Patrick Johnson 
LeBron James has always been a polarizing figure in American sports. From the moment Sports Illustrated picked him to grace their cover during LeBron’s junior year of High School, it seemed that the self-proclaimed Chosen One was preordained for greatness. But that hype also came with its fair share of hate and a career measured by if the kid could measure up to being The King.
Kyrie Irving’s insane skill-set includes unprecedented ball-handling wizardry and the ability to finish at the rim with insanely acrobatic precision in a way nobody has before. But being labeled a ‘point guard’ with an iso-heavy, score-first mentality often comes with a number of detractors, especially when the player opposing him during this year’s NBA Finals was marketed as being better in both categories and stood as the reigning two-time NBA MVP in Steph Curry.
Let’s get this straight: the Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t supposed to win this series. Down 3-1 against a team that holds the greatest regular season record of all-time at 73-9 and a homecourt advantage that sports the loudest crowd in the NBA, it’s still difficult to process how exactly the Cavs came back to claim their first NBA championship. LeBron can no longer be denied, and his career arc has reached a pinnacle by bringing Cleveland its first championship in 52 years. That’s not all that happened in this series either. With that win, Nike Basketball has rightfully stolen back the spotlight during the NBA Finals.
A Self-Inflicted Wound and A New Rival
Photo by Kelley L Cox for USA TODAY Sports
While the Swoosh has been at the top of the hoops footwear world for quite some time, Nike Basketball took some hits over the past two seasons. There was news of their blunder of not re-signing Steph Curry, a self-induced wound due to an unprepared pitch meeting that left Kevin Durant’s name on a slideshow, mispronounced Steph’s name as Stephon, and an overall miscategorization of Steph as simply a ‘PE’ guy while they focused on Kyrie Irving’s signature line in the making. Curry signed with Under Armour in order to basically build their basketball imprint from scratch. What resulted was record sales and a new rivalry in the athletic apparel world that many could say was based on Nike’s arrogance in dominating the basketball category for so long.
America loves winners. With all of the Warriors’ unprecedented success, Under Armour’s strength continued to grow. Steph’s everyman persona appealed to kids as highlights of his electrifying ball-handling and historic long-distance shooting made their way around the internet. A 4-2 Finals win against an undermanned Cavs squad last year only emboldened Under Armour and Steph to continue to push the boundaries. The Warriors were breaking basketball and UA was changing the status quo with the NBA’s new poster child.
An Unexpected Debut and A Change of Pace
Nike took back the basketball spotlight in the NBA Finals thanks to the historically elite play of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, both who just happen to be two of Nike Basketball’s top three signature athletes. The Swoosh made some surprising moves throughout the series topped off by the decision to ditch the Nike LeBron 13 Elite unannounced and showcase what promises to be the most interesting LeBron Soldier model yet, the Nike LeBron Soldier 10. LeBron simply showed up to Game 3 rocking the rarely seen laceless model in an anonymous Black/Ice colorway and the intrigue started. It only grew when the Cavs grabbed their first victory of the series in Game 3, followed by LeBron and Kyrie’s matching 41-point games in Game 5.
Consumer behavior revolves around three things in the basketball world: an athlete’s likability, the price of his signature model, and whether the shoe’s designed well. For the past few LeBron models, Jason Petrie’s designs have been forces of nature to match LeBron’s physical play. Bolstered by megafuse, dynamic flywire, and posite materials, they’ve been beasts on the basketball court but completely inaccessible in the lifestyle realm. To wear a LeBron 13 off-court with denim would prove a bit difficult. By debuting the minimalist Soldier 10 at the perfect time and showcasing a design that ditches laces completely, adds three large straps, and a high-arching ankle collar, Nike created a buzz on the biggest stage.
A Proving Ground on the Biggest Stage
Photo by Cary Edmondson for USA TODAY Sports
Kyrie Irving just reached elite status and nobody can take that away from him. Kyrie has always been well-liked around the league. Nike Basketball jumped at the chance to sign him and make them their next signature superstar and it isn’t hard to see why. Irving has marketing appeal, acting chops – just check out his Uncle Drew series for proof – and the skillset to back it all up, but there were a few problems. Kyrie couldn’t stay healthy, and he couldn’t play defense. At least those were the narratives that followed him around heading into his second NBA Finals. That is until he delivered.
Kyrie’s 27 points per game throughout these NBA Finals are the highest per game averages by a LeBron teammate ever. More than Dwyane Wade even. Irving didn’t have to sacrifice his style of play to fit in with LeBron’s leadership either. Nike Basketball capitalized off of the opportunity to have two signature stars on the same team on the biggest stage and ran with it. The Nike Kyrie 2 is everything the LeBron series isn’t. For one, it’s relatively more affordable, marketed at kids with a number of grade school exclusives. But for the Finals, Nike Basketball made Leo Chang’s design grow up thanks to splashes of metallic gold throughout the numerous Cavs-centric PEs. Then Kyrie’s game did the rest of the talking. When asked about his game-winning shot in Game 7, Kyrie referenced his ‘Mamba mentality’ in a reference to one of his mentors, Kobe Bryant. He’s Nike Basketball true and through. Expect Kyrie to be a killer for years to come.
Everybody Loves A Winner
Photo by Eric Risberg for The Associated Press
None of this would have mattered had the Cavaliers not been able to pull off the unimaginable. LeBron might have become the first player since Jerry West to be awarded the Finals MVP even if he was on the losing squad, but the momentum would still be with Golden State, with Steph Curry, and with the growth of Under Armour all pointing to the future of basketball.
This NBA Finals answered so many of the doubters’ main problems – although we’re sure somewhere Skip Bayless is saying something for attention. For Kyrie, he showed that he can have his biggest games when it mattered most, proven by his Game 7 go-ahead shot over Steph Curry and his 41-point outburst in Game 5 complete with an array of spectacular finishes around the basket. For LeBron James, it seems as if the entirety of his career has been justified by ending his hometown’s five-decade title drought against a team that was fighting for its place as the best team of all time. It says that you don’t have to like him, but you damn well have to respect him. It’s an upset for the ages even if LeBron doesn’t necessarily feel like an underdog.
Nike pushed the ‘Believe’ theme all post-season long and capped it off by introducing the LeBron Soldier 10, a number of premium Kyrie 2 PEs, and a perfectly timed ‘Worth the Wait’ ad that paid homage to Northeast Ohio and their two signature stars. So what’s next?
Next Up
It does seem like some of Under Armour’s success has changed the way Nike Basketball approaches its signature models. Kevin Durant’s recently debuted Nike KD 9 saw a price drop even with the premium Flyknit construction. Now more affordable at $150 USD but with the technology to match any of its predecessors, expect the KD 9 to be a major success. Durant and OKC were just a quarter away from meeting Cleveland in the Finals, but beating Golden State was a greater statement.
Potential number 1 draft pick Ben Simmons signed with Nike and LeBron’s Klutch Sports Group as well. A power forward in physical build with the pass-first mentality and athleticism that matches LeBron, Simmons could be Nike’s next signature athlete waiting in the wings, so for now expect him to be an ambassador for the LeBron line.
LeBron and Kyrie are at the top of the basketball world. Expect Nike Basketball to continue to seek out new ways to keep them there.
