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As he prepares to begin his record-breaking 23rd NBA season, LeBron James made a pit stop in China to kick off his upcoming Forever King Tour. While the all-new Nike LeBron 23 was the focal point of the visit, James made sure to have some other Nike surprises up his sleeves — and on his feet.
While speaking to attendees at a Shanghai event for the LeBron 23 reveal on Thursday, James stepped out in an all-black outfit which was accentuated by a pair of never-before-seen Nike shoes. Using the classic Air Force 1 Low as its base, James debuted his personalized version of the 1982 Nike silhouette in a new black patent leather look.
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Like Kobe Bryant’s Nike Air Force 1 Low Protro releases, James’ version of the early ‘80s hoops shoe includes custom details referencing his King James nickname, greatest of all time contention and more.
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On James’ personalized pair, the Air Force 1’s traditionally flat rubber midsole features two semicircle cutouts which gives the platform the shape of the NBA star’s signature crown logo. A goat emoji appears at the midsole’s heel where “Air” lettering traditionally appears, while the sneaker’s heel tab features James’ initials, LBJ. Further key updates to the pair include gold metallic lace aglets and dubraes.
The colorway worn by James featured a glossy patent leather upper in black paired with a smoky translucent rubber sole. Previously, at Fanatics Fest in June, James wore a version of the sneaker in white patent leather with metallic gold trim.
The Forever King Tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of James’ trips to Asia. He visited China in 2005 and has since returned to the country on 14 different occasions.
“There’s an unbelievable love and appreciation for basketball in Asia that’s always incredible to experience. To have the opportunity to share the game with fans and connect with athletes all over the world means a lot to me,” James said in a Nike press release.
As of now, the LeBron James x Nike Air Force 1s are specialized pairs for James himself, but there are reportedly plans for select styles to be released. According to Sole Retriever, several styles of the sneaker will be released at retail this holiday season. Style codes and pricing have not been confirmed.
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