Nike and LeBron James Criticized Over MLK Shoes

The Los Angeles Lakers did not play today, but that did not stop Nike and LeBron James from teaming up on shoes to honor Dr. Martin Luther King. Unfortunately, the Nike LeBron 23 "Honor the King" has drawn criticism from sports fans and sneakerheads.

The "Honor the King" colorway is one of 23 special colorways designed to tell an important story from James' career. The teal colorway draws inspiration from the Lorraine Motel, the location of the Civil Rights activist's assassination in 1968. It is also a nod to the 2008 game where James dropped 51 points against the Memphis Grizzlies.

This is on LeBron too. He has his own wing at Nike HQ. Nothing gets approved for his brand without his ok. https://t.co/LjFbpZDUxs
— Peter Darker (@IAmPeterDarker) January 19, 2026

James debuted the shoes earlier this month during a game, and sneakerheads were already skeptical. However, the unreleased kicks received more attention when Sandra E. Garcia of the New York Times wrote a story covering the reaction among fans.

"Design is so subjective, and some people the design will resonate with, and others maybe less so, and obviously that becomes a little bit more charged when you have bigger principles at play," John Jowers, Nike's vice president for communications, said in the New York Times interview. "I think the intent, though, was really to pay homage to Dr. King, his life and his legacy."

This is definitely not a flex by Nike and LeBron

Profit on tragedy with Lorraine motel colors https://t.co/ByjGBTDA4h
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) January 19, 2026

Nike has not yet announced a release date for the shoes, but they will cost $210 in adult sizes on the brand's website and at select retailers. According to the sneaker resale platform StockX, the Nike LeBron 23 "Honor the King" will be released on February 5.

There is always a fine line when honoring King with apparel and shoes. The Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies have paid homage to the Civil Rights legend with limited-edition uniforms. Meanwhile, NBA players routinely debut player-exclusive or custom shoes on MLK Day.

Nike LeBron 23 "Honor the King" 👑

🗓️ February 24th pic.twitter.com/q7j1osAGRN
— SneakerAlert (@SneakerAlertHD) January 19, 2026

Throughout this decade, the trend has been for players to debut their "Black History Month" colorways on MLK Day before their release date. That has led to some of the most iconic basketball shoes in the NBA.

With the shoes already in production, it is safe to expect Nike and James to move forward with the release. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the NBA and beyond.

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