The NBA is unofficially back after a months-long hiatus. With teams now in the NBA bubble, the Lakers posted a first look of LeBron James in the Nike LeBron 18:
Today, James himself teased his latest signature shoe on his IG stories:
Shortly thereafter Nike revealed more info on the LeBron 18, including new Air setups that have never been seen on past basketball sneakers.
This new LeBrons are purposely split with lines from the heel to the forefoot dividing the upper. According to longtime LeBron designer Jason Petrie, this is to symbolize the the now 35-year old being signed with Nike for half of his life.
This split also serves to showcase the technology, with a unique cushioning set-up. Internally, the LeBron 18 boasts a full-length Zoom Air unit, not unheard of since this was used in the LeBron 11. The new aspect is replacing the foam directly above the Air Max unit (last seen on the LeBron 17) in the heel with Zoom Air. This would allow for bouncy responsiveness directly under your foot, with maximum impact protection when landing on our heel.
The upper also takes from the past with TPU, strong yarn, and ridged BattleKnit taken from the LeBron 17, 16, and 15, respectively. This combines for a highly durable and lightweight feel.
The most interesting addition to the shoe is the replacement of foam in the tongue with Max Air units, showcasing the classic Nike cushioning literally from top to bottom.
The LeBron 18 is scheduled to drop sometime in September, when King James would no doubt be battling through the NBA Playoffs. Stick with What Pros Wear for the latest news on the LeBron 18.
How do I replace the middle Max Air Units in the tongues of the right and left sneakers on my Lebron ZVIII sneakers? I had only worn them a couple of times and keep them in their sneaker box when not in use. They are mostly white with black heal and yellow strip. Code on the box is: CQ9283 007 Black/White Gum Med Brown Noir/Brun May Gomme/Blanc UK 12 BR 46 94 955 66778 1 14. Thank you!