The Nike LeBron 12 unveiled this past Tuesday in front of a throng of media — we’ll have more on that later — will feature seven different colorways throughout the fall and into the holiday season. Here are the seven different styles and the Nike narrative for each.
1. Nike LeBron 12 “NSRL” (release: Oct. 11 globally — Oct. 1 in China)
The turquoise lead colorway, Wale (pronounced Wah-Lay) was rocking back in the spring, “reflects the process of turning data into design to create superior performance footwear. We copped a pair this week in Beaverton, OR at the famed Nike campus during a wear test that still has us sore.
2. The Nike LeBron 12 “Heart of a Lion” (Oct. 30)
The red Megafuse upper is offset by the white Hyperposite support to showcase LeBron’s, well, heart over the course of his 11-year career. The blue outsole provides a nice fringe variation to the second colorway set to drop the same day LeBron’s retooled Cavs open the season against the Knicks.
3.The Nike LeBron 12 “Dunk Force” (Nov. 11)
Possibly the most famous of LeBron’s on-court silhouettes, the Dunk Force was inspired by his powerful tomahawk jam, which — according to one of the coterie of speakers at the unveiling, Matthew Nurse, the Senior Director at the Nike Research Lab — can exceed the speed and force of a rotor blade twirling above a helicopter.
Click for the next four and video…
4. Nike LeBron 12 “Instinct” (Nov. 22)
Much has been made of LeBron’s natural gifts: his 20/20 vision, his quickness and agility, particularly in the open floor. A Megafuse and Flywire upper buttresses an vigorous color scheme, but it’s LeBron’s “pinpoint, instinctual decisions” that led Nike to compare this iteration coming around the holidays to a humminbird. LeBron stands 6-8, 250, so it’s hard for us to fathom the bird parallel’s except the speed.
5.Nike LeBron 12 “Six Meridians” (Nov. 29)
LeBron uses message therapy as a part of his training and convalescence during a long NBA season, and there are six energy channels stemming from your feet, hence the meridians in this orange upper with the only Hyperposite shell to have a graphic rather than a single color.
6.Nike LeBron 12 “Trillion Dollar Man” (Dec. 1)
In the the words of his off-the-court friend Jay Z, LeBron James isn’t just a businessman, but a business, man with a host of off-court endorsement deals and a brand that’s gone global (witness the early release date for the DRSL in China). Hence, the Trillion Dollar Man. James has long since entered the highest tier of mega-athletes who achieve the same measure of success in the boardroom as the field of play.
7. Nike LeBron 12 “Data” (Dec. 20)
The insole’s pattern is based off the heat charts from last season’s string of 30-plus point games with a shooting percentage that didn’t once dip below 60 percent. James’ “Data” points show quantitative evidence — even a Bill James acolyte could love — he’s the most dominant basketball player in the world. Like all the initial seven colorway offerings, the Nike LeBron 12 “Data” features Hyperposite Wings along with Nike Zoom Air Units on the outsole combined with an all-black Megafuse and Flywire on the upper, juxtaposing the insole heat chart patterning.
What’s your favorite colorway?
Follow Spencer on Twitter at @SpencerTyrel.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
