Nike Reveals Nike LeBron 23 Will Have 23 Unique Colorways and Logos

The significance of LeBron James‘ 23rd signature sneaker is not missed on Nike.

Having worn the number 23 for 15 of his 21 seasons in the NBA, James has reached a poetic milestone with the announcement of the Nike LeBron 23. And to lean into it fully, the Swoosh is ramping up its storytelling efforts through each individual colorway of the sneaker.

All 23 colorways for the LeBron 23 will feature a unique graphic on their heel connected to the NBA’s all-time leading scorer’s career. Through the new Forever King apparel collection, a coordinating graphic T-shirt will also release for every edition of the sneaker.

Three different packaging options will be used throughout the sneaker lineup to commemorate specific eras since James first burst onto the scene as a high school phenom: “The Chosen 1 Arrives” for 2002 to 2010, “Taking the Throne” for 2010 to 2018″ and “Long Live the King” for 2018 onward.

“The LeBron XXIII reflects the deep partnership I have with Nike, pushing the limits of design and innovation to create a new signature shoe that powers my game and tells the story of my career,” James said in a press release. “Over two decades later, we’re still going strong, inspiring the next generation with a shoe that’s made for greatness.”

Anchoring the disparate variants of the LeBron 23 while serving as a containment system is a large panel shaped like James’ crown logo taking up the majority of the medial upper. Beneath it is an engineered knit upper with a soft interior lining, and underfoot comes the first full-length ZoomX drop-in midsole in the Nike LeBron line bolstered by a carbon fiber shank. The traction pattern, too, incorporates the number 23.

“One of the things that’s so powerful about the LeBron 23 is that the foot engages directly with our ZoomX foam, enabling an unmatched level of connectivity and court feel,” said Ross Klein, Nike senior director of men’s basketball footwear product design. “There’s nothing that beats ZoomX: The energy return, the responsiveness, the weight, the sensation — it hits every level of what athletes love.”

“Uncharted,” which commemorates James becoming the first NBA player to reach 40,000 career points, will the launch colorway for the LeBron 23. It carries an iridescent gold finish for most of its elements, including a diamond-patterned knit upper and 40,000-point heel graphic.

Next up will be “Miami Twice,” invoking James’ back-to-back championships with the Miami Heat, followed by the mismatched gold and purple “The Chosen One and the One Who Chose” as a celebration of him and his son, Bronny, becoming the first father-sun-duo to play for the same team in the NBA.

Each colorway will also come with a charm to match its respective heel logo, and packaging will include a booklet charting all 23 stories for the sneaker.

The Nike LeBron 23 “Uncharted” will release Sept. 25 exclusively in China before an Oct. 3 global launch. Pricing has not yet been confirmed.