Ten Rare Sneakers Bronny James Should Wear at USC

Listing ten Nike sneakers Bronny James could wear for the USC Trojans.

Author:
Pat Benson
Publish date:
May 7, 2023 11:00 AM EDT

After several years, the recruiting sweepstakes of Bronny James finally ended on Saturday afternoon. The heralded high school prospect will remain in Los Angeles, California, and play for the USC Trojans.

James' decision makes perfect sense when accounting for his current location and NIL deal with Nike. In addition to making waves on the court, James has a chance to make sneaker history with the Trojans.

There have been some serious sneakerheads to roll through the Galen Center over the years; O.J. Mayo, DeMar DeRozan, and Nick Young, to name a few. Given James' access to player-exclusive sneakers in cardinal and gold, plus his father's kicks from his time in Cleveland, it's going to be a movie.

Of course, we will see LeBron James' newest shoes on Trojans players' feet next season. But given Bronny's affinity for retro models, we are listing ten sneakers that we at FanNation Kicks hope to see James wear for the Trojans next season.

Nike Kyrie 1

View of white and red Nike Kyrie shoes. — © David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Player: Kyrie Irving wore the Nike Kyrie 1 in various player-exclusive colorways during the 2014-15 NBA season.

Shoe: The Nike Kyrie 1 'Cavaliers Home' colorway would lend itself perfectly to USC's home uniforms. The shoes are almost a decade old at this point, but NBA players still regularly wear the model on the court to this day.

Nike Kyrie 4

View of cardinal and gold Nike Kyrie shoes. — © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Player: Kevin Porter Jr. has solidified his place in the NBA. But during his college days, Porter wore custom colorways of the Nike Kyrie 4.

Shoe: The Nike Kyrie 4 in cardinal and gold is a work of art. While James has worn player-exclusive colorways in the past, it would be cool to see him lace up a pair of custom kicks on the court.

Nike Kobe 2

View of white and gold Nike Kobe shoes. — © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Player: Throughout the 2007-08 NCAA season, O.J. Mayo wore the Nike Kobe 2 in ultra-rare player-exclusive colorways.

Shoe: James has worn multiple models from Kobe Bryant's signature Nike line in high school and AAU games. But pulling out Bryant's second signature sneaker would be a P.J. Tucker-level flex.

Nike Kobe 3

View of red and gold Nike Kobe shoes. — © Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Player: Speaking of P.J. Tucker, the league's sneaker king wore the Nike Kobe 3 in the 'All-Star' colorway before a game in the 2021-22 NBA season.

Shoe: Although the Nike Kobe 3 'All-Star' was designed to match the Western Conference's 2008 All-Star Game uniforms, the colorway fits the mold for the Trojans.

Nike Kobe 6

View of cardinal and gold Nike Kobe shoes. — © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Player: The Nike Kobe 6 Protro has been in production for most of the past two years, but Trojans guard Eric Strangis rocked Bryant's sixth signature sneaker during the 2011-12 NCAA season.

Shoe: The Nike Kobe 6 'USC' colorway was a masterpiece. Who knew that a faux-snakeskin upper would look so good in cardinal? James has worn the model in the 'Grinch' colorway, but this version of the shoe would break the internet.

Nike LeBron 2

View of white and red Nike LeBron shoes. — © David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Player: LeBron's second signature sneaker has proven to be a favorite for its namesake. The 19x NBA All-Star has periodically mixed the Nike LeBron 2 into his rotation over the years.

Shoe: The Nike LeBron 2 'Cavaliers' colorway does not seem that far-fetched. LeBron has worn the model this season, and fans can even purchase a pair of the shoes in a white and gold colorway at a discount on the Nike website.

Nike LeBron 12

View of white and gold Nike LeBron shoes. — © David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Player: Some sneakerheads might consider LeBron James' 12th signature sneaker the end of the golden era of his signature line. The model still stands up almost a decade later.

Shoe: The Nike LeBron 12 'Cavaliers Home' colorway is exquisite thanks to its clean colors and speckled design. Although this shoe is on the bulkier side, it's worth bringing back.

Nike LeBron 13

Player: Many fans hold the Nike LeBron 13 in contempt compared to other models from the line. However, LeBron put in some of his best work in the sneaker during the 2015-16 NBA season.

Shoe: The Nike LeBron 13 'Cavaliers Home' is another player-exclusive that was ahead of its time. Once hated, the vintage hoop shoe could get redemption if Bronny wears it on the floor of the Galen Center.

Nike LeBron 15

View of maroon and gold Nike LeBron shoes. — © Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Player: LeBron wore his 15th signature sneaker in various player-exclusive colorways during the 2018 NBA Finals. The 'Wine & Gold' version still shines bright after five years.

Shoe: The Nike LeBron 15 'Wine & Gold' has understandably never been released to the public. Unfortunately, the model has not even received retro treatment yet.

LeBron 15

View of black and gold Nike LeBron shoes. — © David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Player: LeBron James was not playing with his player-exclusive colorways of the Nike LeBron 15 in the 2018 NBA Finals. The 'Cavaliers Road' colorway might be the best version of the shoe.

Shoe: None of James' sneakers from the 2018 NBA Finals have seen the light of day. Not even the most prodigious of sneakerheads have gotten their hands on the shoes. That is why the world needs Bronny to bring them back.

The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.

Recommended For You

Look: See the kicks Michael Jordan wears on vacation in Spain.

News: Nike restocks Kyrie Irving's last signature shoe at a major doubt.

Story: Only 40K pairs of the Nike Kobe 4 'Mambacita' were manufactured.