Top 10 Basketball Shoes for GUARDS 2025! So Far…

Top 10 Basketball Shoes for GUARDS 2025! So Far…

Yo, what up guys? I’m Sammy and welcome back to the Soul Drop. In this video, we’re going to be talking about the best hoop shoes for guards that you can get right now in my personal opinion. So, if you’re a guard like me, uh you probably want a shoe that’s lightweight, you know, not super bulky, you know, like a very minimal feel, you know, and uh something that has amazing traction. Of course, guards are usually quicker on their feet. uh cushion. Also, you want something nice. Uh like something that has great impact protection, maybe a little bit of balance, but of course, I feel like most guards want something a little bit lower to the ground, you know, and also as far as the upper goes, something, you know, minimal and soft, uh but while still having adequate support. So, uh anyways, all these shoes are extremely nice. And, uh if you guys do want to get any of these shoes, I try to leave the FE link in description box. If you do choose to get any of these shoes, it does help me out if you buy it through the fe link in description box. And as always, thank you guys so much for all the support. But yeah, let’s get it started right off with the New Balance Kawaii 4. So the Kawaii 4 has been out for a while now. So I wonder if New Balance is going to, you know, release a Kawaii 5. I honestly though, they actually didn’t release too many colorways of the Kawaii 4 either. You know what I mean? Maybe it just doesn’t sell. I don’t know. But the Kawaii 4 is super nice though. You know what I mean? Like attraction is phenomenal. It picks up a little bit of dust, but it’s not terrible, you know what I mean? But if you’re playing on a clean court, you have an amazing bite. Also, the cushion is just so soft. It’s not bouncy, though, you know what I mean? But it has a really soft, comfortable, very plush feel. So, um, yeah, once you get going, it just feels super duper comfortable. And, uh, as far as the support goes, I would say it’s a little bit lacking though. You know what I mean? I mean, it was adequate for me. I didn’t have a huge issue, but uh I would say it’s not the most supportive feeling upper and most supportive feeling shoe. So yeah, if you want to feel extremely responsive, like you just want to feel really really quick, the Quad 4 probably isn’t the best option because it’s more like on like the softer uh more comfortable side of things, but still a responsive shoe because the traction is just so good. You know what I mean? So overall, the Kawaii4 uh is very, very nice, and I really enjoy playing that shoe, right? All right. Next, we got one of my favorite hoop shoes of this year, and it is the 361° Joker 1 GT. You can get away with getting the regular Joker 1, right? It’s 130 bucks, but it does pick up a little bit of dust, right? And uh because the outsole is using a rubber outsole. You can also get the team Joker if you want to save a little bit more money, which it’s just 10 bucks, but uh still it has a little bit better traction, you know, picks up a little bit less dust, but the cushion is pretty much the exact same. It’s very, very soft. But the GT is way more expensive. is 190 bucks, but you do get, you know, like the best performance in my personal opinion because it is using the RPU. So, uh, the outsole has really good bites, you know, on a clean cord, but picks up very minimal dust. Cushion also is so freaking nice. It had it’s one of my favorites, you know what I mean? Like, it’s just has great core feel, right? But you have that soft mesh strobo board as well, which has such a nice soft underfoot uh feel. So, it’s just like uh comfortable. It’s soft, but also has a nice little bounce once you get going. But again, impact protection is great with good core feel. The upper also is very very nice. Uh and also they have different uppers, you know what I mean? You can get the the the SE version which has like a thinner, more well ventilated material if you like that. But if you want a little bit more support, just get the leather, right? Uh but yeah, the Joker 1 GT is a phenomenal shoe. Very, very responsive as well, which is weird because uh you know, the Joker’s a center. So either way, I feel like most people will enjoy that shoe. But anyways, there’s the Joker 1 GT. Next, we got the 8085 Ultra. So, the 8085 Ultra is so nice, especially the cushioning setup. It’s so fun to play in, right? So, the traction is very nice. You know, you have uh the tough rubber as well as a GCU. So, uh the traction is top tier. You have an amazing bike. Picks up very minimal dust, right? But also, the cushion with the drop in midsole, it’s using super boom just right when you put on the shoe. It’s just so soft. It’s so comfortable. You can feel the super boom right underneath your foot. And I feel like some people might even say it’s a it’s like borderline mushy. So if you want something like really stiff and responsive for the cushioning setup, the 8085 Ultra probably isn’t the best option. However, for me, it was nice because it’s just so fun, you know? So it also has a nice bit of bounce, too. And the core feels nice, you know what I mean? So yeah, the cushioning setup is so good. The upper also is really, really minimal, right? You got that mesh material in the toe box, but the overall shoe is very supportive feeling as well, especially with the carbon fiber chin plate, right? So, uh yeah, the 8085 Ultra very, very nice option. And if you want to feel something crazy as far as a cushioning setup goes, the 8085 Ultra is one of the best options, right? So, there’s that. Next, we got the Wade Flash. So, if you’re looking for an extremely minimal and lightweight shoe, uh this is one of the best options that you can get right now, right? Uh yeah, the weight flash you get. There’s two different uppers, but I would suggest, you know, now that it’s summer, just get the mesh material version and it’s on sale as well. It’s only 90 bucks, you know what I mean? So, great price, but yeah, the traction is super duper good. You have an amazing bite. Also picks up very minimal dust, but also the cushion is super duper nice. It’s very soft. It’s very plush. You get a nice bit of heel compression still. You know what I mean? So, the heel compression is nice. adds to the comfort, but also the underfoot cushion, especially with the soft mesh strollboard, is so nice. Uh, so you get that a nice little subtle like comfort, you know what I mean? It’s not amazing like the Joker 1 GT, but uh for like a for like 90 bucks, it’s very very nice. The upper again is very very thin. Uh, but the overall shoe is very flexible and nimble feeling, but still has adequate support. So, uh, yeah, the weight flash, definitely don’t sleep on that shoe. Next, we got the AE1 Low. So, the A1 isn’t available anymore on adidas.com. It’s only the A1 Low. But anyways, A1 Low is a very, very nice shoe. Uh, the only thing I don’t like about it is the tongue. It kind of like moves because it’s an independent tongue. That’s why I like the A1, like the regular one better. But either way, the traction is phenomenal. Uh, the cushion also is very nice. You’re very low to the ground, but you still have pretty nice underfoot cushion. Uh, and also the upper is just so supportive. So, if you’re looking for like a very supportive uh stiffer feeling shoe that has a nice like kind of like springy feel to it, then get the A1. However, it is heavy though, right? It’s not bulky feeling. It’s just like a stiffer, heavier feeling shoe, especially compared to pretty much every single other shoe on this list. So, be careful with that. But, if you don’t mind that and again, if you want something a little bit more on the supportive side of things, then the A1 and the A1 though is a is a really nice option, right? Uh, so next of course we got the Dawn issue 6 and the Dawn issue 7 is coming out in a couple weeks. So I’m very very excited about that. Uh, but the tooling is very very similar it looks like. And as far as the tech goes, it looks very similar to the D6 which which is one of my favorite hoop shoes of last year. Right. So you guys already know it’s on crazy sale as well. And yeah, the traction phenomenal. The cushion uh I would say I wish the step comfort and underfoot cushion was a little bit softer. You know what I mean? or maybe add like a softer stroke board or something like that. But either way, it has more of like a stiffer, more responsive feel right underneath your foot, you know what I mean? So, if you don’t like a softer feel where it feels borderline kind of mushy, then I guess the Don Q6 is a nice option. However, you still have nice heel compression from the light strike. Uh, so that still adds to the cushion, adds to the comfort, you know what I mean? But the upper also is just so thin and minimal that I like how minimal it feels, but it’s just a it’s still a very very supportive feeling shoe because of that kind of like really thick plastic piece going around the entire shoe. It kind of goes around the eyelids as well. You know what I mean? So, uh has really nice support too. It’s not like it’s adequate support. It still had really good support for me. So, uh yeah, Don G6. Very, very nice. Next, of course, we got the All City 13. This shoe is super underrated. Uh, I would say probably also because it’s not like the best looking shoe. The Encore is coming out soon though. The Encore looks so much better. But yeah, the All City 13, the regular one, the traction is top tier. It’s just so freaking good. You have an amazing bite. Very minimal dust pickup. I don’t know what they did with the rubber compound in that shoe, but it’s freaking amazing. You know, the cushion also, it has a nice bit of a bit of bounce, and it’s like a subtle quick bounce. You know what I mean? It kind of reminds you of like a Zoom unit almost. Obviously not as bouncy, but it’s just like a subtle quick bounce, you know what I mean? And it’s full length boom in the all city 13. So, I like that. And has a little bit more of a stiffer feel again, you know, especially for the kind of like step comfort comparing it to like the Joker 1 GT and the 8085 Ultra. So, if you want something a little bit more like stiff for the cushion, like the underfoot cushion, but still want a nice bit of bounce, uh, like full length bounce, uh, then the all city 13 is an amazing option. Also, the upper uh there are a different variety of options available. So, if you want the mesh version, you want a little bit more uh ventilation, you want something a little bit thinner, then get that version. If you want a little bit more support, get the Vajger skin upper if you would like. But yeah, I like both, you know what I mean? They’re both adequate for support, but again, the Vodger skin upper will be better for support and durability, you know what I mean? So, yeah, all city 13 phenomenal performer, especially if you’re looking for something responsive, right? All right. Next, we got the serious player only easy one. So, the Easy One is one of my favorite hoop shoes of last year as well. I really like playing with that shoe with a uh their drop in midsole, the explosive drop in midsole, right? Once you break it in, it has a nice bit of bounce, you know? Uh I don’t really like playing in their the the cushioning stuff that it comes with, though. You know what I mean? It’s not as nice in my personal opinion. Uh but anyways, the traction uh is freaking phenomenal. It’s using a uh polyurethane resin and has has an amazing bite. has such a hard stop on a clean court, but also picks up very minimal dust. And uh some of the colorways that I’ve been getting in recently has a nice squeak, which is weird. You know what I mean? Like the first couple of colorways that I have is just super silent, but then like the all-white colorways, you know, those are kind of starting to squeak a little bit, you know? But anyway, squeak has nothing to do with performance. But uh anyways, there’s that. And also the upper uh it’s like a canvas material material, so it has uh it’s a little bit more on the supportive side of things, but once you break it in, it does conform to your foot pretty well. So, we have the easy one. Very, very nice performer, but also I really like how you can also wear that shoe casually. You know what I mean? So, there’s that. Next, of course, we got the Leaning Len 5 and Len 5 V2. So, both of them are freaking amazing. Uh, the V2 I have a translucent rubber. The regular one I have a solid rubber. And they both have top tier traction, amazing bite, very minimal dust pickup. The cushion also is super freaking nice. Reminds me of the Wild 10. The Wild 10 uh low especially. Uh, it has a nice kind of like underfoot feel, but it’s like bouncy, too. It’s just a nice subtle bounce. It has nice heel compression as well in both of the shoes. The upper is also super freaking minimal, but also has adequate support, you know what I mean? Has like zoned kind of like glued down parts of the upper, you know what I mean? Also has a nice like uh like springier kind of stiffer and sturdier feel than like, you know, uh a shoe that’s like super flimsy and flexible like the Luca Force, you know. So, uh, there is luren 5. Definitely do not sleep on that shoe. Next, of course, we got the GT Cut 3 Turbo. So, if you’re looking for a shoe that has a really nice traction and very, very nice support from the upper, then get the Turbo version. The cushion also is nice. You get that Zoom X insole. Uh, it’s very, very nice for stepping comfort, but the overall cushion is still like soft and plush. Traction is very nice as well. Uh, so yeah, the only thing that sucks about that shoe is the price is freaking expensive. I believe it was like 210 bucks, but the performance is very nice, right? So, there’s that. Next, of course, we got the Sabrina 2. You guys already know, right? But Sabrina Sabrina 3 is coming out soon. But yeah, speculation. Yeah, I’m just speculating here, but I feel like it’s going to probably perform very, very similarly to the two. But anyways, yeah, you guys already know top tier traction cushion. Uh, the foroot zoom unit is very, very nice. It has a kind of like subtle bounce in the forefoot. nice heel compression, amazing cord feel, and uh it’s just a really flexible nimble feeling shoe that you can feel very very quick in, you know. So, there’s the Sabrina 2. Uh if you if you like the Sabrina 2 and like the Jaw 2 and like the Luca 4, but you want something more supportive feeling, then get the Nike A1. The A1 is a phenomenal shoe. I love playing in that shoe. The traction is very, very nice. Has an amazing bite. The cushion also is super duper soft. It’s like very very plush and has a little bit worse core feel than the Sabrina 2, but uh it still has pretty good core feel. Uh but it’s just so comfortable, you know what I mean? Especially for the under foot cushion once you get going. And then the upper uh it’s definitely a lot stiffer feeling than like the Sabrina 2, but uh once you break it in, it conforms to your foot well and it gets softer, but it prioritizes uh support. It has way better support, you know, than the Sabrina 2. So uh yeah, the A1 is very, very nice. Next, of course, we got the JB3. So, uh, it does feel a little bit, you know, more sturdy and a little bit more supportive than most of the other shoes on this list. Like the AU1, but it’s just, uh, way lighter than the A1. You know what I mean? With better cushion. The cushion is pretty dang bouncy in the JB3. Also, the traction is freaking crazy, guys. You have such a hard stop that it hurts my feet almost. You know what I mean? So, it’s just the the bite is so good. Cushion is bouncy. You know, the upper again is a little bit more on the stiffer support, more supportive side of things, but it does uh get a little bit softer once you break it in. Uh but you just feel so quick when you’re playing in that shoe because of the traction and bouncy cushion. So, there’s that. Next, of course, we got the AR2, the Austin Reeves shoe, and it’s only $100. The traction is very, very nice. The cushion also is one of my favorite parts about that shoe. uh has nice heel compression but also great underfoot cushion and stepping comfort with a nice bit of bounce you know because of that soft mesh strable board. The upper is also really really thin, very minimal but the overall support of that shoe is very very nice as well. So the AR2 is very nice and last but not least of course we got Kyrie Irving shoe with ant the Kai 2. So the Kai 2 is also phenomenal. The traction is very very nice. Uh you get you get an amazing bite, very minimal dust pickup and the cushion also is just super plush and very very comfortable. And you get a soft mesh stable board. You still have an amazing amount of heel compression as well. Nice bit of underfoot cushion. You know, it’s very very soft but also kind of like a subtle bounce and uh the upper also. Uh I I like the ballistic nylon material that I have. You know, that’s just thin and supportive. It’s also very very comfortable and feel once you break it in like it’s soft. So yeah, any of these shoes uh you should be fine. Of course there there is a variety in like you know in that it does they do perform differently of course you know different cushion different feel a little bit more stiff you know bouncy cushion a little bit lower to the ground it’s a little bit different so of course if you want a little bit more in-depth kind of like uh review then obviously you can check out my full review of each shoe uh but yeah in my personal opinion these are amazing hoop shoes for guards especially if you’re looking for something responsive right so anyways that about concludes this list again if you you want to get any of these shoes, I try to leave them a few link in description box. But that’s it.

Here are the best basketball shoes for guards in 2025 so far.

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