parts in it, including the microchip that makes it all work.
- The LED lights on the midsole are a nice touch. I couldn’t figure out how to keep the lights on at all times, but I’m sure it’s fairly easy and I was just pressing the wrong button, smh.
- The sneaker felt good on the court. I had no issues with it whatsoever. Although my playing days are over, during the time that I spent wearing them there was not one thing I could pinpoint that I didn’t like.
The day ended with an unannounced special guest appearance by none other than Kyle Kuzma. He sat down with us for a few minutes and talked about his experience with the Adapt BB (he’s been wearing it for a few games now). One sound bite that I was able to point it out is the fact the Kuzma compared the overall feel and performance to t that of the Kobe line, which he wears almost on a daily basis. So for those who like how the Kobe line feels and performs, we’re almost certain you’re gonna dig the Nike Adapt BB.
A big thank you to Nike Basketball and Nike Los Angeles for the exclusive invite. Definitely a good way to start of 2019.
Look for the Nike Adapt BB to release on February 17th at select Nike Basketball retailers and Nike SNKRS for the retail price of $350.
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