It's been a long time coming, but the LeBron 12 has officially arrived!
After months of speculation and leaked photos, Nike officially debuted the LeBron 12 at a media launch event held at the Nike World Headquaters. While the shoe has been floating around the internet for the last couple of months, there was still very little information on hand about the tech details that went into creating the latest signature for King James. Now that we get our first official look at the shoes, here's what we learned from from Nike's unveiling.
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No. 5: Innovation Starts at the Sole
First introduced to basketball in 1995, Zoom Air has been the gold standard for cushioning. Nike revamped the Zoom Air for the LeBron 12 by integrating five hexagonal shaped bags that are tuned to work with each part of the foot. Made from a combination of air and over 1000 fibers, the newly designed system allows for better pressure mapping, and the built in flex zones result in more efficient and natural movement.
No. 4: The Options are Endless
Shoes often tell a story, and Nike did just that with the LeBron 12. Nike debuted seven colorways at the lauch, all which have release dates scheduled within the year. Much like the KD VII's, Nike told a story with each colorway inspired by LeBron's game, freakish athleticism, and analysis that went into making the shoe. If there's nothing that catches your eye from the initial launch, fear not because the LeBron 12 is also coming to NikeiD in the very near future.
No. 3: Better Quality, Same Price
As usual when a new model comes out, the chances of a price increase are always possible. You'll be happy to know that Nike kept the price point at the same $200 mark the LeBron 11 was set at, but offers a more precise, and technically advanced sneaker. Like we mentioned, Nike's already got seven colorways lined up so it may be time to pick up that second job.
No. 2: Built Through Science
The LeBron 12 is true product of modern precision engineering. Built in the Nike Sport Research Lab, the team used in-depth scientific analysis of LeBron's game and developed a shoe that fit his needs. Nike experimented with the upper using a material called Megafuse (yes, Megafuse) that starts as a synthetic leather and blends into mesh. This may just be top notch treatment for King James, but hopefully Nike puts forth this effort on every signature in the future.
No. 1: Expect to See LeBron Lace Them Up All Year
As your well aware of, the LeBron 11 wasn't exactly King James favorite signature shoe of all time. For much of last year, LeBron opted to lace up his alternate signature, the Nike Zoom Soldier. Although you always expect signature shoes to be designed with the athlete in mind, the LeBron 12 was built to the "exact specifications" of LeBron, making the necessary improvements from last year and experimenting in a big way. The spotlight is back on Cleveland, and it looks like Nike delivered a perfect shoe for the homecoming party.
[Nike]
RELATED: The Wait Is Over! The Nike LeBron 11 “What the LeBron” To Release This Weekend
RELATED: Still Just as Loud, More Images Surface of the Nike LeBron 12 “Orange Volt”
