2021 is just one day away. Everyone in the sneaker community seems to be doing their “year in review.” Whether it’s their top pickups of the year, most slept-on releases of 2020, shoes I regret buying in 2020, etc. – shoes have been an integral part during these last 365 days. At Sneaker Reporter, one of those lists we wanted to compile was the Top 10 LeBron Releases of 2020. King James just turned 36 years old, he’s coming off of his 4th NBA Championship, he’s the reigning NBA Finals MVP, and he is on his 18th signature shoe with the Swoosh while simultaneously having a successful retro line as well.

Looking back on 2020, LeBron and Nike had quite the lineup of releases. LBJ’s Lebron 17’s had a very successful run that spanned most of 2020, even all the way into the NBA playoff bubble. James debuted his LeBron 18’s during that same time and even sported a new colorway while hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy back in October. Coinciding with his 17 and 18 signature models, Nike retro’d quite a slew of LeBron 7’s this past year as well. The LeBron 7 is the most universally loved by sneaker enthusiasts when it comes to the LeBron line. Its clean lines, mix of materials, excellent logo placements, and on-court/off-court appeal are what make this model a true homerun.

Only a handful of LeBron 18’s have released to the public so far so our list of the Top 10 LeBron Releases will be comprised of mostly his 17’s as well as 7’s that came out in 2020. There are a few rules or stipulations we wanted to agree on before making our list of the top 10 LeBrons. No LeBron-exclusive colorways that only he can get his hands on, no sample colorways, no college player exclusive colorways, no customs. Each shoe on our list had to have released to the public at some point in the calendar year of 2020, keep in mind that can be domestically or internationally.

Lastly, what makes a shoe fit a particular slot on our countdown? When it comes down to iconic moments, sometimes that athlete elevates the desire around that shoe depending on what he/she accomplished while wearing them. A release that was going to be “just another release” can immediately be catapulted into a must-have shoe once a monumental feat is attached to it. Keep this in mind for the #3 selection in the countdown. This past year, Nike was bringing LeBron 7’s out of the vault that were previously samples and fetched over the $1,000 mark. True LeBron collectors pounced on these releases, not relinquishing the opportunity to scoop shoes at retail that were once their grails. Nike also got creative with the 17’s and released one of the best hybrid models we have ever seen. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for the LBJ line come 2021. Scroll below to find out what our Top 10 Nike LeBron Releases of 2020 are.

**Honorable Mention** – Nike LeBron 18 “X-Mas in LA”

These just squeaked into 2020, having released on December 30th. But hey, they still count as releasing this year, right? LeBron and Nike went through models 14, 15, 16, and 17 without a true Christmas-themed colorway. Nike basketball fans and LeBron collectors alike were happy to see the LeBron line make a return to the Christmas color scheme. It just missed our Top 10 but we wanted to make at least one Honorable Mention shoe and this was it. Since Christmas colors are both red AND green maybe in the future we can see a bit more balance of the two colors on a LeBron Christmas shoe instead of an iteration that is 98% red with one green Swoosh thrown on it and some green laces. Nonetheless it’s still a clean colorway and we’re glad to have Christmas LeBrons back.

10. Nike LeBron 17 “Command Force”

Simple and clean with a pop of color. These “Command Force” 17’s had great reception to them and sold well. Each shoe featured a different swirl pattern on the knitposite material. These were inspired by the Nike Air Command Force in the “Billy Hoyle” colorway. Throw these on with some fresh white Nike socks in the summertime and you’re good to go. Really nothing more you can say about these, just a clean colorway with a dope concept behind them.

9. Nike LeBron 17 “Courage”

The first LeBron in our list that did not release in the U.S., but was a China-exclusive. You really have to hold these shoes in your hand to see how much the color pops as well as the gold details. A metallic gold swoosh on the lateral outrigger, gold speckles on the midsole and heel counter, a red dragon laying across a gold tongue, and gold stitching detailing the black laces – need I say more? These are hard to get your hands on, yes, but they actually don’t fetch that high of a resale price on your local re-sell apps.

8. Nike LeBron 7 “Fairfax”

There might be some disagreeance with these even being on the list but hear me out. Imagine a high school P.E. only made for the players of the Fairfax basketball team and then all of a sudden they’re being released to the masses. A shoe that was once a grail to many, and fetched over a $1,000 price tag, you will now be able to get for $200 and in a lot of cases less than that, depending on what size you wear. It is so rare to see a former high school PE sample colorway finally make its way to retail. This is similar to when Nike brought back the SVSM Air Zoom Generations in 2018. For whatever reason the hype died down on these pretty quickly as soon as people found out there were more than enough pairs to go around. Just because a shoe is readily available for retail price doesn’t diminish its extrinsic value. Plus, it’s hard to go wrong with black patent leather on a LeBron 7.

7. Nike LeBron 17 “I Promise”

Boy if you passed on these I already know you regret it. Some groups of colors just go together and this is definitely one of those instances. Turquoise, yellow, pink, grey, and black – perfection. Quite possibly the best-looking outsole on a LeBron 17 as well, not to mention they also glow in the dark. When LeBron first wore these on-court last season we were all praying that Nike would drop them, and low-and-behold, they actually did. This is a colorway that is surely to go up in price over time. Get ’em while you can.

6. Nike LeBron 7 “MVP”

The 2009-10 MVP season. Another shoe that was previously almost impossible to obtain and cleared the one thousand dollar mark. “Witness History” stitched on the heels, “MVP” sewn in on the medial heel counters, chenille swooshes on the lateral sides, metallic gold eyelets, all wrapped in white tumbled leather –  boy these LeBron 7’s hit the mark. If these weren’t on your hit-list of 2020 and aren’t in your Top 10 countdown, there’s not much more convincing that can be done.

5. Nike LeBron 17 “Graffiti Pack”

So I know I somewhat cheated with putting these three shoes into one spot, but I didn’t want each one of these releases taking up an individual slot in the list. If there’s ever a way to do a “hybrid” shoe right, then this is it. Combining the very rare samples of the LeBron 4 “Graffitis” and the new tooling of the LeBron 17’s, these releases ended up being a match made in heaven. There was a lot of buildup to these three shoes and they sold well, however it appears Nike made more than enough pairs to go around. In what was originally thought to be a very limited release, ended up being one of the most GR LeBron 17’s to come out. In some instances, buyers were even able to secure pairs from this pack on heavy discount. If you’re a fan of nostalgia and of the LeBron line in general, I’d be surprised if you don’t have at least one shoe from the Graffiti Pack.

4. Nike LeBron 8 “Lakers”

Just like the Christmas LeBron 18’s, these Laker 8’s just snuck into the release roundup of 2020. These are the first LeBron 8 retro ever to release (in the U.S.). Dressed in the iconic Lakers purple and gold, it’s nice to see some retros in the team colors that LeBron plays for. LBJ was first seen wearing these for the 2020 NBA Media Day and boy did they look sharp. These instantly sold out online the day of the drop, but I guess the one positive thing is that they aren’t going for completely outlandish prices (yet). If you’re planing on scooping these, I’d do it sooner rather than later.

3. Nike LeBron 18 “Melon Tint”

The only LeBron 18 officially in our Top 10, but I think everyone can agree you simply can’t leave these out. The colorway that King James was wearing while bringing home his 4th NBA ring, and 17th championship to the Laker organization. Release info for the Melon Tint 18’s have been (and still are) fuzzy. They released overseas way back in October and then saw a very slim SNKRS only release a month later via special access. This eye-catching colorway is the first iteration of its kind in the LeBron line. How could you not want, or like, the shoe in which your favorite athlete was sporting while winning a championship? If there’s one LeBron 18 that’s a must-have, you’re looking at it.

2. Nike LeBron 8 “Gym Red” (Beijing)

I hope you don’t plan on walking into your local Champs Sports and securing these, because it isn’t going to happen. Once again, a LeBron shoe that is international-only, the LeBron 8 “Gym Red” seemed to come out of nowhere in 2020. We all somewhat expected a Laker-themed LeBron 8 to drop, but Nike kind of snuck this “Gym Red” release in there, well before the Laker 8’s came to retail. For anyone who actually owns these I have heard, “Best LeBron of the year,” “The materials are bar none,” “This is the proper way to retro a model.” The only downside with these, along with the Melon Tints and Courage 17’s, is that the biggest size they come in is a 13 due to them being an international release. – *Insert big-footers sigh right here* – The Gym Red (or Beijing) LeBron 8’s started off the retro run for the model with a bang; a shoe that is surely to break necks if ever seen on-feet in person.

1. Nike LeBron 7 “Media Day”

Media Day 2019, our jaws hit the floor when we saw LeBron James walk out of the tunnel sporting these beauties. For the time being we just figured, “Great, another insanely sick P.E. that’s only meant for LeBron James.” Then come to our delight, they were actually releasing in May of 2020!! The hype for this release was HUGE, and it was warranted. People were posting their “W’s” and “L’s” all day, and individuals just had to get a pair. Collectors were even coming out of ‘retirement’ to try to cop these. A mismatched LeBron 7 and in his Laker team colors – need I say more? I’m sorry, but you can have all the sick colorways on a LeBron model until the cows come home, but nothing compares to a shoe that’s in a team’s color scheme that the athlete plays for. Nike and LeBron executed this release to perfection. A shoe that was originally thought to be a P.E. but ended up seeing a widespread release. A shoe that doesn’t fetch exorbitant amounts of money but still keeps a little of that exclusivity factor. A shoe that you can get in ALL sizes and don’t have to hit up your overseas plug to obtain. The LeBron 7 “Media Day” is Sneaker Reporter’s top LeBron release of 2020. We’ll do this again next year, when we recap the best Nike LeBrons of 2021.

Week 1 of the 2020-21 NBA season is now over. There have already been blowouts, buzzer beaters, injuries, and of course, new sneaker storylines. Ranking the Top 10 sneakers worn on court this week was quite a challenge. There were shoes that didn’t make the countdown this week that would’ve been in the Top 5 on other weeks not even a year ago. James Harden finally debuted the Adidas Harden Vol. 5 on court. Paul George also had a debut of his own, sporting the much-anticipated Nike PG 5 in his Christmas Day bout against the Los Angeles Lakers. Second-year stud, Ja Morant, continues to turn back the clock and sport some of the most prominent models and colorways in the Kobe line’s history. De’Aaron Fox rocked one of, if not the best, Kobe 5 Protro P.E. colorway we have ever seen. It’s going to be hard to compete with the Swoosh this season as they have a stronghold on both the retro market and new models alike.

LeBron James might very well break the record this week for amount of times he is in the countdown. James had a few things going for him in his favor though – special “Ring Night” colorways that he donned in the Lakers’ first game of the season, his first Christmas-themed signature colorway since the 13’s, as well as a throwback color scheme to perfectly match the old school Minneapolis Lakers uniform. New Balance has officially signed Jamal Murray to their roster, joining the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Dejounte Murray, and Darius Bazley. Dejounte Murray recently broke out a brand new basketball silhouette for NB called the Two-Way. Could a signature sneaker for Jamal Murray be in New Balance’s future plans? Scroll below to see a stacked week of the first installment of Kicks Through the Lens for the 2020-21 season.

**Honorable Mention** – Nike LeBron 18 “Ring Night” P.E. – LeBron James

10. Nike PG 5 – Paul George

9. Reebok Question Mid “Abominable Snowman” P.E. – Montrezl Harrell

8. Nike Kobe 5 Protro P.E. – Khris Middleton

7. Nike Kobe 10 Elite Low iD – DeMar DeRozan

6. Nike LeBron 18 “Christmas” – LeBron James

5. Nike Kobe 8 “What the Kobe” – Ja Morant

4. Nike LeBron 18 “MPLS” P.E. – LeBron James

3. Nike Kobe 6 “Kay Yow” – Ja Morant

2. Nike Kobe 5 Protro P.E. – De’Aaron Fox

1. Nike LeBron 18 “Ring Night” P.E. – LeBron James

The 2020 NBA preseason is officially over and soon enough games will count for real. Rookies have gotten their feet wet in the league, logging their first NBA minutes. Veterans sat out some games and then used a game or two to fine-tune their skill set. New contracts have been signed with fresh ink and players are settling into their basketball homes.

When it comes to sneakers, the 2020-21 NBA season will be anchored by the LeBron, Kobe, KD, Kyrie, and PG line (like always). These dominant Nike athletes are on their 18th, 13th, 7th, and 4th signature sneakers respectively, with Kobe’s line continuing to go strong with the Protro versions every year. This season looks to build on the success of the Nike Kobe 5 Protro from last year by releasing the 6’s this year. Expect the Nike PG 5 to release soon, as Paul George’s PG 4 was technically his shoe for the 2019-20 season. Under Armour and Steph Curry look to make some noise with the Curry 8 – now casted as Steph’s own brand under the UA umbrella. Will Joel Embiid’s new signature shoe with Under Armour be able to do numbers as well? Adidas just released the Harden Vol. 5, and is slated to come out with the D.O.N. Issue #3 shortly. Derrick Rose’s signature series is still going strong as he just launched the 11th model in his line. Budding young superstar, Trae Young, is set to become the next signature athlete for the Three Stripes sometime later on in 2021. Jimmy Butler is off the sneaker free agent market and has inked a deal with Chinese brand Li-Ning. It will be an interesting year in terms of sneakers for sure. Scroll below to see who rocked the 15 Best Sneakers of the 2020 NBA Preseason.

15. Adidas D Rose 11 – Derrick Rose

14. PUMA Clyde All-Pro “Elf” – Kyle Kuzma

13. Adidas Harden Vol. 5 – Kyle Lowry

12. Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 “Louisville” – Donovan Mitchell

11. Nike KD 13 “Aunt Pearl” – Kevin Durant

10. Nike Kobe 5 Protro P.E. – Devin Booker

9. Nike Zoom Freak 2 P.E. – Giannis Antetokounmpo

8. Nike Kyrie 2 “What The Kyrie/Green Glow” – Ja Morant

7. Nike Kobe 5 Protro P.E. – Devin Booker

6. Jordan XXXV P.E. – Jayson Tatum

5. Nike KD 4 “Galaxy” – Ja Morant

4. Nike Kobe 6 “Rice” – Eric Paschall

3. Nike KD 4 “Weatherman” – Tyrese Haliburton

2. Nike PG 1 “Academy” – Paul George

1. Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Grinch” – Ja Morant

Boy that offseason went by pretty quick, didn’t it? If you’re feeling that way it’s because it’s true, the 2020 NBA offseason was the shortest in league history. It’s once again time for the season to start, which means the annual tradition of each team having their respective media days. This 2020 edition of media day won’t look the same as years past, with less and less media crew members having access to team arenas and events due to the still-present COVID-19. Finding pictures of athletes’ media day kicks was much harder than last year, but they were out there in some capacity nonetheless.

Plenty of NBA players switched teams this offseason, as well as either signing with a new brand, or dropping the shoe company they were signed with. Jimmy Butler has officially signed with Li-Ning, after months of speculation about which brand he would end up with. Resident under-the-radar NBA sneakerhead, Langston Galloway, has cut his ties with independent brand, Q4 Sports. Galloway will once again be able to rock the immense amount of heat he has back on the court. Newcomer to the NBA, LaMelo Ball, inked a massive deal with PUMA. Russell Westbrook’s new running mate, Bradley Beal, joins him representing His Airness, by signing a deal with Jordan Brand. Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks is in for the long haul at Adidas as it was just announced that Young will have a signature shoe of his own dropping sometime in 2021.

The 2018-19 NBA season saw the resurgence of the Nike Kobe 4 in Protro form. Last season (2019-20) was definitely the year of the Kobe 5 Protro and this coming season seems to be the year of the Kobe 6 Protro as well. Was the Kobe 4, 5, and 6 the best three-year run in a Nike basketball signature series? 2019-20 also saw a bunch of Lebron 7 retros drop, in addition to the new “Media Day” color scheme which was a huge hit in the sneaker community. 2020-21 appears to be the season of the Lebron 8 retros, with a few already having hit stores overseas. What silhouettes are you most looking forward to this 2020-21 NBA season? Scroll below to see the Top 10 Kicks Worn for the 2020 NBA Media Day.

**Honorable Mention** – The Dime x Reebok Kamikaze 2 Low – Montrezl Harrell

10. Nike Cosmic Unity – Anthony Davis

9. Nike Kobe 10 “Grinch” iD – Collin Sexton

8. Nike Kobe 7 “BHM” – DeMar DeRozan

7. Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Big Stage” (Away) – Ja Morant

6. Nike Kobe 6 “Barcelona” – Bol Bol

5. KITH x Nike Lebron XV “King’s Cloak” – Malik Beasley

4. Nike LeBron VIII “Lakers” – LeBron James

3. Jordan X “Steve Wiebe” – John Wall

2. OVO x Jordan XVI Sample – Langston Galloway

1. UNDFTD x Jordan IV – P.J. Tucker