23 Shoes, 23 Stories: LeBron James And Nike Begin The Road To Forever King

It’s September and the year is 2025. LeBron James is well into retirement, enjoying the guilt-free calories and a dad-bod while honing his golf game in his semi-bountiful spare time. That LeBron is somewhere out there in the multi-verse, because the one in our timeline is still playing like he’s barely past drinking age, running laps around actual 21 year olds.

He and Nike have reached a jaw-dropping twenty-third signature model, and the brand didn’t hold back. Introducing an audacious Crown Containment System, to which LeBron himself reacted to by placing the shoe on his head like it was a crown, the Nike LeBron 23 boasts a powerful cushioning set-up that includes a drop-in ZoomX midsole and carbon fiber shank.

The LeBron 23 pushes that innovative envelope that Nike prides itself in, and with insight directly from the King himself, the upcoming model highlights the brand’s proven ability to work cooperatively with its athletes and designers to create truly compelling product.

For shoe-heads who love a good back-story, the LeBron 23 is definitely one for the culture. Nike’s magic is really in its storytelling, and for the 23, expect 23 different storylines pulled from three distinct eras: “The Chosen 1 Arrives” (2002-2010); “Taking the Throne” (2010-2018); and “Long Live the King” (2018-present).

Each era has its own unique shoebox, and all pairs will come packaged inside a crown-shaped shoebox with a booklet detailing all 23 stories as well as a unique charm that matches the heel icon of the specific release.

Nike has officially unveiled three upcoming pairs from each of the three eras; we break down the design of each pair below.