John Kim 
Alright, Kobe’s had his time. All eyes will be on LeBron James this summer not only for the looming free agency extravaganza but also for the upcoming Nike Air Max LeBron VIII, the eighth installment of the Nike LeBron legacy. Up until now, all we’ve seen of the AMLVIII was a silhouette mock-up, some close-up shots of a new King James crest as well as a Flywire out in the open in addition to being shrouded by carbon fiber, and some blurry screenshots of ‘Bron wearing his upcoming shoe during an ABC special. Here are some preview images of the details of the shoe, pinpointing the tongue, Nike swoosh branding on the medial side, a look at the ankle construction, and key portions of the upper. These images are of an all-white pair of the LeBron VIII, which could signify another LeBron Artist Series like we saw with the VII.
Starting off, the tongue features an embossed logo of the lion with a crown made up of the number 23, although that could change if LeBron does in fact change his jersey number to 6. The medial side of the shoe reveals a Flywire/carbon fiber panel with a hint of a clear Flywire window much like the Nike Air Max LeBron VII. The apex of the ankle also reaches higher than the AMLVII, with a smaller reversed swoosh on the inner sidewall of the ankle. Laceholes are also constructed of quarter-circle shaped metal ringlets as well. Based on these preview images, the materials look to be of premium quality, a testament to the higher standard set by the Nike LeBron line, which can be considered the premium line of basketball shoes for Nike.
But let’s read in-between the lines: Can we expect the return of a strap – forefoot, in-step, ankle – as seen on four of the six LeBron shoes before the VII? We do know 360-Air is returning – any change in the design of the Air Unit? Recall the LeBron VIII ‘Witness’ crest we showed you during one of the previews – where could it be placed? As we begin the put the pieces of this puzzle together, let us know what you think will be added to or removed from the LeBron VII, and stick with Sneaker News for all info regarding the Nike Air Max LeBron VIII. via NT.
