Nike Giannis Immortality 3

Giannis’ signature budget line has been one of the most consistent and trusted budget lines in the past couple of years. The main reason for this is that they have been very similar shoes, both in terms of design and in terms of on court performance. Nike invested a lot of money into the initial build with the intention of re-purposing it through multiple years of the Immortality line.

The Immortality 2, in my opinion, was a solid hoop shoe but with a couple of key weaknesses that made it a very niche model, well suited for smaller, shifter players. The Giannis Immortality 3 clearly addresses those issues, but, is it the best Immortality shoe shoe yet? Let’s find out.

This model was sent to me by Bouncewear, and you can check out the full Spanish video review here.

UPDATE: The Giannis Immortality 3 made it on to our list of the best outdoor basketball shoes of the year and our list of the best budget basketball shoes.

Nike Giannis Immortality 3 Review

Nike Giannis Immortality 3 Tech Specs:

Nike Giannis Immortality 3 Traction

The traction on the Immortality 2 was solid, and the shoe’s best attribute, so I was surprised to see an updated setup on the Immortality 3. The shoe boasts a wavy traction pattern that changes orientation to cater to the specific traction needs of the different portions of the sole: vertical lines where you need lateral coverage, and horizontal where you need linear coverage.

On top of that, we have a thick slab of relatively tough rubber. This combination offers excellent multidirectional coverage on court, and, I was pleasantly surprised with the durability of the outsole. I thoroughly tested the shoe indoors and outdoors, and the traction pattern held up very well on the blacktop. I think it’s safe to say that, in terms of traction, this is going to be a great outdoor option.

One thing to keep in mind is that there are certain portions of the traction pattern that feature nubs that work great, but they do have a tendency to rip off over time. I haven’t had any issues to date, but I could see it being an issue down the road. Now, those portions are small, and I don’t think it would affect the traction’s performance, but it’s something to keep in mind.

Nike Giannis Immortality 3 Cushion

Cushioning was the main weakness of the Immortality 2. The shoe featured full-length Renew foam, but it felt very neutral underfoot and did very little in terms of impact protection. In the Immortality 3 we have the same exact setup, but it feels completely different. Nike must have tweaked the formulation of the Renew foam in this model because it offers a totally different experience on court.

This version of Renew feels more akin to Puma’s Nitro foam. It is much more plush and compresses nicely underfoot, while still offering a stable and reactive ride. It is by no means a “max cushion setup” but it’s a huge upgrade. The new cushioning also means that these will be much better suited for outdoor play, and help keep your legs feeling fresh after extended play on hard surfaces.

Nike Giannis Immortality 3 Materials

Here we find another large upgrade. The materials used on the Immortality 3 are still budget materials (there is nothing premium on the shoe), but the selection and implementation are much better and boosts the performance of the shoe. The upper is almost entirely textile and there are 3 clearly differentiated portions. The forefoot features a thin and tightly woven textile for containment.

The midfoot is constructed with a much more open mesh that allows for some added mobility and ventilation, and the heel is built with a neoprene-style fabric, similar to the one used in the Giannis Immortality 1.

The main upgrade for me and my playing style is in the forefoot of the shoe. The Immortality 2 features a much more flimsy textile in that area that struggled to keep my foot contained on hard stops or changes of direction. With the Immortality 3, I had no such issues.

Lastly, and this is very subjective, I also feel that this model feels much better and less “budget-y” in hand.

Nike Giannis Immortality 3 Support

Support was solid in the Giannis Immortality 3. The shoe features a wide base, with a lot of contact surface with the court. The Renew midsole is very stable and houses a top-loaded TPU shank plate. The upgraded upper offers decent lockdown, and we have two V-shaped straps on either side of the midfoot for lateral support. There is a flimsy heel counter as well, but it’s nothing special.

The Immortality 3 conforms to your foot very well and feels very fluid and secure while playing, and I had zero issues in terms of support or containment. I wouldn’t say that support and lockdown are elite, but it is comfortably above average.

Nike Giannis Immortality 3 Fit

The Nike Giannis Immortality 3 fits true to size and offers a nice snug 1 to 1 fit, so go with whatever size you usually use with Nike. That being said, this is where I found my one major issue with the shoe, which I am going to consider a fluke, but It is DEFINITELY something you should keep in mind. The first time I played in this shoe it rubbed my heel to the point of causing a nasty blister.

Now, I also did several things I shouldn’t have: I walked to the courts in them with the laces untied which began the chafing process, I neglected to adjust the laces to my liking, and I wore generic, nonbasketball socks with no padding. All of this resulted in my heel exploding.

I don’t think this was so much an issue with the shoe, I just did everything wrong.

My main suggestion to avoid any chafing is that, if you notice your heel moving at all using the stock lacing setup, re-lace the shoe and use the second eyelet (the one closest to the heel of the shoe) at the top. This will draw your heel securely into the back of the shoe and shoe solve any slippage you might be experiencing.

Nike Giannis Immortality 3 Overall

In a world where signature basketball shoes will run you no less than $160, and can’t even be used outdoors, it’s refreshing to see a shoe like the Immortality 3. This is a very solid performance basketball shoe, that will hold up well outdoors for just $90. Now, there is nothing I would call elite on the Giannis Immortality 3 but I think it is a very versatile and well-rounded basketball shoe indeed.

In fact, in terms of performance, it blows many more expensive models out of the water. I consider the Immortality 3 to be one of the top budget and outdoor models you can pick up right now. And if you’re looking for a second pair of hoop shoes for practice (to keep your main pair fresh for game day) this is that shoe. Just make sure to protect your heels.