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1. Nike Zoom Kobe 5
The Good: Lovers of lockdown got glove fit with yoga flexibility on the Nike Zoom Kobe V. Replacing the well-liked but bottom-out prone Lunarlon cushioning seen on the 4 with always awesome Zoom Air, the Kobe V lasted longer and played lower than previous Mamba makeups. Evolved Flywire proved lighter and leaner on top, while a padded torch tongue literally and figuratively tied everything together for a snug but soft fit.
The Bad: Flaws are few on the Kobe V, but one common complaint was traction. While the aesthetic of the heartbeat pattern looked cool and worked reasonably well, it didn’t grip or last at the level of other Kobe models. Simply using herringbone would’ve made this a strong candidate as one of the greatest playing shoes of all time.
