From his back-to-back NBA championships with the Miami Heat to his 40,000-point milestone.
(Nike)
As LeBron James gears up for his 23rd season in the NBA, Nike has released the latest signature silhouette named for the league’s all-time scoring leader. The LeBron XXIII—doubly numerically significant for corresponding with both his jersey number and his time in the NBA—honors some of James’ accomplishments through a trio of colorways.
The launch scheme, dubbed Uncharted, commemorates the moment he became the first NBA player to score 40,000 points in March 2024. The second, dubbed Miami Twice, references the back-to-back NBA titles and Finals MVPs he secured with the Miami Heat. The Chosen One and the One Who Chose colorway celebrates him and his son, Bronny, who became the NBA’s first father-son duo to play for the same team on October 22, 2024.
“The LeBron XXIII reflects the deep partnership I have with Nike, pushing the limits of design and innovation to create a new signature shoe that powers my game and tells the story of my career,” James said in a statement. “Over two decades later, we’re still going strong, inspiring the next generation with a shoe that’s made for greatness.”
(Nike)
For the first time in Nike LeBron lineage, the sneakers feature a full-length ZoomX drop-in midsole, aimed at delivering more responsiveness. The drop-in midsole, made of Nike’s lightest and most responsive foam, pairs with a new Crown Containment System that delivers stability for high-force movements.
A carbon fiber shank beneath the midsole and containment system provides torsional support to enable speed, and a dynamic, multi-directional traction pattern improves grip for quick cuts. A lightweight engineered upper and soft interior lining maximize breathability.
“One of the things that’s so powerful about the LeBron XXIII is that the foot engages directly with our ZoomX foam, enabling an unmatched level of connectivity and court feel,” said Nike Basketball division exec Ross Klein. “From ZoomX foam to a carbon fiber shank and our new Crown Containment System, the LeBron XXIII is really about the best materials, channeling simplicity and reductivity into a design built right for both the Forever King and the next generation.”
(Nike)
The LeBron XXIII silhouette is joined by the Forever King apparel collection, which includes premium jerseys and shorts with designs that span his entire career, including his early days at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, as well as his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers. Two jackets, a hoodie, pant and short round out the Forever King collection.
Nike announced James’s latest shoe and apparel shortly before he wrote an op-ed in a Chinese newspaper, reflecting fondly on the fan support he’s received in a foreign country that he’s visited over 15 times since joining the NBA.
As Newsweek points out, he received criticism in the past for his views and statements regarding the ruling Chinese Communist Party [CCP]. In 2019, following ex-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s post on X that supported a Hong Kong free the CCP, James said Morey “wasn’t educated” on the situation with Hong Kong and China, igniting blowback from some who claimed that James had abandoned morals for Chinese money.
(Nike)
James’ op-ed, titled Basketball Is a Bridge That Connects Us All, was published in a recent edition of the People’s Daily, the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper.
“I am deeply moved by the passion and friendliness of my Chinese friends, and I can only express my gratitude by giving my best in every game,” James wrote. “Soon, I will be starting the 23rd season of my professional carrier in the NBA. I’ve worn the No. 23 for most of my career. It’s a number that means a lot to me. Ahead of this special season, I am once again in China to start my next chapter with the fans here.”
As such, the Nike LeBron XXIII will become available in the Uncharted launch colorway first in China beginning September 25 before launching globally on Nike’s website and select retail locations October 3. Additional colorways will become available over the coming months.
(Nike)
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