Echoes of "LBJ! LBJ! LBJ!" were ringing through the four-story shopping center in Chengdu, China, and the sound was nearly deafening. Hundreds of fans lined each railing eagerly waiting for a chance to see the "Forever King," LeBron James. It's been nearly six years since LeBron last visited China, and now he's returned on the 20th anniversary of his first Nike trip back in 2005.
Just a few moments later, he stepped outside of the mall to greet an even larger crowd, easily in the thousands, beaming with a certain passion that you just can't find in the United States. Fans packed the plaza to the brim, they clogged the surrounding streets, and they even lined up in the windows of office buildings hundreds of yards away.
Of course, LeBron was there to interact with and show support to his avid Chinese fanbase, but he also embarked on the "Forever King" tour to introduce the world to the Nike LeBron 23. It's the latest iteration of the Nike LeBron line that, while still being instantly recognizable as an entrant in James' signature footwear series, features a brand new design element fit only for The King.
"It's a symbol of mine. It's a staple of mine. It's been with me since high school," James said of the molded midfoot crown featured on the LeBron 23. "For me to have the opportunity to use a silhouette and a symbol that also has a functional piece on a sneaker—not just for show, but actually makes sense to our storytelling—that's just super dope."
The Nike LeBron 23 'Uncharted' featuring the crown-shaped support system. Via Nike
Storytelling is truly front and center for the rollout of the 23. LeBron collaborated with his team at Nike to highlight 23 specific storylines, each helping to inform the 23 colorways that are set to release on the new model. They will be split into three distinct eras: "The Chosen-1 Arrives" spanning from 2002-2008, "Taking the Throne" from 2008-2018, and finally "Long Live the King" that started in 2018 and has no end. Storyline colorways include "Miami Twice" paying homage to his consecutive titles with the Heat, "LeBronto" as a nod to his dominance over the Toronto Raptors, and "Shoe Bag" serving as a reminder of his first $90 million contract w ith Nike back in 2003, just to name a few. Along with each of the 23 drops, Nike has created a unique matching tee, a premium multi-piece box, and a charm that is also featured on the heel of each pair.
"Storytelling is at the top of the food chain for me when it comes to anything that I do, both on the floor and off the floor," James said. "And this is another moment for us to be able to tell some of the greatest stories that I've had, both on and off the floor, and bring it to the consumer, bring it to my fans, bring it to people who've followed my journey for two decades."
The "Uncharted" launch colorway is set to debut in China on September 25 with a larger global retail release on October 3. For more on the LeBron 23, James' relationship with China, and more, you can read the full interview from the "Forever King" Tour below.
The 23 Best Nike LeBron Sneakers, Ranked
Only two people in history have had 23 signature shoes. Can you just talk about what it means to you to be one of the only two people that's ever done that, and just why your sneaker line has so much longevity?Just super humbling, man, to be honest. To be able to be with such a great company like Nike—our partnership obviously runs deep, back to the early 2000s—and for us to be sitting here today, for me to be sitting here today with the latest silhouette, it's monumental. For me, for my hometown, for anybody that's followed my journey, it's just super cool.
The storyline of 23 colorways and 23 stories is a major touchpoint for this shoe. How difficult was it to narrow down your career to those 23 milestones?Damn near impossible. Damn near impossible. I mean, there's some things that obviously didn't make the cut that we won't get into, but the ones that did—man, they're there for a reason. I'm super excited about people seeing the colorways, the silhouettes, the nuances that we have in each and every shoe. But I'm also even more excited about the stories—the stories that go with each shoe when they drop. Storytelling is at the top of the food chain for me when it comes to anything that I do, both on the floor and off the floor. And this is another moment for us to be able to tell some of the greatest stories that I've had, both on and off the floor, and bring it to the consumer, bring it to my fans, bring it to people who've followed my journey for two decades.
The Nike LeBron 23 'The Chosen One and the One Who Chose' honors LeBron playing with his son, Bronny. Via Nike
Are there any specific stories coming up—we don't have to talk colorways yet—but are there any stories you're most looking forward to?Wow. I mean, obviously the one that dropped today that got released was the one with me and Bronny for sure, "The Chosen One and The One Who Was Chosen." That's obviously super special to me. Anytime it comes to family. There are some Miami storylines, some stories when it comes to the competitions that I had versus a few franchises. And then there are some record-breaking moments or memorable games that I've had in my career that are going to hit home for a lot of people. I'm excited about those too.
Storytelling, you said, is such a huge part of your signature line. What is it like to be able to tell those stories, but also do it with Bronny and talk about your family through your footwear?I think it's a blessing to even be in a position where we can have those conversations. I can have conversations with Bronny, with Bryce, with Zuri, Savannah—our whole family, our community, my foundation, things of that nature. And it's just special, man. To have the moment that I had last year teaming up with Bronny—the first father-and-son duo in NBA history—and to see him continue to grow. Seeing Bryce right now in Tucson, Arizona, being a Wildcat—Bear Down—seeing what he's doi ng. Seeing Zuri playing volleyball on the AAU circuit, just like my wife did. And then seeing the things Savannah's doing with her skincare line and all, it's just super dope. We're all pushing each other, we're all inspiring one another. And for me to have the ability to storytell with Nike through my family—I couldn't ask for more than that.
Obviously this is nothing new to you—you've been seeing it for two decades—but is there still that kind of "pinch me" moment when you see other competitors in the NBA and the WNBA, or kids, wearing shoes that say "LeBron James" on them? Oh, absolutely. It's always a "pinch me" moment. I literally just left an event today here in Shanghai, and seeing the kids out there running around—I mean, I'm from Akron, Ohio—and I'm in Shanghai, China, seeing all the kids from the university wearing my shoes. Different silhouettes, different years, different models—out there playing the game that I love. It's a super dope moment. I remember when I was a kid walking around, seeing other people with sneakers and always having that vision like, "Wow, how cool would it be if someone wore a LeBron James shoe?" And it's always humbling, for sure.
Specific to the 23—obviously the big standout piece there is the crown containment system. Not just for show—it's for function also. But how does an idea like that come to be? What was your first impression when you saw it?How does an idea like this come to be? I guess you have to do something good in your career. And obviously the crown—I mean, listen, it's a symbol of mine. It's a staple of mine. It's been with me since high school. I was dubbed "The Chosen One" in high school, then I got into the league and people started calling me "King James" and all that stuff. We just kind of ran with it. And for me to have the opportunity to use a silhouette and a symbol that also has a functional piece on a sneaker—not just for show, but actually makes sense to our storytelling—that's just super dope. So when it came to me, I was like, "Hell yeah, let's do it. Why not?" It's super dope, super cool. You're gonna see it in each and every silhouette. You can see it on the medial side, lateral side—listen, it's on the insole. We got it all, man. I'm super excited about this one. I'm already rocking them, and I can't wait to get on the floor and play in them too.
You just dropped the "Forever King" ad spot with Nike, but there have been so many legendary Nike LeBron campaigns throughout the years. What are your top five?Wow, you're gonna put me on the spot like that? Top five Nike campaigns—that's impossible. That's impossible for me to do. I would say "The LeBrons" the businessman LeBron, athlete LeBron, wise LeBron—those guys. "Rise" campaign was dope. "Chalk" was dope. We've done so many spots. I could take it back to the first one I ever d id when I was basically nervous as hell. I forgot the name of the ad, but I was nervous in Sacramento—I froze. Basically the "Frozen" campaign. I couldn't think about what was going on at the time. Then, wow—I forgot the name of the campaign, but I remember the spot. "Chamber of Fear"—that's an honorable mention. There's another one—if you remember the spot, you'll know—but it started with me as a kid running up the court, and it goes from me as a kid to high school to the pros, and then I finish with a dunk. You can see all the vignettes and hear me talking. Those are off the top of my head. There's probably a lot more, but those are some of the dope ones.
LeBron James salutes his fans in Chengdu, China. Via Leander Gomez
China, it's your 15th time here. 20th anniversary. Why now? Why is this the moment to come back? How impactful has China been for you?Come on, man—why not? That's what Russell Westbrook would say. China's always been good to me. The inspiration here, the kids here—the love for the game of basketball goes without saying. And for me to be able to come here and inspire, to do what I do, it just feels right. Like you said, it's my 15th time here, and every time I come, I'm welcomed with open arms. They've always treated me with so much respect and love. I just try to give it back—by telling them, by inspiring them to want to play the game, i nspiring them to want to be great—not only on the floor but also off the floor with their own endeavors. So, this probably won't be my last time, but every time is the best time. It's super cool, man.
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