New: The Nike LeBron XX designed with the next generation in mind

Twenty Years.

When people first heard of LeBron James, people had an inkling he was going to be great. But did anyone ever think he would still be as great 20 years in? As James celebrates his 20th year with the Nike and the NBA, Nike Basketball officially unveils the LeBron XX.

The XX comes with Zoom Air in the forefoot (top-loaded Air Zoom Turbo unit) and heel (a larger Zoom Air unit measured at 13mm thickness), supported by a carbon fiber midfoot shank. The synthetic-wrapped lateral guardrail helps secure the foot over the footbed. The shoe is also fashioned with a multidirectional outsole for better traction on the floor. There are details throughout the shoe with nods to the past, but the overall build has its focus on the future.

“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.”

Petrie’s insights make a lot of sense. As we see LeBron on the tail end (hopefully he can beat father time) of his career, getting cues and feedback from players like his two sons make so much sense. Players are forever evolving, and answering their needs is what Nike does best. The XX veered away from the traditional Air units LeBron loves to give him the lightest shoe in his line ever. While it may be the lightest, the shoe can withstand and provide the right support to further elevate the King’s style of play.

As mentioned above, the shoe celebrates LeBron’s career throghout the design details. The collar lining uses Nike Sphere, first seen on the AZG. The material is soft and breathable, further stressing Bron’s desire to make the most comfortable hoop shoe made. The carbon fiber midfoot shank’s been around for quite some time but made its debut in the LeBron line in the Zoom LeBron V. The Dunkman also makes a return as seen on the shoe’s outsole (last seen on the LeBron XVI).

The ‘Time Machine’ colorway is set to release later this month with more colorways running throughout the basketball season. For more information on the coming releases, make sure to keep it locked here or follow us on our social platforms.