The second-longest signature sneaker line with one brand is set to release its 17th model in just a few days. I’ll give you one guess as to which athlete has the longest tenured signature model with the same brand. Lebron James and Nike unveiled the new Nike Lebron 17 just last week, and they are set to officially release September 27th with a retail price of $200.
Lead designer, Jason Petrie, is once again at the helm of designing the signature Lebron model, a task he has undertaken since the (now fan-favorite) Lebron 7. With Lebron’s size and strength it is no secret that he likes a good amount of impact protection when it comes to his own shoe. Whether it be full-length Air-Max cushioning, full-length Zoom, or combining Zoom and Air-Max, King James’ sneakers will be comfortable underfoot. The 17 is no different, sporting the largest volume Max Air unit ever on a Lebron signature model. Combined with the rear Max Air unit are two Zoom pods in the forefoot.
The Lebron 15 was the first shoe to introduce Battleknit, a beefed-up version of flyknit with more structure and support. The 16’s built on that and outfitted the uppers with Battleknit 2.0, a material similar to Battleknit but thicker and more structurally sound. The 17’s introduce yet another new material on the uppers, with Nike calling it “Knitposite.” Knitposite blends traditional Flyknit with heat-molded yarns and serves a purpose of more support in addition to more design options. Fans of the Lebron line initially have had good responses to the new 17’s, pointing out, and liking, that the overall shape resembles the Lebron 8.
The Lebron line has not seen the “reverse swoosh” used on the lateral side of the shoe since the 10’s. Sneaker connoisseurs have a love-hate relationship with Nike using reverse swooshes on sneakers, although it does seem to be working in this model’s favor. It definitely appears that we’ll finally get a true Lakers colorway to release to the general public, with the 16’s not having released any purple/yellow iterations during last season (no, the “Martin” colorway does not count). One big stipend amongst not only regular sneaker consumers of basketball shoes, but of sneakerheads, will be – but can the Lebron 17’s be rocked casually? Yes, we all know that current Nike athlete signature lines are performance FIRST, however, for them to be cool off the hardwood they have to look good with numerous outfits people can put together. We’ll leave that up to the sneakerheads and how they rock them, on if the Lebron 17’s will get the stamp of approval for looking good both on and off the court. Do you see yourself copping a pair when they come out? What colorways do you want to see released this season?
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