For Episode 3 of The Shift, we decided to change things up from usual for The Drop, our segment on hot new releases to watch out for. Courtesy of our friends over at Nike, we were able to get a pair of the Nike Air Zoom GT Cut ahead of release, and Kayla Grey unboxed the sneaker live for us.

The GT Cut is a basketball sneaker that was designed for players who need a responsive shoe for making sharp movements in their game. This is a shoe for the shifty point guards out there, such as Kyrie Irving, De’Aaron Fox or Sabrina Ionescu. Nike describes these players as ‘Space Makers,’ and in fact, Ionescu is the featured athlete for the shoe, appearing on the back of the box that was sent to us.

Sporting a low-cut and lightweight design, the GT Cut is going to feel minimal with good court feel, and it has a tight traction pattern on the outsole that performs well and gives the shoe its name.

With Nike's React foam midsole — for our money, the most comfortable cushioning in the sneaker game right now — as well as Zoom Air units in the heel and midsole, it’s going to feel comfortable on foot, and again, it’ll be reactive to fast movements. The sneaker also has a breathable, woven upper.

For those of you that are more curious about how the sneaker grabs the eye — because you want to look good while you’re out there breaking ankles, of course — we got a clean, black pair of the sneaker that fits day-to-day casual wear. One of our favourites is also a white pair of the GT Cut that has bold red and blue accents along the upper.

The Nike Air Zoom GT Cut will release in the summer for US$170.