Fresh from the reveal of the Lebron 17 Low Titan, basketball superstar Lebron James and Nike went on to preview the next-generation LeBron 18. Initially spotted on LeBron’s feet during a practice game with the Lakers, Nike went ahead to explain the whole design process of his next signature sneaker.
Designer Jason Petrie describes the design as a split between two halves: the forefoot area being focused on speed, and the heel area being focused on power. To make that possible, Petrie started by reworking the upper, combining elements from the LeBron 15’s Battleknit, the LeBron 16’s high-tenacity yarns, and the LeBron 17’s exoskeleton.
The new upper design is said to be lighter and more durable, enough to withstand LeBron’s power moves on the court.
Petrie also expands the use of Max Air in the Lebron 18, this time incorporating the material in the tongue for better comfort and for flair—the transparent windows let you showcase pops of color from your socks.
Overall traction is also improved with a refined forefoot area divided into quadrants with thin siping and a stricter grid warp on the heel area for a smooth transition. Like the LeBron 17, you get an Air Max unit on the heel and a full-length Zoom Air unit.
The LeBron 18 is slated to drop this September.
