{"id":514719,"date":"2016-10-26T19:45:35","date_gmt":"2016-10-26T23:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=514719"},"modified":"2019-01-23T10:03:08","modified_gmt":"2019-01-23T15:03:08","slug":"opinion-nike-shouldve-celebrated-lebrons-cleveland-championship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/opinion-nike-shouldve-celebrated-lebrons-cleveland-championship\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion \/\/ How Nike Should’ve Celebrated LeBron’s Cleveland Championship"},"content":{"rendered":"
words \/\/ Nick DePaula:<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n LeBron James certainly didn’t come out of nowhere. He was literally the singular Chosen One for the sport of basketball, and it’s been incredible to watch his NBA journey every step of the way. His first sneaker was dubbed the Zoom Generation, and he’s since become the league’s redefining player of the modern era as he now enters his 14th season. ‘Bron is a truly generational<\/em> talent.<\/p>\n Last night, in front of a full house of fellow Ohioans, the King\u00a0delivered a ring to the franchise that drafted him some thirteen summers ago. That lifelong dream of his was finally a reality.<\/p>\n I specifically remember every part of LeBron’s very first NBA game. I was crunched into a small lounge chair, packed in my sweet 9 x 15-foot two-dude dorm room at the University of Oregon, watching along with three friends from my hall on my fatscreen 13-inch TV.<\/p>\n It was the most anticipated NBA game since probably Game 6 of the \u201998 Finals. And an 18-year-old actually named King James delivered at every point of the show. It wasn’t the 25 points \/ 9 assists \/ 6 rebounds statline that wowed me most. Or even the selfless pass to my favorite selfish player ever<\/a>, the one and only Tricky Ricky Davis.<\/p>\n It was the unreal blend of power, speed and finesse that was all enveloped in what was essentially Karl Malone’s exact frame. I’d never seen anything like it before -\u2013 and I wasn’t sure of where the limitless growth of his game could take him.<\/p>\n Two specific plays forever stuck with me. One, a picturesque tomahawk during the first quarter that would live on to be a trademark ‘Dunkman’ slam of LeBron’s, and soon even a logo on his shoes. Second, a right-to-left-handed swooping layup that players of his size just didn’t pull off.<\/a><\/p>\n I knew exactly at that moment that the League, and everything that revolved around it, was headed to a new place. Luckily for Nike, their initial 7-year, $90 Million investment in LeBron has more than worked out. The two are now thirteen signature shoes in, continually pushing innovation, technology and design in footwear that naturally requires unparalleled support and comfort to harness LeBron’s beastly power.<\/p>\n Last night’s moment was thirteen seasons in the making — which is why I was so letdown by the ‘Champ Pack’ that Nike Basketball eventually rolled out to celebrate LeBron’s very first ring in Cleveland Cavaliers franchise history. It’s the first title for the city of Cleveland since 1964.<\/p>\n There’s no better brand at storytelling through footwear, creating lasting impact through simple graphics and colorways, or making a moment feel grander than it even is. This is a brand capable of convincing everyone that an 18 year-old from Akron, Ohio is the game’s next generational player, before he ever even stepped on the pro hardwood.<\/p>\n There’s a champion in the NBA every season — but this moment wasn’t just any other season. LeBron famously left Cleveland in 2010, and I wanted to see the struggles and letdowns of those first seven seasons celebrated here.<\/p>\n It was the perfect opportunity for Nike to re-release LeBron’s first seven signature shoes — and break the ice on “LeBron Retro”<\/em> — over a series of weekly individual launches leading up to last night’s celebration. We’ve seen the brand showcase each of Kobe Bryant’s signature shoes through moments like the “Prelude Pack” that led\u00a0up to the launch of the Kobe 9, and later the “Fade To Black” pack<\/a> as he closed the chapter on an iconic 20-year career in the league.<\/p>\n This was LeBron’s iconic moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n I love Kyrie Irving’s game, and his first two signature sneakers have each been awesome, both in design and performance. This isn’t about Kyrie though — so I was disappointed to see the two share a pack that highlighted each of their four Finals wins. I would’ve loved\u00a0to instead see two series of packs, nine shoes total, celebrating LeBron’s aspirational story in Cleveland.<\/p>\n