Okay, so my kid absolutely BEGGED for these shoes even though the newer model was cheaper. Parenting win/fail moment - I caved. But hey, they're actually pretty solid!

The quality surprised me - sturdy construction with that classic Nike feel. My son's been hooping in them for weeks and they still look fresh. Major plus: his whole team keeps complimenting the black/gold/lilac colorway (apparently it's 'fire' according to 9-year-old experts).

WARNING about sizing though! We had to go a full size up (he normally wears men's 7, got an 8). Other reviewers weren't kidding about them running small. The material is flexible but fits snug, so definitely consider sizing up.

Only gripe? The price hike compared to newer models still bugs me. But seeing how much he loves them (and how well they've held up) makes it worth it. These might just survive until his next growth spurt!