It’s been 18 years since Nike and LeBron James released the groundbreaking Nike LeBron 4 and changed the game of basketball sneakers moving forward. Now a relic of what heavy-duty basketball sneakers once resembled, the iconic silhouette is making a comeback in the rotation of sneakerheads. Check out our Sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content!
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has taken a liking to some of his old signature sneakers and fans have been reaping the benefits in return. First released in 2006, the Nike LeBron 4 still lives in lore as the best LeBron James Nike signature sneaker for its revolutionary design and on-court look. The shoe is both intimidating, sleek, and perfectly fit for King James.
At the time, the LeBron 4 was the toughest basketball sneaker out. However, during the 2010’s, low-cut and lightweight basketball sneakers became the wave for their universal comfort and wearability. For instance, the Nike Kobe 8 weighed only 9.6 ounces when it was released in 2012. The Nike LeBron 4 weighs-in at a whopping 19.5 ounces, so it’s no surprise that only an athlete like James could still fly with them on.
Still, the timeless design holds up to this day and we’ve already seen a number of Nike LeBron 4’s set to retro. Recently, James brought back the ‘Anthracite’ colorway of the LeBron 4 and we even have an upcoming ‘Fruity Pebbles’ edition on the way already. For the first time, the Nike LeBron 4 will don the ever-popular ‘Eggplant’ colorway for its next release.
The ‘Eggplant’ colorway was first made notorious in 2009 when it was feature on the Nike Air Foamposite One, worn by NBA legend Penny Hardaway. The shoes instantly became a hit with their metallic and deep purple hues that resembled the color-changing aspects of an eggplant. Since, we’ve see countless shoes rock the eggplant color and we’ve even seen something similar from Adidas in the AE 1 ‘All-Star’ edition shoe for Anthony Edwards.
Nike LeBron 4 ‘Eggplant’
image via Nike
The Nike LeBron 4 ‘Eggplant’ will officially read Black/Varsity Purple-Blue Tint and will feature an icy blue translucent outsole. The uppers are done in molded leather and all features of the shoe are either eggplant or black in color. The ankle straps will feature black suede and the Nike LeBron logo will be blacked-out as well. The rubberized midsole will feature a deep purple hue that appears black in some lights.
Overall, the eggplant colorway fits perfectly on this sneaker and it shares some of the same characteristics to the original Nike Foamposite One. Expect these to be another hit for LeBron James as he continues to expand his retro catalogue.
The Nike LeBron 4 ‘Eggplant’ will be available sometime during the Summer in 2024 and LeBron James recently confirmed the release on his Instagram story. The shoes will come with a retail tag of $250, making these a premium release for the Nike LeBron line. Expect them to drop on Nike SNKRS App and select Nike retailers in men’s sizing.
What do you think about these – does ‘Eggplant’ work on the Nike LeBron 4?
