adidas AE 1: The Best Basketball Shoe of 2024?

The adidas AE 1 is one of the most anticipated basketball shoes of 2024 and it just might be one of the best as well.

Colorway: Acid Orange / Core Black / Acid Red

Release Date: 2024

Price: $120

8.5/10

Total Score

The adidas AE 1 is Minnesota Timberwolves’ high-flying superstar, Anthony Edwards’ first signature shoe with the brand. It was easily one of the most anticipated shoe releases of 2024 and it just might be the best adidas basketball shoe of the year and one of the best overall basketball shoes out there.

The shoe features a unique and polarizing design and is packed with some of adidas’ top performance features, including full-length Jetboost cushioning. On top of all that, the shoe retails for a very reasonable $120, which is great to see. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and see what makes this shoe so special.

adidas AE 1 Review

adidas AE 1 Tech Specs:

adidas AE 1 Traction

The AE 1 boasts a no-nonsense traction setup that promises to be a beast on indoor surfaces. What we have is a translucent rubber outsole, with an aggressive, full length and full-width herringbone traction pattern. The rubber adidas used on this model is super grippy and it bites the court like no one’s business.

It does need some time to break in and tends to pick up dust, so keep that in mind. But once you have put in an hour or so with the shoe, and wipe the sole with some regularity, you should have zero issues. It also isn’t a good option for outdoor use, but, as long as you reserve the AE 1 for indoor hooping, you will have top-tier grip underfoot.

adidas AE 1 Cushion

The adidas AE 1 features a dual-density foam cushioning setup that combines Lightstrike and Boost (Jetboost to be exact), however, you can’t see or feel the Lightstrike anywhere, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s a very low-profile setup but it still retains a good amount of compression and impact protection.

This is, in part, because, well, Boost is awesome, and because the wavy shape of the outsole and the multiple cutouts allow the cushioning to expand and contract as you play. The Boost is completely caged and the shoe is equipped with a full-length spring plate, so it’s more on the reactive side of the cushioning spectrum, but impact protection will be more than adequate for most hoopers.

adidas AE 1 Materials

Materials on the AE 1 are odd, non-premium, and slightly heavy, but, they are innovative and performance-driven. The upper is wrapped with a honeycomb-shaped TPU piece which is strong enough to give the shoe structure and excellent containment, but at the same time soft enough that the shoe has no problem conforming to your foot.

The black portions of the upper (in this colorway) are a soft textile and have a sock-like construction, so, even though this shoe may look like a mid, it is in actuality a low top. Also! have no fear, that sock-adjacent construction is easy to get into because the tongue is semi-gusseted, and the shoe is very well-ventilated because the textile beneath that honeycomb is highly perforated. In general, this is a top-notch design and build.

The trade-off is that the shoe does feel slightly bottom-heavy and it requires a bit more break-in time than usual before it truly molds to your foot. The forefoot flex area in particular can create some soreness at the beginning so just keep that in mind.

adidas AE 1 Support

Support is certainly a highlight of this shoe. For starters, we have a very wide base with tons of contact area with the court and a very stable cushioning system. Then there is that TPU wrap that does a wonderful job of providing lateral containment. The adidas AE 1 is also equipped with the brand’s X Frame spring plate and with an internal and external heel counter.

The X-shaped torsional plate is practically full-length and adds a good amount of torsional rigidity and a nice springy feeling underfoot. The heel counters do a great job of keeping your heel in place and the interior of the shoe is very well sculpted, so lockdown in this area is superb.

The two minor issues you will find is that the tatum 2 fits a bit long and the black laces the shoe comes with are rather smooth so they have a tendency to come undone. The AE 1 does come with an additional pair of laces which have a bit more grit and do a better job of staying in their place.

adidas AE 1 Fit

As we just mentioned, the AE 1 fits true to size but it is slightly longer than normal. If you enjoy a snug 1 to 1 fit, you could go down half a size, but most basketball players will be just fine wearing their usual size.

adidas AE 1 Overall

adidas has been having a bit of a resurgence in the performance basketball market. The Harden Vol 7 was fantastic, the Trae Young 3 was very solid, and now we have the AE 1 which is a top-tier basketball shoe and one of the best first signature shoes we have ever seen. The AE 1 might end up being the best overall basketball shoe of 2024, but even if it doesn’t end up at that level, it’s an excellent shoe.

It is a slightly heavy shoe and fits a tad bit long, but all in all, these will be hard to beat, especially if you take the shoe’s price ($120) into consideration. If the freaky design doesn’t weird you out and you are jonesing for a good pair of adidas basketball shoes to play in, the AE 1 should be at the top of your list.

Nike GT Cut 3: Zoom X In A Basketball Shoe

The Nike Cut 3 is the first basketball shoe to feature Nike’s Zoom X foam and has the potential to be a very solid basketball shoe.

Release Date: 2023

Price: $190

8/10

Total Score

The Nike’s GT Cut line has been very consistent, and very good all things considered. The Nike GT Cut 1 was a banger and a favorite among NBA players, the GT Cut 2 was more polarizing but still had some interesting performance features.

The Nike GT Cut 3 looks like it might be the best Cut model to date. It’s the first Nike Basketball shoe to feature Zoom X, one of Nike’s most popular running cushioning systems. That’s enticing, but there isn’t much else. These bad boys are also $190, which is steep. But they might just be worth the price.

Nike GT Cut 3 Review

Nike GT Cut 3 Tech Specs

Nike GT Cut 3 Traction

Traction on the GT Cut 3 will almost certainly perform very well indoors. There are two sections to the GT Cut 3’s traction (in this colorway one red and one white) but both are built with translucent rubber and feature an aggressive herringbone traction pattern. The rubber Nike has used on this model is super tacky which bites the court very well, but does tend to pick up dust on not-so-clean playing surfaces.

The good news is that there is plenty of space between the different lines of the traction pattern so debris does not cake up too much as you play, but you will have to wipe from time to time.

As far as outdoor use goes, the GT Cut 3 should stay on the hardwood. The rubber is on the softer side, and the traction pattern is not deeply set so it will grind down quickly on abrasive surfaces.

Nike GT Cut 3 Cushion

The cushioning system of the GT Cut 3 is the most interesting aspect of the shoe. How does Zoom X perform in a basketball shoe? Pretty darn well. For lack of a better term, it is just a “fun” cushioning system. It’s bouncy and squishy and it just makes you want to go out and play basketball as soon as you lace up the shoe. The dense phylon housing helps keep the Zoom X foam stable and reactive.

Now, the one thing to take into account is that the heel of the shoe is on the narrower side. This, combined with the the superb compression of the Zoom X can create some instability, but you have to seek it out. Basketball is played mostly on the balls of your feet and the back half of your feet don’t get in the mix much. It isn’t an issue at all, but it is something you should keep in mind.

All in all, yes, Zoom X works well in a basketball shoe, and it is one of the springier and more agile feeling cushioning systems out there.

Nike GT Cut 3 Materials

Materials on the Nike GT Cut 3 are nothing special. The shoe is built with a combination of textiles, heat-welded materials, and synthetics. Par for the course when it comes to modern basketball shoes. They are light, well-ventilated, and should offer enough containment, but none of them are premium in any way. Especially considering the GT Cut 3 retails for $190, the material selection feels a bit disappointing.

The toe and the tongue area are constructed with a synthetic Nubuck, which does add a dash of faux premium feel, but that’s about it. Another odd choice is the rubber of the shank plate.

The GT Cut 3 features a bottom-loaded shank plate, but the rubber Nike chose to use is very soft, and should offer little in terms of torsional rigidity. It doesn’t seem like it will be an issue in terms of performance, but if you are looking for elite torsional support, this may not be the shoe for you.

Nike GT Cut 3 Support

All the individual support features on the Nike GT Cut 3 are rather basic, but they all work together to offer a secure and speedy experience on court. We have a wide and stable base, the Zoom X is properly caged to keep it stable and reactive, the shank plate is on the softer side but it does expand into the forefoot of the shoe, we have multiple lace cables in the forefoot of the shoe for enhanced lockdown, and the fit and build also aid in this aspect.

None of these details is anything elite or groundbreaking, but this setup will work well for the vast majority of hoopers out there. They will feel especially great if you are looking for an agile, bouncy, and fun shoe to zip around the court with. On the other hand, if you need a beefy basketball shoe designed for a more powerful and forceful style of play, this is probably not the shoe for you.

Nike GT Cut 3 Fit

The Nike GT Cut 3 fits true to size, so go with whatever size you usually use with Nike. It’s a slightly narrow shoe, and it does fit snugly (not super snug), so if you anticipate this being an issue for you, the best thing would be to go into a store and try these on. But, if you are ordering online, your safest bet is going true to size.

Nike GT Cut 3 Overall

The Nike GT Cut 3 is a fun shoe. It’s bouncy, it’s agile, and it’s just one of those models that, as soon as you lace it up, makes you want to sprint up and down the court. The Zoom X does not disappoint, and Nike has done a very good job of implementing it into a basketball shoe. It’s soft and squishy, but by no means feels unstable or slow on court.

Materials could have been of higher quality, especially considering the price tag, and it’s somewhat of a niche performance model but all in all the GT Cut 3 is a very solid basketball shoe, and it might just be the best GT Cut model to date.

UA Project Rock BSR 3 Performance Review

The UA Project Rock BSR 3 (Blood, Sweat & Respect, named after Dwayne Johnson’s famous training mantra) represents a shoe line in the Project Rock segment that we haven’t tested yet. The BSR is Under Armour’s Project Rock budget trainer. We’ve increasingly seen it on the feet of UFC fighters thanks to the fighting league’s footwear deal with UA.

We’ve been reviewing Under Armour’s Project Rock line of training shoes consistently since it’s launch all the way through the sixth iteration, finding ourselves generally interested in the line and feeling that it’s always just one change away from feeling like a real player in the training shoe market (though we did love the PR5).

With the return of The Rock to WWE programming recently and seemingly on a course to open a can of whoopass on his cousin Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 40, we thought it was a great time to correct our oversight and see if we can smell what the Rock is cooking on an affordable budget (Editor’s Note: by now you know that an Arune review means abundant bad puns).

While Under Armour did send us pairs of the Project Rock BSR 3 to facilitate this review, they had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and have not attempted to influence it.

UA Project Rock BSR 3

Price: $100

How do the Authors Train?

Arune Singh (age 41, 5’11”, 215lbs): Trains daily with functional fitness programming provided by Deadboys Fitness, founded by Colby “Seth Rollins” Lopez and Josh Gallegos, along with logging 30-40 miles of running per week. He also has a medical history of Sleep Apnea and Myasthenia Gravis, meaning Arune’s focus is on lean muscle mass.

Drew Whitcomb (age 42, 6’6″ 195lbs): Trains daily with a focus on running, strength training, and mobility. He writes the majority of our running shoe reviews and runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and his growing affinity for long-distance races. He regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races. His strength training and mobility regimen center around maintaining flexibility and lifting heavy to build power as a counterbalance to all the running he’s doing. His number one focus is staying injury-free so he can keep up the sweet gig of air jordan for a living.

What is the UA Project Rock BSR 3?

Under Armour describes it as:

These shoes were built for explosive movement and dynamic training, day in and day out. You never let up, neither do these—stability for strength training, flexibility for HIIT, and cushioning for mobility.

Training

Arune: I should probably admit my bias up front – I am a giant Dwyane Johnson fanboy when it comes to the fitness side of things.

Drew: You’re also the only human being who watched Black Adam eight times in one week.

Arune: It was NINE times, boss. And twenty-three times total since release.

Drew: That’s 23 times more than me. Also, you may need a hobby.

Arune: Well, like I was saying, I really love the Project Rock line of gear – I’ve been there since the initial Delta shoe drop all those years ago and the Project Rock shoe is the training shoe I look forward to each year (even if the PR6 was one of the worst shoes I reviewed in 2023).

So, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a budget version of the Project Rock line and, well…

I LOVE IT.

We’ll discuss the fit and comfort later on, but one thing that I’ve always believed is that the Project Rock shoes are the kind of shoes that The Rock would use in his training – these aren’t shoes I’d recommend for Crossfit or HIIT (despite UA’s claim otherwise) because these are made for Rock’s “clanging and banging.”

In that context, I found these shoes to be an absolute beast with all my lifts – the TriBase tech functions just as well in the premium Project Rock shoes, giving me great ground feel even with that chunky Charged Cushion midsole (which happens to be super comfortable). Interestingly enough, the lack of ground feel was a major complaint both Drew and I had about the PR6 but here in the budget version it’s excellently addressed.

Combining TriBase with a grippy outsole means that heavy squats, deadlifts or lunges all feel incredibly stable, allowing you to focus on your work instead of worrying you’re going to tip over. I set some PRs with RFESSs (Editor’s Note: Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats) and kettlebell step ups in these shoes, so these really addressed all my stability needs,

While I’m not sure it would be a top choice for a HIIT shoe, I did find it was really solid with a variety of bodyweight training movements including jump squats, burpees, skaters, and pushups. The TriBase tech and full rubber outsole really perform well with quick movements in all directions, so you can throw your body with reckless abandon as you please,

I honestly have no complaints. Drew, how’d these work out for you?

Drew: While the BSR 3’s Charged cushion is uninspiring, Arune’s right, this is a great shoe for “banging and clanging” in the weight room. Stability, per usual with TriBase, was top notch and lifting heavy weight overhead or elsewhere always felt secure.

I do differ with Arune on the bodyweight movements. I found the lack of cushion annoying when doing plyometrics, jump rope, or skaters. I just need a little more cushion on those movements and found myself avoiding those type of exercises while training in the Dunk. While that won’t be the case for everyone, keep that in mind depending on your preferences.

Cardio

Arune: My standard cardio testing for any training shoe is sprinting, light jogging, rowing, air bike training and even some shadow boxing if time allows.

As with the Training section, the Project Rock BSR 3 really performed well in this area but I want to offer a caveat:

If you’re looking to do some quick sprints as part of a metcon or your warm up, the BSR 3 is a sufficient though not outstanding performer, This shoe isn’t built to be a runner and so using it for sustained running just isn’t recommended – bring something else if you’re getting on a treadmill.

Otherwise this performs really well in all the other cardio sessions I mentioned above, with enough room in the toe box for the expected natural foot swelling during training. The shoe isn’t flexible like an old school Reebok Nano or a barefoot training shoe, but I felt like I could, for example, plant my feet when rowing and then seamlessly roll onto my toes without the same issues of the PR6.

I’m not usually succinct, but I really can’t think of any complaints.

Drew: Again the firm Charged cushion reared its ugly head midsole and made on feet cardio a chore. Running in these is not an option you want to explore.

However, rowing felt great. It was easy to transfer power and really feel myself pushing against the rower.

Comfort

Arune: When I think of “budget” shoes, I don’t normally think of comfort but the Project Rock BSR 3 really hits all the right notes.

The Charged Cushioning midsole has not only great step in feel but the energy return is fantastic without being so bouncy that it drives you onto your toes or causes other instability.

I mentioned earlier that the shape is very accommodating – I was concerned the bootie design would be an issue for my Hobbit feet but the two pull tabs make getting your foot into the shoe quite easily, The resultant fit is quite snug while leaving enough space for proper toe splay.

That all said, I did feel a bit of pressure on the medial side of my right foot so perhaps the shoe shape isn’t quite 100% right for my feet but it certainly isn’t any worse than other training shoes.

I went TTS (true to size) at my regular 9.5 and it was a perfect fit.

Man, it feels great to be this positive about a shoe once again.

Drew: I got the same right foot medial pressure as Arune. I can only imagine there was some issue with the last there that caused a slight deformity. It went away after breaking the BSR 3 so it didn’t stay a problem for long.

The only other fit based problem I experienced was the one piece ankle collar. I have a tall foot and getting the BSR 3 on my foot the first few times was a chore. About the third time wearing them, I was able to slip on the BSR 3 without an issue.

And luckily the build of the shoe is tall enough and wide enough to be quite accommodating when true to size. Once you’re in the shoe you’ve got plenty of room while still maintaining ample security for side to side motion.

Aesthetics

Arune: I’ve talked before about The Wife Test, which is when my wife either (a) says “I’m happy for you” or (b) effusively praises the look of a new training shoe I just put on.

And this Project Rock BSR 3 was solidly in the latter category.

My clean white pair with a gum sole is the definition of a classic colorway and it highlights the simplicity in the design. I can easily see myself wearing these in the gym, then to lunch here in Los Angeles and maybe even into the office with some jeans for a more casual workday.

Aesthetics aren’t the most important thing with a training shoe of course, but given the economy and the need of many folks to have a “do it all” shoe, it’s nice to see a budget model check this box too.

Drew: To me the aesthetics are kinda basic for a training shoe…which is to be expected at the $100 price point. My biggest issue is with the “Blood, Sweat, Repect” wordmark on the side of the shoe. The Rock may bleed for his gainz but I certainly don’t (Editor’s Note: tell me you’re a runner without telling me you’re a runner).

Price

Arune: The Project Rock BSR 3 is $100 and that might be the best value I’ve seen in a training shoe.

The median market price is $150 for the premium training shoes and the BSR 3 delivers performance on par with the flagship models for two-thirds of the price (and even less with current Under Armour and Kicks Crew sales).

No notes, Dwayne Johnson (Editor’s Note: Arune lives in LA, so occasionally he imagines himself as a movie producer. Just humor him. It’s easier that way.).

Drew: $100 is a solid price for what you’re getting with the BSR 3. The cushion’s a bit firm and there are a couple fit issues, but this shoe delivers high performance for weightlifting at a price that allows you to spend your greenbacks wherever else you so choose.

UA Project Rock BSR 3 Final Verdict

Arune: Surprising no one, I think the Project Rock BSR 3 is one of the best training shoes on the market and has become my go to training shoe next to my beloved Reebok Nano 2.0.

The BSR 3 is a great choice for most folks hitting the gym and will work for most workouts, short of serious heavy lifting or CrossFit training.

Drew: I really can’t add much to what Arune said. The Project Rock BSR 3 is the best budget weightlifting shoe I’ve tried to date. If you prefer not to spend too much on your cross trainers but still want great performance when you sling heavy weights around, the BSR 3 is your best option.