Kawhi Leonard Shoes

New Balance Kawhi 4

The Kawhi 4 is the best in the Kawhi signature line so far. It offers a much-improved cushioning setup, excellent traction, and solid support while being lighter and more agile. On top of that, the shoe retails for $160, which, admittedly isn’t cheap, but it makes this model all the more attractive when you compare it to other similarly priced performance basketball models. New Balance has done a great job in 2024 of creating a basketball shoe lineup that caters to various preferences for cushioning and play styles, and the Kawhi 4 fits well within New Balance’s diverse basketball lineup. The Kawhi 4 will be an excellent indoor basketball shoe as long as you get the fit right and lateral containment isn’t an issue for your playing style. Read the full review. Price $160.

Kawhi Leonard’s latest signature model could well be his best shoe to date. The two first Kawhi models were both very reactive and stable, almost to the point of being stiff (the heel of the Kawhi 1 was downright uncomfortable), but that’s not the case with the Kawhi 3.

The Kawhi 3 boasts really great traction. The shoe is equipped with a very durable and grippy translucent rubber, that, incredibly, should hold up well outdoors. For cushioning, we have (again) full-length FuelCell which offers a reactive ride and a ton of stability, which is another stand-out feature of this model. That stable cushioning, the Energy Arc shank plate, and the all-around construction make this a very stable on-court option. Watch the full review. Price: $160

The New Balance Kawhi 2 is a huge improvement on Kawhi’s first signature shoe. Right out of the box, they feel comfortable and plush underfoot. The shoe features a thick rubber outsole (that will hold up well outdoors), a springy torsional shank plate, Fuel Cell foam for cushioning, and an updated version of New Balance’s Fit Weave along the upper. On top of all that, this iteration of the Fuel Cell foam seems to be denser and softer than the fuel cell we saw in the New Balance Omnis 1. Watch the full review. Price: $160

The Kawhi is a divisive model. It is a solid performance shoe with features you have to like a lot. If you enjoy support and traction, these guys just might be for you. The cushion wasn’t anything to write home about, just an average impact-protecting foam compound. The best feature of the shoe would easily have to be the support. They are bulky and chunky, reminiscent of 90’s model. The Kawhi feels like a shoe geared towards bigger players that put a beating on their footwear. Watch the full review. Price: $160

The OMN1S was the first New Balance Model Kawhi strapped on. They were not technically a signature model, but Kawhi was the center of the marketing campaign. The OMN1S was a great performance model, excelling in almost every aspect. In particular, the OMN1S offered amazing traction and a very well-balanced cushioning system. A great first collaboration between Kawhi and New Balance. Watch the full review. Price: $140