G.T. Hustle Academy

I really enjoy the padding and protection these shoes have around the ankles. I am a light build so the support on these feels great. It makes them a little tight initially but break in period is still pretty short as the fabric makes the shoe flexible. These run true to size, if you wear AF1 I’d half size up from that. Indoor court grip on these is on point and minimal impact when jumping. It’s nice that these are light it feels like I can wear them all day as casual sneakers, then when it’s time to run or ball they can perform. The design on these is clean! They will continue to be a no brainer pick when getting ready to head out for the day.

The fit of these shoes is on point. I feel very supported. Very stable shoe with a lot of court feel. Great for a guard. I play like a big and found that it lacked in cushion. But I had no problems performing moves. Absolutely no heel slippage. My ankle was locked in. The design is very cool. Low top and streamlined like a FAST CAR! The design is on par with other shoes on the market. I liked the Flyknit style overlay! Very soft to the touch. Shoe felt breathable due to the material. I liked the design of the shoe the most. Very cool design. Reminds me of a car. If I could improve anything it would be adding an air unit to the heel or forefoot. I would also like to see an XDR outsole in future versions. This has the potential to be a beast on outdoor courts.

At first glance, the GT Hustle Academy reminds me of the Free RN Flyknit RN running shoes from the late 2010s. The shoe does use some flyknit type material, but it feels more synthetic rather than fabricy. It does seem durable and does not look like it will be prone to tears. Now for the downsides. This sneaker offers non-existent cushioning at all. I may be used to the air unit in the KDs and other sneakers, but I definitely felt sore after an hour of run. The foam cushioning used seems to be of the cheaper kind, and this could be a big detractor for serious players. The fit is a little snugger than my liking, but not overly tight. Traction-wise, it is okay, but with the increased amount of cuts and movement I made, I did start to feel the difference compared to my other pairs. In all, I think this is a very budget friendly model, but if you can find other higher-end price down to a similar or slightly higher price tag, it is worth the investment.