LeBron James has officially taken to social media to unveil the next chapter in his signature footwear series: the Nike LeBron 24.
A detailed look at the shoe arrives a day after the 2026 NBA Opening Night has been determined, which will see the former Los Angeles Laker and his new Philadelphia 76ers squad take on reigning champions, the New York Knicks. Much about the latest marquee Nike Basketball shoe is still under wraps, but James has shared that his LeBron 24 is the lightest Nike LeBron sneaker ever.
Detailed photos of the pair, however, reveal an all-new KingKnit material across the upper. Additionally, the crown inspo seen on the LeBron 23 is much more defined in clearer shots, further speaking to the "King James" persona.
Stay tuned for more details.
In the lead up to the 2025-26 NBA season, which would go down as James' final campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Nike Basketball team pulled out all the stops for the Nike LeBron 23. As the 23rd mainline signature model for "King James," the sneaker marked an important milestone, especially with comparisons to Michael Jordan. It's unlikely the LeBron 24 sees the same rollout and release-handling as its immediate predecessor, but it will go down in history because it speaks to James' historic 24th NBA season—a season some fans expect to end in "the kid from Akron" getting his fifth ring with the 76ers.
The unreleased Nike Basketball shoe was initially teased on social media by LeBron James in a short clip showing him working out. This method of announcing new product is on the way isn't anything new for the NBA vet. Little can be discerned about the LeBron 24 from the Instagram Story, save for a mid-cut height and Swoosh on the lateral heel.
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As with many of NIKE, Inc.'s pre-release footwear designs, the pair previewed by James features an all-black color scheme. A pitch-dark color is used to make the unreleased sneaker less-noticeable while also allowing designers to mark up the model with insight discovered during the shoe's wear-test period.
A better look at the wear-test sample was shot by @bigb.media and shared on Instagram by @chrisjohnsonhoops as James had a training session with new 76ers teammate Tyrese Maxey.
In comparison to the LeBron 23, the LeBron 24 features a more streamlined construction. Although the sneaker abandons a crown-shaped sole unit in favor of a thinner close-to-the-ground setup, it seems that the textile upper still looks to LBJ's crown logo for inspiration. ZoomX foam and Zoom Air cushioning should also appear in the new design, although that's yet to be disclosed by either party involved. James' 24th Nike LeBron signature model seems to boast a slightly-taller collar than its predecessor; a version with a knit, sock-like collar like that seen on the LeBron 23 Elite could also join the model's lifecycle at some point.
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Stay tuned for more details on the LeBron 24. Pairs should release via Nike.com, Foot Locker, and other popular retailers by late October.
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