adiPower Howard 2 - All Star

Centre's shoes has never been popular regardless of how great the player is. From Dikembe Mutombo, Shawn Kemp, David Robinson, Shaq, to more recent Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan, Andrew Bynum... etc. Although not many of them had their own signature shoes except for Shaq's old school Rebook Shaqnosis, and the Superman. I guess it has something to do with the playing style of being a centre where your job is to stay D, rebound, and low post. It is not as exciting compare to spin and crossover moves guards do, but I have to admit I enjoyed weirdo Javale McGee's and other centres playing style a lot. 

Enough BS, let's get this rolling!

adiPower Howard 2, the second true signature shoes in Dwight's name. I typically don't cop shoes targetted for centres. Not that I don't like centres, in fact there aren't too many choices in the market anyway since most of them wear typical ones like the Hyperdunk series. I do like Dwight's humor as the guy has always act funny on court. 

This is the second centre's shoes I ever had followed by the Howard SuperBeast. Although it's got many details of the Superman on the SuperBeast, but I still treat this as his second signature myself, not the third. There must be a reason Adidas call this Howard 2 instead of 3 as well.

I truely like the way they integrate the Superman's initial into the tongue. You see a set of DH followed by a second reversed set directly below it. The reversal was meant to remind the opponent not to do anything stupid coz DH is there when they look down in reverse while cutting and slashing. Very cool!

This All Star edition features full orange base as dedication to the Orange County Orlando. Instead of the famous SprintWeb used on the D Rose series, Adidas decided to replace it with full length of light weight synthetic feather along with Sprint Skin on the All Star Howard 2. The Sprint Skin is also very flexible just like the Sprint Web, and cushion based insole called the "Alive Technology" were used for excellent compression. It has also shattering the backboard kind of graphics put into the 2 as a sign of what to come.

There is a little bit of herringbone used in the toe area to generate tipping traction, while the rest were some meshy web style which I heard it's got excellent traction on indoor and outdoor environment.. I believe the use of those small holes you see where designed to assist with rebound when the shoes is being pushed down so it bounces back up. Kind of a compression of spring thingy. The Howard 2 is also miCoach compatible where you can remove the insole and pop the miCoach trainer in.

This may not be a shoes for everyone but I have read many positive things about it. Based on my initial feeling after a few jumps it does feel real solid and gorgeously hugging my feet nice and tight. I am looking forward balling on this, and pick up the white one when I see an even better deal on it. Loving it when it's not an everyone kind of shoes!  =)