The longtime partnership of NBA star LeBron James and famed designer Jason Petrie continued to evolve and break barriers on the Nike LeBron 18 sneaker.
After an injury-riddled first season with the Los Angeles Lakers, James’ second season in the City of Angels was set to be one for the record books. Throughout the first half, James and Petrie stretched his 17th signature Nike shoe beyond where most basketball sneakers dare to go. Infusing his variety of passions and ventures into his footwear, LBJ graced the court with a different colorway or sneakers almost every game. Though many of them became available to the general public, there were dream mashups that saw the LeBron 17 merge with some of its namesake’s favorite sneaker model — such as the “Breezy” the “Jordan 5,” the “Waffle Trainer” and “First Game” — that were accessible to him only. The baller also sprinkled retros of his signature line and dedications to the late Lakers great, Kobe Bryant.
The abrupt halt to the NBA season due to the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated the natural backdrop to a traditional marketing campaign. However, the anticipation for the LeBron 18 began to build as he was spotted in what appeared to be a mystery shoe during a practice held once the season resumed and players returned to the bubble in Orlando, Fla. Shortly after that appearance, the Nike LeBron 18 was revealed, showcasing a blend of the preferred composition and cushioning that Petrie and James had experimented with throughout the years, and brand new innovation that fit the icons current performance and style needs.
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Until the 18th edition of the Nike LeBron, the signature franchise had been known for being sturdy and a bit heavier to complement the size and strength of James. However, the LeBron 18 took a bit of an unconventional approach. Though still a clear representation of the supreme speed and power that LBJ possesses, the lower, sleeker profile of the sneaker was a noticeable break from the norm, outside of the LeBron 16. To further accentuate the requirements of an athlete of James’ caliber, the upper was split into two sections, with the forefoot being dressed in a newly introduced Knitposite 2.0 composite Flyknit that incorporated raised dimensions from the Battleknit present on the LeBron 15 and the high-tenacity yarns and TPU yarns from the LeBron 16 and exoskeleton of the 17, respectively. Knitposite 2.0 is a lighter material maintained the durability necessary to withstand the force generated by those wearing them, including LBJ.
The athlete’s fondness for Air Max cushioning provided liberty for Petrie and the design team at Nike to experiment from model to model. The innovation continued through the back half where the cushioning was arranged in a brand new way. Basketball specific, full-length Max Air was introduced in the popular seventh model, and made its appearance in the heel of the 18, while a full-length Zoom Air Bag was extended throughout the shoe from forefoot to heel. Unlike the stacked version in the Nike Air Force 25, the interlocking Zoom and Max Air cushioning in the LeBron 18 provided ultimate cushioning, responsiveness, and court feel, which are all things LBJ has evolved to want more or less of throughout his lengthy career and work with Petrie.
Max Air makes an additional appearance in the tongue as pressurized pockets replace the customary foam in the tongue.
Storytelling has always played an integral role in what King James and his team decides to do with the colorways of each signature model, and the LeBron 18 doubled down on this concept. After the “Empire Jade” colorway dropped as an exclusive to Greater China, a “James Gang” color scheme that was an obvious tribute to his wife, Savannah, and their three children hit retailers stateside. The storytelling continued throughout the numerous general releases, including two pair that paid homage to Nike LeBron favorites of old in the “Best 1-9” and “Best 10-18” colorways that combined elements of each of the shoes mentioned on their respective nicknames in the same vein as other “What the” iterations of the brand’s signature athletes.
Similar tooling to the LeBron 18 was implemented into the nuts and bolts of the LeBron 18 Low, which ironically sat a tad higher at the ankle than its counterpart, and the Knitposite 2.0 upper was replaced by woven TPU material to keep both the comfort and durability intact.
The much anticipated “Space Jam: A New Legacy” movie was set to release in close proximity to that of the LeBron 18 Low, which created an avenue for the marketing opportunities that were missed for the initial release of the LeBron 18 to be regained for the low version. With LBJ replacing Michael Jordan as the lead character in the “Space Jam” film franchise, Nike leaned heavily into the film’s character stories to create a bevy of sneakers inspired by the epic battle, such as a bundle with Xbox that included a pair of the Wil. E. Coyote vs. Roadrunner LeBron 18 and a special edition controller. Fans also saw an ode to Stewie Griffin, the popular character from the long running Fox animated series “Family Guy,” return on the 18 Lows after a highly sought after LeBron 6 of the same coloring went unreleased. A reappearance of the beloved LeBronald Palmer makeup made its way onto the 18 Low, as well, after last being seen on the LeBron 8 Lows.
As the popularity of the silhouette grew, the basketball sneaker extended into the lifestyle realm. Collaborations with Japanese retailer Atmos produced kicks that hit the perfect balance between on court function and off court styling, as did the collaborative capsule with Mimi Plange that included the “Daughters” and “Higher Learning” designs.
James has been on a path to iconic status for over two decades. The influence he has had on the sporting world is prevalent throughout the color stories of the LeBron 18. Blessed with a lifetime Nike contract and a start of the art Innovation center named in his honor on the Nike campus, the 18th version of his signature series was another expression of LBJ’s overwhelming greatness.
