Before we get into this review I want to mention that it’s best you check out the video above for an unboxing, on feet, story, and history behind the sneakers all the while connecting it to Shazam! So yes, it may not be your typical unboxing video but I hope you like it! If you do, please like, subscribe and share as your support will be greatly appreciated!

If you’ve seen this shoe before it’s because you’ve probably seen this featured on my recent The Fit Break Down. You can check out the link for the entire outfit but for more info on these kicks continue below!

The Story

It might seem pretty self-explanatory, but it was just more than Tracy McGrady scoring 13 points in the final 35 seconds. You can definitely get a brief recap of what happened and the story behind this shoe in the above video but if you wanted to hear from T-Mac himself, well see below as he breakdown his thoughts in what might be the most memorable moment in his NBA career.

The Concept & Marketing Strategy

The concept of this shoe is pretty much in relation to the story behind this particular shoe in the sense where it’s Adidas way of celebrating T-Mac’s memorable moments throughout his career. See as T-Mac shows off some of his collection and even talks about this specific shoe in the video below along with the commercial on when they announced it.

I personally think it’s a smart marketing strategy where you are able to create “a new” shoe so you can build more hype when retro’ing successful models. Mind you sometimes this doesn’t work, as Jordan brand has been doing this for sometime and the shoes itself are not really sought after. In the case of Adidas, T Mac is actually the highest selling athlete they have with popular silhouettes and one of the few who remained loyal to the brand (Kobe Bryant & Kevin Garnett left along with others). Because it’s not too similar due to the different colourways and the details along with the fact it uses new technology (boost) I think this can do relatively well.

Price & Place of Purchase

I got my pair directly from Adidas Canada for $200 CAD. I think this is probably your best bet, but you can also visit your local footlocker to see if they have any pairs remaining. If you want to save on your purchase you can either sign up for their newsletter or try using this code: “NUWRC”

Sizing & Comfort

After wearing these shoes consistently for about two weeks now I’ve had a chance to compare them in different settings to get a good sense of comfort. From the moment I put these on, they fit great not tight but not a lot of space either. I don’t think you need to worry about breaking it in because the way it’s constructed you would be fine as soon as you put it on your feet. Of course, it’s not Ultraboost level of comfort but it is good enough to have on rotation and to work out in. Mind you the only thing I found uncomfortable at times was the heel tab depending on how I positioned my foot for certain things.

Aesthetic

Personally, with respects to aesthetics alone these are the best shoes out of all the releases so far. Don’t get me wrong the other colourways are pretty clean as well, for instance the mismatch all star game shoes. However, these have the most detail and best use of colour blocking. These are definitely a head turner and a lot of people have liked these shoes. It’s very vibrant, and the flames definitely add attention to it but the little 13 in 35 makes me people curious to learn more. Also, I really like the T-Mac logo and that’s another detail that people tend to gravitate towards based on my personal experiences when wearing these kicks.

Overall

Cop or drop? Cop

Comfort? Go true to size and you’re fine. These are comfortable and good to have in your rotation. 

Aesthetic? I love the vibrancy and energy the shoe alone brings. This colourway is a well-executed shoe in terms of design and aesthetic. 

Price? Retail: Affordable. You may be lucky to wait it out for it to be marked down, but I am not 100% sure on that. 

Packaging? Terrible. For a new T-Mac shoe it should’ve and could’ve been better. 

Let me know what you guys think about the shoe and if you copped it after this review! Make sure you subscribe to the channel and blog for more content!