Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell recently dropped the adidas D.O.N Issue #3, his third signature pair with the brand.
Coincidentally, the sneaker release took place a month after the two-time All-Star sustained an ankle injury during the Game 3 loss against the Los Angeles Clippers. Nonetheless, the pair was released and received some good feedback from the community due to its appealing looks.
But the real question remains: can the performance keep up with its aesthetics?
To provide you an answer, Dribble Media comes with an in-depth performance review of the D.O.N Issue #3.
MATERIALS
The D.O.N Issue #3 is infused with cheap textile and synthetic materials on its upper, which are very thin, especially on the forefoot. At first, the materials are kind of stiff, but fret not, since these will eventually soften and conform to the feet after breaking in.
Another takeaway is that despite the thinness of the upper materials, there is not much airflow. This would affect the pair’s ventilation, as the heat gets accumulated since the pair lacks breathability.
Nonetheless, the materials are implemented nicely and this would reflect on the pair’s excellent overall aesthetics.
TRACTION
And if you’re interested in looking at some of the best-performing pairs from the Nike KD line, take a look at these Amazon picks below!
CUSHION AND SUPPORT
Going back to the D.O.N. Issue #3, a TPU plate is also visible on the shank portion of the outsole, which can be felt from under the strobel board when the insole is removed. This gives the impression of having two support systems. However, there are some major downsides on the cushion set up of this pair. One of the few is the very thin insole that adidas constantly uses on their sneakers. The insole should provide additional impact protection and bounce to the sneakers, but for adidas, it seems like the insole is just for the division between the user’s feet and the foot bed. The strobel board beneath the insole is also very stiff. But so much for the cushion. Let’s move forward to the pair’s lockdown and support. The first impression when wearing the D.O.N Issue #3 is that the foot bed, especially on the heel, is unstable. It is actually the same dilemma that users had with the Nike PG 4, which was later on fixed when the Nike PG 5 came out. The downside of the pair is that the user can actually feel instabilities from the inside. There is an impression that the only lockdown-providers are the laces, the newly implemented elastic band on the lace lock, and the TPU-like flaps on the eyelets. However, if users prefer roomier sneakers or if they have naturally thick and wide feet, then this would not be much of an issue. When it comes to the support, the ankle and tongue have a good amount of padding, although they are quite thin. But players can be assured that the lateral containment of the pair is superb despite the instability on the heel and lackluster lockdown. Do you remember the TPU plate on the pair’s shank? It actually goes through the lateral containment of the pair. With the additional internal TPU setup and the pair’s wide base, players can be confident that the lateral support is very functional.
SIZE AND FITTING
The D.O.N Issue #3 runs true-to-size, but it is very recommended to try on a pair first before purchasing since there are issues with the footbed. Users might opt to adjust to a smaller size, especially if they prefer snug-fit sneakers.
OVERALL RATING
The first two releases were not really mouth-watering from an aesthetic point of view: the D.O.N. Issue #1 looked like a sneaker for grade schoolers, while the second was bulky and hard to rock. But adidas came through with this facet of their new shoe, as the best aspect the D.O.N Issue #3 can offer are the aesthetics. The colorways are promising, and the style is easier to rock both on and off the court.
When it comes to the technology, the implementation of the Lightstrike cushion technology in this shoe line could receive mixed responses. But if it messes up this pair, adidas must consider returning to the Bounce tech.
Overall, the pair looks promising despite the downsides when it comes to the lockdown. However, the brand must not overlook that factor since instability could cause foot injuries, especially if you look at the fact that Mitchell himself just recently had an ankle injury.
But if Nike was able to fix that issue when the PG 5 came out, hopefully adidas would do the same.
The adidas D.O.N. Issue #3 nets an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Too low, maybe. It’s because the major flaws of the sneaker, the instability on the foot bed and the inconsistent traction, are very crucial and might cause severe foot injuries to the user. Both are very important for basketball players and must not be overlooked.
