Donovan Mitchell’s signature adidas D.O.N. Issue #1: First Impressions

After months of hype, the wait is almost over. The adidas D.O.N. Issue #1—D.O.N. stands for Determination Over Negativity—releases next week on July 1st. You have probably seen Donovan Mitchell’s commercials, his Player’s Tribune article, or his shoes in the playoffs. Now they are almost available to the masses and we were lucky enough to get our hands on a pair. Here are our first impressions.

Preface

Normally I’m a Nike guy. I know, those words are blasphemous, but that’s what I was trained on. So that’s what I’m comparing my experience to. If you’re familiar with adidas, cool.

This shoe is made for cutting

One of the first things I recognized with it is it’s made fore cutting. If you are a euro-step gawd at pick up games, this shoe is great. When you put weight on the outside of your heel it pushes back. For anyone worried about Donovan Mitchell’s ankles in low tops, don’t be. This shoe is made for all the movements a Spida-man or aspiring Spida-man needs to make.

The shoe has a wide base so no matter what colorway you choose—classic, venom, stealth, etc.—you’re going to stand out. That’s not a bad thing. They’ll definitely get others attention. For a guy like me who loves shoes, that’s what I’m looking for, for others who may be self-conscious with an “extra” shoe, maybe not.

I love the Spider-man colorway, but I’m a huge Spider-man fan.

Adidas could not have made a shoe more in my wheelhouse:

• Basketball - ✅
• Spider-Man - ✅
• Donovan Mitchell - ✅
• Marvel - ✅
• Utah Jazz - ✅

This almost feels like a Venn-Diagram of one. I love the Spider-Man classic colors, the webbing look, the Marvel crossover. Even the box has Marvel comics on it. It’s amazing. I freaking love it. The question is ... will others?

I guess that’s what the other color ways are for. The stealth has that black and volt green for a more understated look. The Venom has the style of Donovan Mitchell’s Dunk Contest venom customs. The Iron Spider has the red, but with gold accents if the Spider-Man look wasn’t extra enough for you. There’s a lot of choice and I imagine there will be additional color ways throughout the season if this shoe is successful.

Grid View

Overall Design

The shoe is wide. Better explained, its sole is wide. They will stand out. The back edge of the shoe is super soft and actually very comfortable. I love how the adidas logo on the side looks like it was thrown from a web slinger. If there was a lifestyle shoe based on the D.O.N. later on, I hope it’s a slimmer shoe.

My only issue with the shoe is the back where it jets out. I’m sure it has practical basketball application—which is why it’s designed specifically for Donovan Mitchell. It’s not as pronounced in person as it was in pictures but it is still noticeable. That’s my only gripe.

Comfort

This is a basketball shoe first and foremost. So you can definitely grab a pair of these and wear them out to flex on people—WHICH I WILL—but the fit isn’t a lifestyle fit that you get with other shoes. It’s meant to hug your feet—at least the way I see it—tight to make sure you’re able to rock it out on the court.

That being said, if you bought a half size bigger you’d avoid that and have a better feel. Compared to the Nikes that usually wear, the D.O.N.’s feel slimmer in width. But I haven’t broken them in at all, so take that with a grain of salt.

Closing thoughts

Honestly, at this point, adidas could have shipped me a piece of fabric wrapped around a piece of cardboard and I’d still be thrilled that any Utah Jazz player had their signature shoe. This is just an amazing time to be a Utah Jazz fan. Donovan Mitchell may not realize it, but this fanbase has never experienced anything like this. The fact that the first iteration of his signature shoe is pretty damn sweet is just the cherry on top.

If you’re a Utah Jazz fan, get the shoe. I’d recommend trying them on first if you have don’t wear adidas often just for the slim aspect of the shoe, but other than that, enjoy your D.O.N. Issue #1’s. They’re cool. They’re stylish. They’re awesome. They look sweet. Most importantly, they support our Donovan. Check them out.

The D.O.N. Issue #1’s release on July 1st for $100 on adidas.com.