I Promise School

LeBron James’ Sneakers Line the Walls of His Newly Opened I Promise School

Darren Griffin | Jul 30, 2018

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Striving for greatness on the court while enriching lives through activism off it, LeBron James is the king we needed but never quite deserved. High in the pantheon of sports figures who’ve lent their voices, bodies, resources and collective spirit to the plight of African-Americans, James aligns with the likes of Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Jim Brown and the great Bill Russell.

As of today, he’s accomplished something few of his predecessors have: he’s opened his own school.

The I Promise School, a budding public institution in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, established by the LeBron James Family Foundation and Akron Public Schools, opened today to its inaugural class of 240 students — many of which are at-risk minorities. The school currently houses 3-4 graders with plans to expand to grades 1-8 by 2022.

As the doors open today, an inside look exposed two walls that reside at the top of a dual stairwell feed from the foyer. They feature 114 game-worn Nike LeBron sneakers laced up during his days with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s easy to spot the LeBron 4, LeBron 13-15 and several LeBron Soldier iterations. The shoes are encapsulated by a range of abstract and modern artwork with the I Promise mantra, “We Are Family,” sprinkled throughout.

It’s also reported that the companion shoe to each on the wall will be available for purchase through Upper Deck, with the proceeds set to benefit the LeBron James Family Foundation. Those who purchase a pair of the shoes will have their names enshrined on the sneaker wall.

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