The cushioning is really comfortable, and it's pretty much on par with my other casual basketball shoes. Once I got them, I could see the great attention to detail and quality. I usually wear a size 42 for comfort, but I tried a 41, which fits just right without being too tight, so I'd say go with your regular size. The black color is also great for actual gameplay since it doesn't show dirt easily. I originally wanted the purple ones, which are nice too, but honestly, they're a bit of a style risk—not everyone can pull them off. So I decided to stick with the black.