Not many players are offered lucrative shoe deals in their rookie seasons. But Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James wasn’t just another rookie, and Nike knew that. They have had him on board since 2003, and the results have been great.
In their latest venture with LeBron, the sports goods manufacturers have unveiled a new shoe. These new shoes are a LeBron 19 colorway, that are dedicated to his upcoming movie Space Jam 2. LeBrons are some of the most popular sneakers. Every time Bron wears a new pair, fans are eager to get their hands on it. So Nike is banking on this hype to sell these new shoes.
We just got our first look at the LeBron 19, which is going to debut in Space Jam 2 👀 pic.twitter.com/5nhxAPYz6d
— THE SHIFT (@theshift_sports) June 8, 2021
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The shoes are inspired by the movie, and have two different color variants. One is the classic orange and blue combo, which is the Looney Tunes color scheme. The other is a white and blue color scheme.
“This is the first time we’ve ever debuted a shoe in a movie,” Jason Petrie, Senior Footwear Designer, Nike Basketball said. “What we really wanted to do was reach into the movie and pull what LeBron’s wearing out into the real world for everyone to get ahold of.”
READ MORE – Why Steph Curry Turned Down Space Jam 2 Role with LeBron James
Nike explains how they worked closely with LeBron James for this shoe
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Petrie also explained that not only did they want to target the movie with the shoe but also try to go for a space age feeling. He said, “Looking at the form and the shape of it, you can see it has kind of a Space Age, otherworldly feel, all influenced by the notion of what was going to happen in Space Jam. We took that technology and wrapped it around his foot.”
Along with taking inspiration from the movie, LeBron himself also had a lot of input on the designing. His close friend and producer of the movie, Maverick Carter, also spoke about how Nike wanted to be part of the story as a partner, not just as a shoe supplier. That is why they were keen on input from LeBron.
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Space Jam: A New Legacy releases worldwide in mid-July 2021. Although it is the second movie of the franchise, the story doesn’t continue from the Michael Jordan movie. Fans around the world will be excited for LeBron’s debut with the Looney Tunes.
WATCH STORY HERE – When a Retired Michael Jordan Schooled an Arrogant Chicago Bulls Rookie