Source: Nike / Nike
LeBron James’ 20 years in the league are cause for celebration in more ways than one.
Of course, he’s still dominating the hardwood in his late 30s, but he’s also ready to one-up his footwear collection with the introduction of the Nike LeBron 20, officially stylized as “LeBron XX.”
To amp up the King’s quickness, the XX is the lightest edition of his signature sneaker yet, and that may be in part to it being the first in his line to debut as a low top. In addition, the ever-present Zoom Air in the forefoot and heel, matched with the carbon fiber midfoot shank plate, makes for a speedy recovery that still holds the foot in place amid explosive movements.
And while James is still performing very well at age 37, he made sure to keep the growing baby-faced players in the NBA in mind. So with the past celebrated in the shoe, the LeBron line is signing itself up to have another historic 20-year run.
Source: Nike / Nike
“We saw the XX as a chance to celebrate the next 20 years for LeBron,” says Jason Petrie, Senior Footwear Designer for Men’s Basketball and lead designer of the LeBron line since the Zoom LeBron VII. “The stitched tag inside the tongue says, ‘Designed and Engineered to the Exact Specifications of the Next Generation.’ We took that line seriously as we designed the shoe. We had players like LeBron’s sons Bronny and Bryce in mind. We wanted to get in their heads and learn about what young players were looking for.”
The solidness of the shoe gave Petrie Soldier 10 vibes as he designed it, yet still constructed it to be light and easy to wear.
Nike and the King once again prove that the up-and-comers were kept in mind by dubbing the first colorway “Time Machine,” which is outfitted in a light green woven upper, a pink midsole, and a swoosh to match each.
Expect this first colorway to release in adults and kids sizes on September 29, with others to release through the 2022 holiday season.
