Performance Review: Nike Zoom KD2

At just $85, the KD2 is simply awesomely impressive.

NIKE ZOOM KD2 | AWESOME AT ANY PRICE words & images_Zac Dubasik The price difference in high-end, audiophile-quality speakers can be staggering. What does a single $24,000 speaker give you that a $14,000 one can't? Considering I've heard excellent sounding (to my ears at least) $500 speakers, I'd say chances are extremely good that the $14,000 one will sound pretty darn great. Cosmetics can definitely account for some of that price disparity. Design and materials costs can certainly add up when these things start to become pieces of furniture/art, as well as a part of a sound system. As far as the sound goes, you'll get a big percentage of that performance out of the cheaper model. It's that final small percentage in the quest to perfection where costs can add up quickly. Maybe you'll get an even flatter response, or more pristine highs. But what if that doesn't suit your tastes? What if you prefer a little more colorful sound? What if more rumble-less shimmer is what you are after in the first place? Well, to your ears, the $14,000 speakers might actually be better. If you are wondering how these speakers costing as much as cars could possibly relate to the Zoom KD2, what I'm getting at is the fact that sometimes the much cheaper car may actually be faster than the more expensive model. It may (OK, definitely) not have the premium interior trimmings, GPS and custom paint, but it just might get you where you want to be quicker. Or in this case, depending on what you are looking for, the Zoom KD2, all $85 of it, could be your best choice this season at any price. I'll get right down to it. I think the Zoom KD2 is easily the best value of the year. But for certain types of players, depending on their need, it may be the best performer of the year, period. How well the Zoom KD2 works for you will really come down to your playing and running style. There's a pretty distinct type of style this shoe will be ideal for, and luckily, it's not an uncommon one. The shoe's designer, Nike Basketball's Leo Chang, explained to us that the shoe's feel was developed around KD's personal footstrike. When his gait was analyzed, they found that "he hardly lands on his heel, whether you see him running on a treadmill or running on the court. So, really, what was an Air bag going to do for him in the back? Not a whole lot. We wanted to really focus on Zoom cushioning in the forefoot as opposed to anything else." Simply put, if you run and play on your toes, this shoe is for you. KD's George Gervin-esque fluidity is translated perfectly into the feel of the Zoom KD2. "Smooth" is the very first word that came into my mind when I first strapped (pun intended) them on. Just walking around my living room had me excited to get them out on the court. The transition in this shoe is going to be my new reference point for what I expect out of a top quality hoops shoe - it's just that good. And rounding out that silky smooth transition is a plentiful allowance of Zoom Air across the entire forefoot, providing the responsive cushioning you've come to expect from it. As for the heel, you won't find any internal cushioning units. But, like Chang explained - if you don't run on your heels, you don't really need as much focus on the cushioning there. To its credit though, the full-length use of Phylon through the midsole does a perfectly adequate job of impact protection in the heel, and the whole setup aids greatly in the shoe's overall court feel. There are a few additional areas of note with the shoe's tooling, like the outsole, and its cupsole construction. The cupsole is created with injection-molded Phylon, and does a good job of ensuring the foot stays put on the footbed. The outsole is where many of the shoe's signature details are found, which come at absolutely zero sacrifice to its traction. I've squeaked around both pristine new courts, as well as dusty old middle school gyms, with equally reliable footing. Fitting that much personal detail into an outsole concept is a feat in and of itself, but the fact that the traction remains that good is remarkable.

Above: The midfoot strap provides lockdown, as expected.

The upper of the Zoom KD2 is pretty basic, but very effective. A large midfoot strap dominates the appearance of the upper, and provides the lockdown you'd expect out of such a feature. The addition of this strap was at the request of KD, based on his experience playing in the Air Max Enforcer at the University of Texas. You may or may not like the looks a strap like this offers, but it does its job well, without being overly restrictive. As eye-drawing as the strap is, the true highlight of the Zoom KD2's upper, to me, is its cut. Those not willing to try a true low-top like the Zoom Kobe V can find comfort in the 5/8ths cut found here. While I have no issues playing in a low, I suspect that those that do will find this extra height reassuring. What makes it work so well though is what's found on the inside. Two notches in the collar hug the heel to prevent slipping and work alongside the heel counter to ensure that the heel fit is rock solid. A balance between mobility and security has been flawlessly reached here. The lower height also helps keep the weight down. It's not the lightest shoe of the season, at 13.8 oz in size 9, but it is among them, and plays even lighter than it weighs. My criticisms of Zoom KD2 were few and far between. The lateral side of the sole features a sliiiiiiiiight hint, but I would have preferred a more pronounced outrigger. Also, the shoe's breathability is just average. It's no better or worse that the vast majority of the hoops shoes out there, and not a problem, but one of the few unexceptional points on the whole shoe. I'm really nitpicking here - I didn't actually have complaints about any of these issues, but if I'm going for absolute perfection, I'd like to see these things addressed.

Above: A look at the outsole of the KD2, which provides perfect levels of traction.

As someone that likes to run and play on their toes, the Zoom KD2 just works for me. It's even become my "go-to" shoe this winter - If I'm not weartesting something new, I have a pair of these on. I'm extremely impressed that so much shoe can be had here for just $85. From the traction, to the cushioning, to the cut, to the lockdown and on and on, it's one of my favorites in recent memory. That said, it's not going to be for everyone. If you favor supreme cushioning in the heel, you'll definitely want to opt for something with Zoom Air (like the Zoom Kobe V) or Max Air (like the Air Max Rise or Air Max LeBron VII) in the rear. I'll admit that I was skeptical about KD even having his own signature shoe. He was obviously a good player and a great guy, but there was something that didn't scream "Nike signature athlete" about him to me. The move from Seattle to OKC didn't help things in my mind either. But over the past couple seasons, I've become more and more of a believer. KD's personal on-court progress has been phenomenal, and what's even better is that it's translated to team success. It might be a couple years until he gets to the level of Kobe or LeBron, but I think KD just may have it in him to sell some shoes afterall. He can't do it alone though, as without a quality product behind him, it won't work. The good news is that the Zoom KD2 is a good enough shoe to sell itself without any signature attachment. If KD keeps progressing like he is on-court, and his sneaker line keeps up the incredible value standard it has already set, this could be the beginning of a very impressive signature legacy. Who's Worn It? Kevin Durant (OKC Thunder), Russell Westbrook (OKC Thunder), Jeff Green (OKC Thunder), James Harden (OKC Thunder) and several other Thunder players.

Above: A future colorway of the KD2.

Above: It's all in the details.