Nike’s LeBron sneaker uses Lorraine Motel hue to honor Martin Luther King Jr.

Nike is planning a special “Honor the King” edition of its LeBron XXIII basketball shoe that uses a teal shade inspired by the exterior of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in 1968. LeBron James wore the sneakers during a Jan. 2 game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies.

The color palette nods to the motel’s aqua signage and detailing and is part of a series of releases Nike says are meant to pay homage to Mr. James’s 23 years in the league. Images of the shoe posted online drew swift negative feedback, and a Nike spokesman, John Jowers, said, “Design is so subjective, and some people the design will resonate with, and others maybe less so,” adding that the intent “was really to pay homage to Dr.

King, his life and his legacy.” Critics included sneaker photographer Randy Singleton, who called the design “outrageous” and asked, “Who is this shoe for?” Russell Wigginton, president of the National Civil Rights Museum, said the museum learned about the shoe “a few days ago, just as everyone else did” and that “we have not been a part of any aspect of that.” Nike is a longtime donor to the museum, and Mr.

Wigginton noted past support from N.B.A. teams and players. Martin Luther King III declined to be interviewed for the article, and representatives for Bernice King said she was unavailable. The release follows past Nike tributes to Black history—including 2020 Martin Luther King Jr.

Key Topics

Culture, Nike, Martin Luther King, Lorraine Motel, Lebron James, Lebron Xxiii