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LeBron James isn’t called ‘The King’ for nothing. His signature basketball shoes dominate the market as much as he dominates the court.
With lots of LeBron models available on the market, we have reviewed them all to select the best. We brought them to our lab and did tests that resulted in more than 20 data points on each basketball shoe. Whether you are after a low-top, a shoe for playing outdoors, or a more budget-friendly signature shoe, we have selected the top picks in each of these categories.
To learn more about LeBron James and his basketball shoe collections, check out our guide section.
How we test Nike Lebron basketball shoes
The best Nike Lebron basketball shoes are picked based on all the wear tests and lab tests we do. Our testing process involves:
- Sneaker shopping using our own money. We review each shoe by being factual only. No clowning around, no sponsorships.
- Wear and playtesting. We wear the Nike Lebron basketball shoes for several days, or even weeks, in our indoor and outdoor basketball games. We note down every little detail that we experience.
- Testing the shoes in our independent lab. We measure stack heights, midsole softness, outsole hardness, breathability, flexibility, and other shoe features.
Best Nike LeBron basketball shoes overall
What makes it the best?
The playability and performance of the LeBron 22 in and outside our lab were so good that we couldn't give our gold medal as the best Nike Lebron basketball model to any other pair.
For a start, its traction levels are just sky-high. This made us feel safe and confident during our wear tests, which was enhanced by this Nike's wonderful structure. It scored a 5/5 on our torsional rigidity test, so our feet didn't move an inch. Also, when played aggressively on the court, its durability followed. With two wonderful 4/5 on our toebox and heel padding Dremel tests, this shoe is made to last. And its outsole comes second to none regarding sturdiness, as the drill could only eliminate 0.7 mm of its rubber.
On top of this durable bottom, there's a Zoom Air unit at the heel, a shank in the midfoot, and a Zoom Turbo unit at the forefoot. This excellent setup offers comfort, stability, and bounce. But there’s more, as technologies are hugged by a firmer 30.5 HA Cushlon 2.0 foam that pushed us back every time we landed.
Nevertheless, people looking for a lightweight hooper should skip this one. Its 15.56 oz/441g make it pretty heavy!
Pros
- Top-tier traction
- Bouncy and responsive technologies
- Fantastic shock absorption
- Incredibly supportive
- Great containment and stability
- Made to last
- Ideal for bigger players
- No price increase so far
Cons
- Heavy
- Not breathable
Best lightweight Nike LeBron basketball shoes
What makes it the best?
Ladies, and gentlemen, please welcome the lightest LeBron shoe to date!
LeBron shoes have always been known for being heavy. For context, this shoe’s predecessor the LeBron 20 weighs a staggering 14.67 oz or 416g. But the LeBron NXXT GEN just changed that trend. At 13.12 oz or 372g, it’s even lighter than the average shoe that weighs 13.65 oz or 387g!
As far as we can remember, the NXXT GEN is also the first time that a LeBron shoe sported a firm midsole. Our HA durometer gave it a softness rating of 30.6 when the average is only 27.9. The firmer-than-usual setup gave us some springiness that made us run much faster and more confidently.
We also used this shoe outdoors, and we loved just how hard the sole felt. Our HC durometer in the lab confirmed this observation. The device gave it a rating of 84.5 while the average is only 80.3.
The shoe’s width also surprised us, but in a not so good way. While the widest part of the toebox does not deviate much from the average (98.9 mm vs 99.9 mm), the toebox’s width at the big toe gave us too much of a cinch. The caliper showed that it’s only 74.9 mm wide when the average is 77.4 mm.
Pros
- Top-notch traction
- Lightest LeBron shoe (as of 2023)
- Nice bounce in the forefoot
- A fine balance of court feel and impact protection
- Effective foot containment
- Very comfortable wraparound feel
- Quality materials
- Standout design and colors
Cons
- Surprisingly not for wide feet
- Still kinda expensive
Best budget Nike LeBron basketball shoes
What makes it the best?
After lots of tests and getting to know LeBron's Witness line, we believe the 8th version is the best budget Nike LeBron basketball pair by far. This latest iteration symbolizes a fantastic improvement in this collection, so we couldn't give our number 1 to any other model.
Even with its fair price, it features a bouncy Air Unit at the rearfoot that offers energy and some impact protection. We really liked how the brand combined this with a firmer Phylon foam that scored 35.0 HA on our durometer. As this result is higher than average, we got some extra stability. There’s also a shank at the midfoot that made sure we felt supported. This structural piece was a pleasant surprise, as many other more expensive models don't have one.
After our lab tests, we found out the modest cost of the Witness 8 doesn't jeopardize durability. With two solid 4/5 on our toebox and heel padding Dremel tests, this pair's upper is definitely made to last. But that's not all, as the 5/5 it scored on torsional rigidity translated into great foot containment and lockdown.
Even though the traction levels of this shoe are wonderful, its outsole is not the sturdiest out there. It ended up with a 1.6 mm dent after our durability test, so it doesn't do well with abrasion.
Pros
- Great traction
- Bouncy cushioning
- Better containment than the W7
- Durable upper
- Comfortable and padded interiors
- Budget line
- Air Max unit at the heel
Cons
- Not the most stable
- Not for bigger people
- Outsole lacks durability
Are LeBron shoes right for you?
Signature shoes are designed to suit the very specific needs of the players that they are named after. Consequently, Nike LeBron shoes are perfect for you if you have LeBron James’s physical characteristics and playing style.
Player profile
Tall and huge, James is easily among the league’s most standout players:
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Height |
6’8” |
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Weight |
250 lbs |
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Position Played |
SF/PF/SG/PG |
Playing style
In spite of his size, James is still quite flexible on the court. He assumes positions normally occupied by smaller players such as Stephen Curry. Yet, his playing style is much more aggressive, mowing down defenders rather than gliding through them. This requires much more brute force, and less of the shiftiness and agility common in smaller players.
The different Nike LeBron collections
James has at least three lines of Nike signature shoes available in the United States.
|
Collection |
Description |
Key Characteristics |
|
LeBron James’s main line; every release usually bears a new Nike technology |
|
|
|
Nike LeBron Soldier |
A line of LeBron shoes that focus on lockdown and support. |
|
|
Nike LeBron Witness |
This is LeBron James’s line of more affordable takedown models |
|
Styling with the best LeBron shoes
Nike LeBron basketball shoes are as pretty as they are high-performing. They are of use even when you are off the court.
Low, mid, or high? Pick what you want.
James is usually seen donning high-tops or mid-tops on the court. Even if he does not wear them in his games, Nike LeBrons are still available in low-top versions. In fact, some of his other shoes debuted as among the league’s most anticipated low-tops.
Know your color
LeBron shoes are available in hundreds if not thousands of colorways. However, there are a few that regularly get referenced:
Black History Month. James is known for his activism. His signature lines pay homage to the triumphs of people of color through the Black History Month (BHM) colorways. Shoes for Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Paul George are also given the BHM treatment.
St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. James regularly pays his respects to his alma mater through green SVSM iterations.
James’s current team. The NBA team that James plays for automatically gets a special colorway, which usually features that team’s characteristic hues.
LeBron shoes: Are they worth their price?
It’s no secret that the best LeBron shoes are also among the priciest basketball shoes in the market. They are up there with Michael Jordan’s sneakers.
So that buyers get their money’s worth when they get LeBron’s shoes, Nike makes sure that it is equipped with highly advanced shoe technologies. Some of these techs are used only on LeBron sneakers.
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Techs used only on LeBron basketball shoes |
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Battleknit |
Innovated from Flyknit, Battleknit becomes increasingly stiff at the midfoot where stability is most needed. This is used in the LeBron 15. |
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Battleknit 2.0 |
For the LeBron 16, Battleknit gets an upgrade. Its tensile strength is increased to provide even more lateral support. |
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Knitposite |
First used on the LeBron 17, Knitposite is basically Flyknit infused with heat-molded yarn that makes it more durable and supportive. |
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