To celebrate Foot Locker's Mark of Greatness, over the next month NBA.com is exploring the backstories of iconic basketball players, their journey to having their own signature sneakers and the stories and inspiration behind their designs.
Today, it's LeBron James.
Behind the Logo: GIANNIS | WESTBROOK | ZION | PG
From the moment he signed with the brand as a rookie in 2003, LeBron James has been synonymous with Nike.
It began with the Air Zoom Generation, LeBron's first signature sneaker that set the world by storm, thanks in large part to an advertisement campaign that starred a King of Comedy in Bernie Mac and featured some of the biggest legends in the NBA and WNBA, from George Gervin to Dawn Staley.
LeBron being a one-of-one phenom had a big part in the sneaker's popularity, too, I might add.
MORE: Create your own Nike logo and win with Foot Locker's Mark of Greatness
The sneaker itself, which James donned throughout his Rookie of the Year campaign, featured LeBron's first logo which incorporated his initials of LBJ, the No. 23 and King James' crown, because what's a King without a crown?
As time passed and James' game evolved, it was time for a change.
2010 saw LeBron take his talents to South Beach, switching to No. 6 to usher in a new era with a new team. His sneakers featured a new logo, too.
With the Nike LeBron 8 came the "LJ" crown, a logo stylized similarly to LeBron's first logo, but dropping the 23 to provide subtle incorporation of a new set of separate elements to create a mark that stands out. And though James would switch back to No. 23 upon his return to Cleveland in 2014 and for his subsequent move to Los Angeles in 2018, the "LJ" crown was there to stay.
Mirroring one another, James' initials are topped by a crown and, as explained by David Creech of Darrin Crescenzi design, the negative space between the elements provides subtle visual references to a basketball court.
In the history of the game, there are few nicknames more fitting than that of King James, and, as cliché as it may sound, the basketball court is the domain in which he reigns.
That holds true to this day.
18 years after officially joining Team Nike, James has entered a realm of superstardom that only a select few have ever reached. Building off of the Rookie of the Year campaign of 2003-04, LeBron has tacked on 17 All-Star appearances, 17 All-NBA selections, four MVPs, four NBA titles and four Finals MVPs, and he's now on his 19th signature shoe.
Getting their on-court debut in "Space Jam: A New Legacy," the Nike LeBron 19 is the latest installment of a line that has reached elite status. We've now gotten to the point where LeBrons are being retroed, with the Air Zoom Generation, Nike LeBron 3, Nike LeBron 7 and Nike LeBron 8 each getting re-released in recent years.
The LeBron 7 even got some shine during the 2020 NBA Finals.
The latest retro of the LeBron 8 "South Beach" aligns perfectly with LeBron's choice to return to wearing No. 6 for the 2021-22 season, his 19th in the NBA.
In Miami, the No. 6 brought James his third and fourth MVPs and, more importantly, his first two NBA titles and Finals MVPs. And while James won his third and fourth title after switching back to No. 23, the common thread of all four of his NBA titles is that each of his sneakers featured the logo that was introduced in 2010.
Thus begins the next act of James' career, a return to No. 6 at a time where he remains on top of his game in pursuit of his fifth NBA championship. Along the way, LeBron has a chance to move to second on the NBA's all-time scoring list and become just the seventh player in league history to dish out over 10,000 career assists.
Through it all, the King's crown – and family – will be well represented on his feet.
Head to markofgreatness.com and design your signature logo and share it on social media using the hashtag #markofgreatness.
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