With the recent announcement of the first budget model for the reigning MVP, the Nike Giannis Immortality, I figured it would be a great time to dive into his signature shoe — the Nike Zoom Freak 2.
Traction:
When it comes to traction, I had very little hope, given how useless the Zoom Freak 1 was. The “Rose” pattern was pretty, but gave you nothing on a dirty court. Although, flipping over the Zoom Freak 2, I was pleasantly surprised!
An updated traction pattern in the forefoot gave me some hope. The nubs reminded me of the Nike Kyrie Low 2 and the Jordan Why Not Zer0.3; while the circular pattern took me back to the Air Force 1 and Jordan 1. All of these shoes have a real nice grip in their own right, so perhaps the Freak 2 would as well!
It does. Point blank. Full stop.
No matter what you’re doing, the bite is consistent. Every quick stop, change of direction and spin move comes with a confidence only provided by footwear that grips perfectly every time, allowing you the benefit of not having to think about it. Dusty courts may require a wipe every now and then, but even in the dustiest setting they held up for me.
The durability worried me. Nike has ignored outdoor play as of late, and the durability across the entire line can only be described as abysmal. However, I was pleasantly surprised. My pair of the “Naija” colourway came complete with a solid black rubber outsole, and it held up beautifully outdoors. For months on end it kept doing its thing, when other Nike offerings tend to last hours, weeks at best. That being said, I would not recommend a translucent outsole for outdoor play such as the “Black Panther” colourway (Nike calls it Dusty Amethyst, but COME ON, it’s Black Panther all the way!).
Cushion:
The low point of the Zoom Freak 2.
They moved the Zoom Air unit to the forefoot, which sounds nice in theory. However, in reality it’s Nike’s smallest rectangular Zoom unit, and you can barely feel the damned thing. For CAD$165 (AUD$170), it is absolutely pathetic. For comparison’s sake, the new Jordan Zion 1 is going to run for CAD$160 (AUD TBD), has the same forefoot Zoom Unit AND A FULL LENGTH AIRSOLE STROBEL!!!
The heel is your typical foam, and not much of it.
Nike is once again selling you ‘court feel’ — or, as I like to word it, “overcharging you for limited tech“.
Fit:
For me, the Zoom Freak 2 fit better than almost anything. To the point that the laces were almost too short to tie up.
In the length it’s true to size. The width is decent in the toe box, a comfortable amount of space, but incredibly narrow in the mid-foot. The reason is lateral stability, which this shoe has in spades, but it will be a tough job for wide-footers to get in. You could go up half a size if you’re determined to buy this shoe, but I honestly wouldn’t recommend it if you’re paying full price.
Reason being, you’re basically paying the CAD$165 (AUD$170) for the lateral support, and nothing else. The shoe was built to be king of the euro-step, quick stops and side-to-side movement. If you go up that extra size to fit the width, you start having too much space in the toe/heel and then you start losing the lockdown the shoe is trying to give you. I would just recommend taking that money and buying a different shoe, one that fits wider to begin with.
Support:
Like I just mentioned, this shoe was built from the ground up to compliment the euro-step, which means the lateral support is other worldly.
I honestly struggle to think of a shoe that holds you in place better. Going from 100 to 0 and back to 100 has never been easier. Shoes like the Nike Kobe 8 (or 9), or the Puma Clyde All-Pro are both in the same class, but I struggle to say they’re better. They do provide better all-round packages, but when you look at support alone, I think the Zoom Freak 2 edges them out; and that’s high praise.
Materials:
Again, this shoe costs CAD$165 (AUD$170). I’m not going to say the materials aren’t worth it, they feel and look nice, but it just strikes me that Nike can do better.
The materials change depending on the colourway, but in general they’re so-so. They’re extremely strong, which is great, but not the most breathable. They’ll last a good long while, and that’s the best thing I can say about them.
To reiterate, the materials are meh. They’re there, they’ll do the job asked of them and nothing more.
Thanks for reading!
~ Clinton aka Phoenix, for HS.
Price:
The Nike Zoom Freak 2 retails for US$120 (CA$165, AU$170)
Weight:
N/A
Score:
I can’t go higher than a 3.75/5.
It’s a really nice shoe to play in, the support is great, they’re light, I like the look. That cushioning though — it’s such a let down, especially at this price. The wildcard is the sale prices. I’ve seen some colourways 50% off, and at that price I would rate it up to a 4.25/5.
Hoops Sneakers 