Hexagonal Nike Zoom air bags highlight the new LeBron 12 shoe

Nike released the LeBron 12 Tuesday with a focus on support and comfort. And here’s to hoping LeBron James wears his LeBron 12 more than the often-shelved LeBron 11.

While LeBron still donned signature Nike shoes last season in Miami, he didn’t often pull on version 11, which he found less than desirable. The new LeBron 12 aims to fix that, focusing on data gained from Nike’s lab to improve explosiveness and support, the company says.

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With a bit of a wild colorway inspired by Nike’s Sport Research Lab, the new shoe has five visible, hexagonally-shaped Nike Zoom Air bags on the outsole of the shoe. Each was placed to correspond with an basketball athlete’s natural motion, aiming for increased explosiveness.

Originally introduced as Nike Zoom Air in 1995, the LeBron 12 version ties the “bags” to basketball-specific pressure points on the foot. The high-tension fibers inside the hexagon articulate to allow the bags to move independently.

Designing the ultimate pro athlete recovery center — in the air

Nike says LeBron runs three miles per game, changing direction about 1,000 times, so the new shoe uses Flywire cables to help give support in targeted areas to a foot wrapped in a breathable and lightweight upper.

When it comes time for the aesthetic look of the LeBron 12, the lead colorway launches on Oct. 1. Then, expect six more color varieties, each with their own sub-story, to hit before Christmas. The running theme between all of the color varieties remains the same, though: hexagonal air.