LeBron James Has a "Black Patent" Nike Air Force 1 Collab on the Way

LeBron James may or may not be in a strange spot with the Los Angeles Lakers, but one relationship is solid: his lifetime deal with Nike, Inc.

Over the summer, the four-time NBA champion embarked on another tour in Asia with his Swoosh family in celebration of both basketball's global reach and the launch of the Nike LeBron 23. During one of the nights in Shanghai, the Ohio-native laced up a never-before-seen pair of the Air Force 1, which has emerged in a number of photos since.

No party involved has confirmed specific details about the project as of yet, but it's probable the "Black" patent leather-covered style will launch over the next year as part of James' Forever King Collection, which commemorates the athlete's history-making 23rd NBA season and milestone signature model. The AF-1 includes a similar crown-shaped mold along the profiles to the aforementioned Nike LeBron design and replaces certain mentions to Air with LBJ messaging.

James has a long-standing history with Bruce Kilgore's "presidential" basketball sneaker. Over the last two decades, he's been linked to numerous special remakes of the Air Force 1, from the "Chamber of Fear" pack to one-of-one FlyKnit updates.

Stay tuned for firm Nike.com release details. Check out House of Heat°'s dedicated Jordan Release Dates Calendar while you wait.