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SHOES + NEWS
Pistons Trainer Banishes Nike Hyperize
words_Nick Engvall
According to Detroit Pistons trainer Arnie Kander, the reduction of weight on the Nike Hyperize comes at a price — injuries. Three of the Pistons guards, including Ben Gordon, Will Bynum and Richard Hamilton (who doesn’t really fit the bill as a Jordan Brand athlete), have spent time on the sidelines this season with ankle issues. Kander didn’t point out the brand, but once referenced them as glorified “moccasins.” A little harsh maybe, but this is also coming from the trainer of the same team that fines their players for not taping their ankles.
“I’m not going to name the brand of shoe it was, but it has been banned from our locker room and the guys aren’t allowed to wear it,” Kander said. “These shoes had taken most of the support out of the sides and it was a lighter shoe. Most basketball shoes weigh between 1.4 and 1.7 pounds.”
“These shoes were weighing 0.8 pounds, which was way too light as far as side support,” he continued. “Since we’ve banned the shoe, knock on wood, we haven’t had any ankle sprains. Hopefully, the good Lord willing, we won’t have any more and we can finish the season healthy and see what these guys can really do.”
Overly cautious?
Not really. Quite possibly a believer in ankle insurance though, as Ben Gordon and Will Bynum have both switched to wearing the Zoom Kobe IV, ironically a low top sneaker.
*Edit* Interestingly enough, Charlie Villanueva (see last pic) is still wearing the Hyperize, so maybe Kander is only concerned with his guards wearing the shoe.
via Ball Don’t Lie
Tags: detroit pistons, nike hyperize, Nike Zoom Kobe IV
30 Responses to “Pistons Trainer Banishes Nike Hyperize”
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I am a basketball specific strength and conditioning coach..I also have extensive knowledge in a Doctorate program of physical therapy. That aside, I train basketball players, and still play/train in various sneakers. These definitely are very forgiving and seem to lack a great deal of support in an area where, usually it is needed (the subtalar joint area where the foot flattens so to speak, when bearing weight. The kobe may be a lower cut sneaker, but it is constructed better, and bends linearly when necessary and dissipates lateral/torsional motions due to the materials selected, and that tremendous lateral outrigger. The lock down heel counter is superior in the kobe as well. Great post Nick. These things are vital aspects that continue to often go unnoticed, but help and or inhibit players we watch daily.
Thanks for the additional info, always great to hear from the pro’s.
Good info. We need more contributors like this.
great input coach, thanks for posting
Wow, great information Coach, thank you for sharing.
Hi Coach,
Great input. It would be great to hear more of your expertise and I’d love to pick your brain.
Feel free to get in touch with me anytime: mark416 at maiI . com
rip never wore hyperizes…?
I can’t find the pics, but I believe he did in practice.
And maybe Charlie V. has so little lateral game, that he’s excused from the ban.
i’m not sure why Rip was included either — he’s worn the Ol School III, Retro 12s and 16.5s this season.
Very interesting to read, I love this type of article.
I often wonder whether reduced weight sacrifces certain nessesities in a shoe, I sell running shoes and find Asics to be a little heavier than Nike’s but are often far more stabil!
Interesting read on these
- have yu ever noticed that most players who wear hyperizes wear ankle braces on booth ankles due to bad support but the pistons fine their players for not taping their ankles ? wtf
how about zoom kobe V is it dangerous from the ankle also? it is even lower then the kobe IV
It doesn’t have much to do with the height of a shoe, more with the construction, and strength of the shoe.
i actually owned a pair of the billy hoyle white men cant jump hyperizes and bought them specificlly for ball, but when i tried em on for the 1st time to just shoot around. i felt no support on my ankles and i ended up selling the kix. really upsetting
I have a lot of questions around the taping of ankles, extra socks, light weight shoe trends versus how it was done say 20-25 years ago. I’d love to see comparisons of injuries now versus then, considering the shoes were much more substantial (that doesn’t seem like the right word though)
I remember when Rip first made the transition to JB, he used to periodically bring out the Huraches during the season. He also brings out older PE’s a lot too. I remember he wore that 12.5 for a good minute. Even during the following season.
Never thought I’d see a trainer ban a specific shoe from a team, especially a Nike shoe.
Although I may not agree with the decision, I can see where they are coming from.
I’ve never really liked the Hyperizes, and I’ve heard they are a new version (worse) of the HyperDunks, which were very good shoes for me.
I like the imput or lack there of, which is it! To ban a shoe is quite silly! Honestly, with a capital H! These are grown ass men some sponsred by nike some buy there own shoes! They would know in practice if they work or not. People know what they want, they see someone in the gym with some shoes they like, and buy it. I sold shoes and studied shoes in full. People who run 15K do not were Air Max 2009’s, but clowns dont know that, they just look cool. I rember when we would run around with ankle weights and jump on shit, now a days its the vest! I have never taped an ankle. Potato, patato…. Know your body know what works for you. Spained ankles are a part of the game, land wrong, land on someones foot, slip, and its a wrap! I see people playing in running shoes, vans, Jordan off courts shoes, ect. SO, Come on with the BULLSHIT!
Of course not, it’s a Strength, and Conditioning Coach’s job is to keep his team fit, and healthy, if he sees a structural problem, it’s his job to fix it.
I’m hip! Like I mentioned before people know or should know what works for them. I will only wear leather shoes that fit right from the start. Some people buy them snug because they will stretch out. I like durability, quality, comfort, and looks out of a shoe. I dont have a problem with the ankles mostly but can see a problem with this particular shoe. I dont own any! I do however own some Hurarache’s from back in the day and they are the same light ass shoe with no support, no one banned them. What I can get away with at my size and height is not the same as a person heaver and taller. I have been very durable all through high school, college, and even now at 30+, and still dont tape or wear braces on the old ankles. Look at Lebron, since he has been in the league he has never missed more than a couple of games due to injury. Now look at MR. GLASS I mean Greg Oden, both are in shape, both NBA quality, but not the same.
Problem is, most athletes follow trends without thinking(I mean even DeJuan Blair tried the Hyperize earlier in the season), and they think they’re bullet-proof. That’s why it’s this guy’s actual job to keep ‘em fit, and healthy. And if the players won’t make the smart decision, it’s on him to fix it.
And you can’t compare injuries of course, because a guy like Oden, has 1 leg significantly longer than the other, which will make him more susceptible to injury.
We can go back and forth all day. I get your point and respect that… But you proved my point about trends. 1 for me. In Portland they hired people to make sure players had drivers license’s. Are these men or kids? 2 for me.
Lastly I made the refrence Lebron/Oden to say that even though they are both young, athlete’s, and NBA players but not the same. Lebrons training regimine would probaly kill Oden. Odens workout and pure strenght would give Lebron fits! Oden is a beast in the gym, kid lifts like crazy! Whats good for the goose aint good for the gander! Checkmate!
Normally I’d call shenanigans on a trainer pulling something like this, but based on all the pictures I’ve seen of the Hyperizes throughout the season I’d have to agree that they have awful support. I’ve never seen a sneaker with a sole that’s so easily torqued. I’m guessing that all of that bending puts a lot of pressure on the lateral sides of your ankle to compensate, causing fatigue and injury maybe? This is all total speculation on my part. Unlike coach up there, I’m absolutely not qualified.
After already having busted out one pair of Hyperizes and hating wearing my other pair, I’d have to agree with this trainer. The Hyperizes provide little support, not to mention they don’t fit all that well and cause my feet to hurt quite a bit. Hopefully Nike readjusts next year in the team shoe category to come up with a better fit, something more like the Hyperdunks.
be interesting to see if other teams coaches do the same. could be bad PR for Nike
Bad PR, not quite! How many times have you see someone running around in the Lunar Racer? People dont even know the primise of that shoe… There was an atricle on here about a player wearing some Trainers in an NBA game! The outcome ok, if it were bad all hell would break loose! I remember when the Veer’s came out every one and there grandma was rocking them to hoop in, even college hoop players… That wase’nt no damn hoop shoe… Bad PR,this a company who will recall a shoe if it offends someone, so ruffling some featers is nothing new.
I have never played in the Hyperize but have played in the HyperDunk – a Very Good ball shoe. The only thing that kept it from being ‘Excellent’ is its not so durable cushioning/midsole. At approx 200lbs, I punish my game shoes. Although I love the very light weight and lockdown fit allover, I was disappointed at how it didn’t last very long, especially when compared to the purchase price.
I usually go for maximum cushioning but those shoes tend to be on the heavy side and usually not as flexible so it’s a tradeoff. I was sold on the lockdown fit of the HyperDunk though, which is the BEST fit I have ever experienced in a basketball shoe.
I would love to see a Zoom BB1 with full-length Zoom but double-stacked in the heel. I loved that Zoom line – what happened to them?
Lol, nice to see NeNe is on top of everything AGAIN.
If I am not mistaken Durant wears these shoes too. Wonder if he is going to change