A few weeks back we talked about the North American release of Baron Davis’ signature shoe, the Li-Ning BD Doom. Well thanks to the good people at Li-Ning and Champs Sports, we were able to give a pair of these new kicks a test run. Needless to say, we were more than happy to give them a few good runs on the court.
Upon first pulling the kicks out of the box, the first thing that jumps out at you is the Beardman logo on the tongue. If there was any doubt as to whether this is Baron’s shoe, you are quickly reminded upon seeing the cartoon image of Davis’ face in large red and black. At first I thought it was a little cartoonish, but once I started wearing them on pick up courts for a while, it definitely adds to the swagger factor. Upon seeing the different color options, I was excited to see they sent the black primary/red secondary scheme.
Once I started playing, I was initially most impressed with the high ankle support. So many newer basketball shoes have been reverting back to a low-cut style, it was refreshing to lace up a kick that didn’t give way on a hard cut. However, unlike many shoes that do offer such support, they did not feel heavy or clunky moving up and down the court.
Also, a combination of the lightweight nature of the shoe and Li-Ning’s new shock technology give an extra bounce on a sharp cut or change of direction. After reading/previewing the shoe, I decided to put it to the test when I hit the floor. I was pleased with the results, noticing that my first step in the opposite direction was stronger than with my previous pair of basketball shoes.
The shoe may have a the Beardman cartoon on it, but they are certainly not for child’s play. The BD Doom is a shoe for players looking for that extra ankle support and springboard-like bounce to help with slashing and changing direction on a dime. Much thanks to the good people at Li-Ning and Champs Sports for hooking it up, you can purchase the BD Dooms in Champs Sports stores across North America or in their online shop.
