As LeBron James enters his 20th season in the NBA, Nike and The King have announced the latest chapter in the Nike LeBron line — the Nike LeBron 20.
The silhouette, teased by James himself during The Drew League and off-season workouts, marks a monumental shift in design as the Nike LeBron 20 is the first model within the LeBron line to debut as a low-top.
In addition to its cut, the Nike LeBron 20 features a carbon fiber midfoot shank, a top-loaded Air Zoom Turbo unit in the forefoot, and a larger Zoom Air unit in the heel (13 mm in thickness to be exact).
The design of the 20 also includes a synthetic-wrapped lateral guardrail, a multidirectional outsole pattern, and the return of Nike Sphere tech for the collar lining, which debuted in James’ first signature show in the Nike Air Zoom Generation.
The return of Nike Sphere, the inclusion of a carbon fiber midfoot shank (which hasn’t been used since the Nike Zoom LeBron 5), and the Dunkman logo (last seen in the Nike LeBron 16) call on the last 20 years of design, innovation, and greatness.
Jason Petrie, who has worked on the LeBron line since the Nike LeBron 7, notes that the design of the shoe is not only a milestone for The King but a foundation for the next generation of basketball stars.
We saw the XX as a chance to celebrate the next 20 years for LeBron.
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.”
Jason Petrie, Senior Footwear Designer for Men’s Basketball
The Nike LeBron 20 “Time Machine” colorway releases on September 29 for $200 on Nike.com and select retailers with other colorways to follow throughout the holiday season.
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