Is there a more marketable player in the NBA than LeBron James? In the two decades that he has been on the basketball court, the 39-year-old has locked in endorsement deals with beverage giants like Coca-Cola, luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Audemars Piguet, etc. However, nothing comes close to his crown jewel: Nike. Having been with the brand for 21 years, they keep introducing flagship and innovative products under the player’s name. However, their latest release is not making too many fans happy.

Earlier today, the official images of LeBron James’s first signature training sneakers were released online. Dubbed the ‘Nike LeBron TR 1’, the Smoke Grey colorway highlighted the bright green Nike logo covering the sides of a blackish-grey overlay, combined with green soles. Expected to be released to the public during the fall, the training sneakers come just as the 4x NBA Champ is coming off from securing his third, and probably last, Olympic Gold Medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

While he had debuted the shoes earlier during the exhibition series in the United States colorway, the announcement of the Smoke Grey highlights a new look! However, after the announcement, fans were quick to point out a glaring difference.

The Smoke Grey colorway of the ‘Nike LeBron TR 1’ was eerily similar to the Freak 6 “Naija”, another soon-to-be-released shoe by Nike that bears the name of Giannis Antetokounmpo. While there are some obvious differences, no one can deny that the similar neon green and black arrangement would make the two shoes undistinguishable from a distance.

As a result, sneakerheads were not happy and wanted to make their thoughts known.

LeBron James’s new Nike sneaker line shockingly deemed a “ripoff”

One social media user did not choose to mince words. He proceeded to outright state “He copied Giannis.” It certainly did not help the situation that the announcement of both shoes was relatively close, with details of the Naija colorway being released on July 23. Therefore, the memory of the same would have been fresh in the commenter’s mind.

Another individual did not even think of Giannis when looking at images of the new LeBrons. Instead, he claimed that the shoes had a resemblance to the AE1, calling it an “AE1 ripoff,” which is Adidas’s line of shoes for Anthony Edwards.

However, there is a noticeable difference between Edwards’ sneakers and that of the Lakers star. The green on the Timberwolves player’s shoes covers a significant portion, while the ‘LeBron TR 1’ only has it on the base and the Nike logo streaked across the sides.

One social media user wasn’t impressed, not because he felt the shoes’ design was copied, but because they may not have met his expectations. “Awful looking,” the individual wrote.

The comment may be justified a bit since the ‘LeBron TR 1’ is a bit plain-looking in comparison to the other shoes that have been released under the legend’s name over the years. From the LeBron 21 “Optimism” to the LeBron Witness VII, these products came with a blend of many colorways, giving them a more interesting and classy look.

Similarly to the above commenter, another individual was not impressed. In fact, they went as far as to claim that the ‘LeBron TR 1’ was an example of the 20x NBA All-Star’s line “getting worse and worse.” Believe it or not, these training sneakers aren’t the first ones to be criticized in the early stages. According to a report by SCENE, the LeBron 15 was met with mostly negative reviews, while the LeBron V faced scrutiny initially for using straps in a manner somewhat similar to the Nike Air Force 1.

Lastly, another fan wrote, “I love Lebrons but these are cheeks.”

Except for the plain design, which cast doubts about the brand’s creativity, the shoes also wouldn’t come at a cheap price. According to a report by Sneaker Bar Detroit, the LeBron TR 1 will be released at a retail price of $130! Several of LeBron James’ previous sneakers, especially the Witness line, can be found at a much cheaper rate, and with better designs.

Overall, the LeBron TR 1 did not meet the expectations that some fans and/or sneakerheads would have set for it. However, opinions may change once the Nike shoes hit the market, giving the commenters a chance to try them out for themselves.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.