Jordan Luka 1 Performance Review

Luka Doncic used the Air Jordan 37 and its low-top version for most of the 2021-2022 NBA Season. Once in a while, he would swap those out for the Jordan Zoom Separate. Then, at the end of the season, he broke out his first signature sneaker, the Jordan Luka 1.

Traction

The traction ties all the performance features together. It is the foundation of all basketball performance sneakers. The outsole on the Jordan Luka 1 is made of translucent rubber and works well with its multi-directional pattern to cover all your movements and changes of direction. Indoors is where it performs its best, even with dust. The pattern is raised enough that it isn’t an issue after wiping. Outdoors, however, was a bit different. There was slight slipping in the forefoot area that needed wiping, and the translucent rubber can’t be depended upon to last for a long time.

Cushion

Jordan Brand sells us their newest foam with the Jordan Luka 1. That new foam is called Formula 23. What you see on the exterior is the carrier foam and the real moneymaker is housed inside. There’s some space between the Formula 23 and the carrier, so when pressure is applied, it expands and contracts accordingly. However, if you’re expecting a Zoom Air-type experience, you might be disappointed.

Something to note is that there was a noticeable difference after extensive hours of play. The forefoot felt lower than the heel. This might be that the foam is molding to the foot or bottoming out. The insoles are standard Ortholite.

Materials

The materials in the Jordan Luka 1 are not premium whatsoever. They’re lightweight, consisting of textiles with fuse overlays and some synthetic leather in the heel and eye stay areas. They’re lighter than the Nike KD 15, a lightweight shoe on foot. FlightWire wraps around the whole upper for additional support and lockdown. The ankle collar material is soft and makes it easy for you and me to get our feet in and out of the shoe. The tongue is well-padded, comfortable, and rests nicely above the foot.

Fit

The fit of the Jordan Luka 1 is adaptable. Going up half a size works fine if you wear ankle braces or other accessories. If you have regular to narrow feet, going true to size should work for you. The shoe is accommodating, especially in the midfoot and forefoot areas. We can thank the tongue that’s slightly disconnected for that. There are only five eyelets that all work together efficiently to ensure that you quickly get your preferred fit.

Support

The IsoPlate system is unconventional yet functional, just like Luka himself. It does a few key things. First, it acts as torsional support. Second, concentrating it on the lateral side makes the shoe much more flexible than other shoes where the torsional plate is placed right in the middle. Third and most importantly, it aids lateral stability during defensive and offensive movements. You can make hard cuts without worrying if the shoe will give too much. The heel counter is also as solid as a rock in order to keep your heel locked in.

Overall

The Jordan Luka 1 provides a big bang for your buck, considering that it will fall in the $110-120 price range. Those who value traction (especially indoors), court feel, and an adaptable fit will enjoy the Luka 1 the most.