The evolution of LeBron James’ sneakers: stylish models of the last 10 years

Behind every world-renowned athlete is an equally big brand that supports him or her. And with some companies, athletes have not only financial relations, but also, one could say, friendly relations. Together they can create lines of clothing and accessories, conduct social campaigns, help those in need and each other.

Cooperation between Nike and legendary basketball player LeBron James has given the world many bright results of their joint work. These are motivational commercials, documentaries, and, of course, stylish sneakers. Every season the athlete takes to the floor in branded shoes, the design and functionality of which he works on himself together with the brand’s team. We have selected seven, in our opinion, the most stylish pairs over the last 10 years and tell you what impressed us.

LEBRON 8 PS

Release: 2011.

The first version of the eighth LeBron model came out back in 2010, but in 2011 the brand announced the third and final one. This time around, Nike adapted the sneakers in the classic basketball red-white-and-black colorway to James’ specific needs to get him into the postseason.

The LEBRON 8 PS strike a good balance between lightweight, breathability, reliable stabilization and traction. Interestingly, the outsole of this model combines two proprietary cushioning technologies at once: Max Air 180 in the heel and Nike Zoom in the forefoot.

The design of the pair continues the general theme of James’ entire lineup, so the tongue of the sneaker features an image of a lion, as if looking at the opponent and ready to pounce.

The lion symbol on the tongue of all three versions of my eighth signature shoe keeps me hungry and focused every time I lace up.

LEBRON 9 Cannon

Release: 2011.

The LEBRON 9 Cannon was initially sold exclusively in Miami. According to the brand representatives, this was done as a sign of appreciation and respect to the community of LeBron fans in South Florida. It was only later that the shoes were available at select locations in the United States.

Though the pair looks weighty, it is quite lightweight. When creating the model, the focus was on making it as functional as possible without sacrificing style. And Nike seems to have succeeded in doing so. Firstly, because the design in blue-blue shades with neon inserts and bright sole brought the sneakers popularity among customers. And secondly, the model combined two stabilization technologies for the first time, allowing the basketball player to be fast and powerful on the court.

LEBRON 11 Forging Iron

Release: 2013.

Of the entire 11 lineup, we were most impressed with the Forging Iron model. When the designers were working on the look of the pair, they went to great lengths. Various transformations that take place with iron in a forge were taken as a basis. For example, the fiery shades of orange are the metal that has just been taken out of the furnace. At this time it is the most malleable, just like the sneakers, which do not constrict movement during the game and easily lend themselves to LeBron. The yellow gradient represents the sparks during forging, the metallic swoosh with a greenish tint represents the intermediate state in the cooling process, and the icy outsole logically completes the metaphor.

The creators of LEBRON 11 Forging Iron believe that the reference to forging iron is perfect for James. After all, it’s a craft that requires focus, strength, and fire to achieve results. The same can be said for the athlete’s performance.

LEBRON 13

Release: 2015.

This model brings to life many of the brand’s functional breakthroughs. Already from the outside you can notice that the sneakers LEBRON 13 became even higher, and on the outer coating appeared as if metal flecks of material that provides zonal protection from impacts.

And yet, the most interesting thing was waiting for us on the outsole. The soft hexagonal cushions of the Nike Zoom Air debuted back in James’ 12th lineup, but have evolved noticeably in the 13th. Two blocks of six were 13mm thick – that’s more than all of the LEBRON 12 cushions in total volume. Now that’s some truly explosive cushioning!

The basketball player dedicated the design of the pair to his hometown of Akron, Ohio. LeBron’s roots are reflected in every colorway and detail.

LEBRON 15 Diamond Turf & EQUALITY.

Release: 2018.

The year before last, two interesting models of the 15 line – the Diamond Turf and EQUALITY – were released at once. The first pair came out as part of the Nike LeBron Watch program. It is dedicated to the brand’s iconic personalities and shoes that inspired James’ career. The Diamond Turf sneakers are designed to honor the golden era of “dual-sport legends.” It is about those athletes who achieved success not in one sport, but in two. Through their example, they motivated LeBron to develop his game and grow.

The EQUALITY model with “equality” on the back of the shoe was produced in a limited edition of 400 pairs in white and black. All of them went to the future owners through a raffle. These sneakers were worn by the basketball player at the opening of the NBA season to inspire people to stand up and make a bold statement, no matter what their background.

LEBRON 16 x HFR “Harlem Stage”

Release: 2019.

The classic LEBRON 16 is not as tall as shoes from previous lines. This decision was developed by designer Jason Petrie at the request of LeBron. The athlete wanted to move more freely and become a little faster. Another breakthrough in this pair is the lightweight yet durable scalloped knit.

In a variation called the Harlem Stage, all the signature attributes of athletic sneakers have been tweaked to fit a casual urban style. Harlem has gained a reputation as one of the most dangerous and crime-ridden neighborhoods in New York City, populated by African-Americans. Therefore, the color palette was chosen bright and bold. By the way, the sneakers from the collaboration are once again tall and even slightly open at the side thanks to the long tongue and stylish buckle strap.

LEBRON 17 MTAA.

Release: 2019.

The ultra-modern LEBRON 17 sneakers were released last fall, and already in winter the brand released a special model called MTAA. Its trick is that each pair of shoes comes with two interchangeable tongue shields of different colors and markers. You can draw and write any phrases on the midsole with these markers. Don’t worry, it all comes off!

The motto of this pair is “More than an athlete”, which means “more than an athlete”. According to the idea of the designers and LeBron, with these sneakers athletes will be able to express themselves not only through the skills of the game, but also through personal messages on the shoes. This is important because individuality in sports is one of the keys to success.