As recently crowned 2023-2024 regular season scoring champion Luka Dončić gears up for the NBA Playoffs, Jordan Brand has officially unveiled the design for his third signature model: the succinctly dubbed “Luka 3.” We’ll spare you the tired marketing shlock about its design story and “innovations,” as this one is about as standard as it gets: foam cushioning, plastic shank plate, herringbone outsole, and a design inspired by cars.
We’d likewise prefer to gloss over the brand’s celebration of the Luka 3’s “Tier-2 sustainability” status, as the knowledge that at least 20% of a largely petroleum-based product reputedly comes from “recycled material” is of cold comfort for anyone who sincerely cares about the future habitability of the planet.
The Luka 3 will debut in two colorways: “Midnight Racer” and “Photo Finish”:
“Photo Finish” is scheduled for a global release on July 16th.
The “Midnight Racer” colorway, however, will reportedly launch in Europe on July 5th, and with no word of broader availability.
We expect modest pricing for these, in line with previous Luka models.
What do you think? Is Luka’s signature line a worthy replacement for his teammate, Kyrie Irving’s?
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Luka 3 'Blurred Vision' Basketball Shoes
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Reactions kickz4242, thmea, The_Isomotion31 and 2 othersOld post but I've been thinking about this for the last few weeks.
There's no way that Luka is happy with Jordan brand/Nike. He had a ton of PEs from his rookie year until the Luka 1 that he wore, from Kobe's or JB. He had a solid rotation each season and seemed satisfied with the brand. He's also been playing in Nike's his entire career going back to his time in Real Madrid so staying with the brand wasn't a big surprise to begin with.
However his line has been an extreme disappointment. The Luka 1 was a solid shoe aside from the cushion. The lockdown, fit, traction, etc were all on point and the price tag was good. If that shoe had zoom in the forefoot it would be an all time great. Luka's pair could very well be different than the mass produced ones but I doubt it. The 2's and 3's were both okay but nothing special in terms of performance.
I wonder if Kyrie/Klay/Spencer are in his ear about Chinese brands. His contract with JB ends in 2029. I wouldn't be surprised if it mutually ends sooner.
The fact that he's been playin in the 1s mostly in 2024 and not the 3s or 2s, is WILD.
Maybe they'll give his deal to trae and he'll move on. Weirdly enough I could see him going to Skechers with Embiid. Or Adidas.
Well hopefully he dips. For as good a player as he is, the shoes and rollout have just been super underwhelming. That said, I play with 2 or 3 guys who have actually been playing in the 3s. They aren't like raving about them or anything, but they are in them.
Now, in the NBA, I can't think of a single other player who wears Luka 3s to play in. It's not like Curry 12 level of nobody but the sig athlete wearing them, but it isn't far off.
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Reactions Kobekobe, Patchenhz and Magic33I thought that. They're sort of like if the KD 4 and the Luka had a baby.
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Reactions bossplaya0625, cels the younggod, triple double and 2 othersMy dad was never a super big car guy, but from time and time again he told me stories when they were in their early 20's with his friend and they had an Camaro together that they would just ride endlessly on the summer nights, from town to town until the sun came up the next morning. I never really got to that car thing myself, but I could always see some spark light up in dad's eyes when he talked about those times, and I always loved when he told me stories, no matter what kind of an story it was. The last few times I visited him at the hospital before he passed I remember we watched some show about old American muscle cars and while being on the final stages of terminal cancer, I could still see that smile on his face while we watched that. Everytime I see an car like that out on the streets these days, my eyes just water.
Damn now I made myself all emotional and ****, sitting here and wiping my eyes while I should be working 😀 Well anyway, there's my inspiration to get these and hopefully secure a pair since I can't afford an Camaro 😀
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Reactions rokusa, MoneyAmeer, Kobekobe and 1 other personBut neither am I, very far from it actually but I love that Zoom Air, or even simple Air in shoes. Can't see myself hooping in foam only cushion's anymore, no matter how good the shoe is on other aspects.
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Reactions The_Isomotion31, 湾輪話 and sicembuAt the end of the day, it doesn't even matter.
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Reactions Magic33 and blitzbro1Luka debuted the 2's prior to the 22-23 season ending, full blown knowing that they aren't making the playoffs. Perhaps we see them in round 1.. let's hope
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Reactions thmea and Public Enemy"The Luka 3 releases in the Midnight Racer colorway July 5 in Europe; the Photo Finish colorway releases globally July 16."
Reactions rokusa and talonmarkoIm not as athletic as I used to be but yes, zoom is key for me too.
It’s a night and day difference the next day with respect to nagging foot/leg pain when I play in the kd 16 vs luka 1’s for instance.
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Reactions danikerhino and jerseysauceJuly 5th - Midnight Racer
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Reactions triple double and therealest1Have felt for a long time switching up shoes to start the playoffs was a bad idea, especially if you've been on a roll. If it's a high vs a low in the same model, maybe, but to stop wearing the model you've been playing well in and go to a brand new model you have next to no NBA game experience in didn't seem like a smart move to me.
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