Lemon Tree

The isolation play is most commonly called for the team’s best offensive player to go one-on-one against his defender.  For the play to work, the isolated player must be explosive off the dribble, able to react quickly and creative in handling any late-game situations.

ISO-lation, is not good for me...

(中文版，請到這裡。)

Unfortunately, the Jordan ISO 2 fails to live up to its name-sake in delivering the heroic antics one would expect from a well-executed isolation play.

Can't go wrong with elephant print...

Aesthetics: 8

The shoe’s design cues extend organically from its predecessor while successfully maintaining a unique silhouette that does not borrow itself from any of the numbered Jordans.  This in itself is a major accomplishment, given the wide (and usually unwelcomed) variety of hybrids.  Besides the mandatory Jumpman logos, the subtle elephant print near the midsole is the only other Jordan-inspired element, which in my opinion works extremely well to give it a sophisticated and almost understated but dressy look.  Sadly, this is probably the best feature of the ISO 2.

All-World Jumpman...

Ankle Support: 8

No complaints here.  The variable lace system works well and lacing it up to the highest eyelet provides a good, non-restrictive support around the ankles, although the laces do get a little bunched up when doing so.  The generous inner lining around the collar also helps in this regard.

Where better to add #23 than the sole (ha!)...

Traction: 7

The sole features an outrigger on the lateral side of the sole, but it’s not wide enough to provide the additional stability it’s supposed to.  Perhaps this is a result of the narrower shape of the sole.  To me, the most successful application of the outrigger is on the Kobe V’s.  Other than that, traction on an outdoor court is on-par with other traditional herring-bone XDR outsoles.

They look fly, I give you that...

Comfort: 6

With my favorite Zoom Air in both the forefoot and the heel, my steps felt springy and substantially cushioned.  The fit was snug and a little narrow at the toes, but overall my first impression felt great.

Strangely, none of this transferred onto the court. 

The fit, though snug, allowed too much leeway for my foot to slide forward and back, resulting in a large blister on the ball of my right foot.  The narrow toebox rubbed against my little toes during play, causing some discomfort.  It was rather cold when I played in these, so the solid construction of the shoe with barely any perforations became a welcomed addition to keeping my feet warm.  Planned or otherwise, the poor ventilation turned out to be a good feature to have for winter.  Lastly, the Zoom Air felt like it gave out much quicker than on other similar-priced models.  There were times during my testing that it felt as if the Zoom Air wasn’t even there!  Perhaps it was a thinner application to make the shoe more responsive except…

Responsiveness: 6

It didn’t.  Zoom Air has always been my favorite cushioning, but they did not feel responsive in the ISO 2’s.  It might have been a thicker outsole coupled with the stiff build of the shoe that affected the overall speediness Zoom Air is renowned for, but I cannot say for sure. 

Durability: 8

I would expect these to be extremely durable, with its mesh-less leather construction and XDR outsoles.  It sort of reminds me of the Jordan XII in terms of build, but obviously the ISO 2’s are not nearly as heavy.

Weight: 7

With that said, they are not alarmingly light.  You won’t get the “wow” factor in terms of weight like I did when I first picked up the Zoom Kobe II’s, but they are comparable to most modern-era mid-range basketball shoes.  Frankly, I don’t think weight reduction was a major focus for this shoe during its development.

Special shout-out to my man HK Lim for the sick graphics...

Overall: B-

I seriously wanted to give the ISO 2’s a C+ for it’s disappointing on-court performance, but I must admit that my perception is somewhat skewed. 

Adding to what I said at the beginning of the review, isolation plays are also usually called for guards (LeBron not withstanding).  Guards who are lighter, quicker and more agile may find the ISO 2’s better fitted for their fleet-footedness.

I really wanted to like these shoes, but ultimately, I will be spending more time in the ISO 2’s dancing at a club or socializing at semi-formal events than boxing out on the basketball court.