The footwear ties between LeBron James and Deion Sanders continue to deepen after the NBA superstar shared on Saturday a first look at a new colorway of a hybrid model blending traits of both athlete’s signature sneaker designs.
Ahead of the Ohio State Buckeyes nail-biter loss to the Oregon Ducks, James took to his Instagram stories to share a special Nike sneaker mixing his own LeBron 21 model with Sanders’ Air DT Max ’96.
The model itself has been seen before — James played in a black style during the 2024 NBA All-Star Game and has also worn a red pair on court — but it was the colorway that made Saturday’s share special. As a longtime Buckeyes supporter, James’ sneaker was colored in the team’s scarlet red and gray shades with some added silver accents across the tooth-like upper of the Air DT Max ’96.
With the NBA star’s spirits were high ahead of the game, his energy appeared to shift following the Buckeyes’ 31-32 loss to the Ducks. Rather than post a follow-up Instagram story, James instead let a GIF do the talking and shared on X an animation of the Anger character from the film “Inside Out.”
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It remains to be seen if this Buckeyes-inspired look will be an exclusive for James, but the LeBron 21 x Air DT Max ’96 hybrid is reportedly scheduled to be released in 2025 in its “Varsity Red” colorway under the name Nike LeBron 21 Prime 96. Additionally, another hybrid combining the LeBron 21 and Sanders’ first Nike shoe, the Air Diamond Turf, will reportedly be released as the LeBron 21 Prime 93 during summer 2025.
And while the LeBron 21 will have an extended lifespan through its “Coach Prime” collabs, there is already a release window for James’ next shoe, the LeBron 22. Although Nike has yet to confirm details, James’ 22nd signature sneaker is slotted for a holiday 2024 launch and more information is expected to be announced soon.
