In October 2003, LeBron James, took the court in his NBA debut as an 18-year-old for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In a game against the Kings in Sacramento, James took the league by storm and debuted like no high school player ever has before. 20 years later, Nike will be releasing James' debut signature sneakers to commemorate the 20th anniversary of “The Chosen One” stepping on an NBA court for the first time.
Nike Air Zoom Generation “Debut” returns this summer. pic.twitter.com/4UQUPTllor
— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) March 19, 2023
LeBron James drew worldwide attention in his highly. anticipated debut by being the center of the NBA world during his 25-point performance. While the Cavaliers lost the game 106-92, all eyes were on the play of James and whether he would be everything he was made out to be. In 2003, James signed a Nike deal worth $90 million and debuted his first signature shoe in the NBA, the Nike Air Zoom Generation 1. In his very first game, James rocked the pair in a white/black/varsity red/metallic silver colorway. Conversely, James wore a different iteration of the sneaker in his first home game with the Cavaliers, labeled as the “First Game” edition of the shoe.
Both colorways were retroed (when a sneaker is re-released) last in 2017. Five years later, Nike will once again drop the pairs to commemorate the 20th anniversary of LeBron's first season. The “First Game” colorway will drop March 21, 2023, on SNKRS App and Nike.com. The “Debut” version, the first sneaker James wore, is slated to have the same release in Summer 2023. Both pairs will retail for $190.
Will you be grabbing a pair of these LeBron James shoes? Keep up with our Sneakers page for more information on upcoming releases!
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