LeBron James will further cement his place in basketball immortality when he stars in "Space Jam: A New Legacy" this summer. Bugs Bunny and the Looney Toons may technically be James’ co-stars in the new feature film, but the Nike (NKE) and Converse collections will steal the show for sneakerheads.
Much like the original "Space Jam" film introduced the world to the iconic Air Jordan XI, “Space Jam: A New Legacy” will introduce the masses to the LeBron 19. “Futuristic magic” and James’ love for Nike Air technology inspired the 19th shoe in the LeBron catalog.
“I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to work with LeBron, solve a problem for him and bring that Nike innovation and science to life. But now we get to combine that with the amazing team at Warner brothers and Bugs and his crew and that movie making magic and imagination,” said Nike senior footwear designer Jason Petrie.
The new silhouette features a double-chambered Air Max unit in the heel and a newly shaped Zoom Air forefoot unit for underfoot stability and comfort. The LeBron 19 will be released in July and retail for $200.
The 4-time NBA champion will don two distinct colorways of the LeBron 19 in the film, but he’s not the only one who gets in on the shoe action. James' cartoon co-stars get in on the game as well. Bugs vs. Marvin the Martian, Tweety Bird vs. Sylvester, and Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote will all receive a special edition of the LeBron 18 to commemorate their classic rivalry and will retail for $160.
Lola Bunny represents both the ladies and Converse in the film when she sports her version of the classic Pro Leather. Retailing for $100, the shoe features perforated leather design, with a fur star chevron logo and an embroidered Lola graphic on the heel, outlined by pops of pink mesh lining.
A special edition of the Converse Chuck 70 and the Chuck Taylor All-Star, retailing at $120 and $70, respectively, will round out the Converse footwear collection. It will pair with an apparel collection that features a roster of Looney Tunes characters assembled on graphic T-shirts, shorts, and hoodies.
Another iconic element of the Space Jam franchise has always been the animated players’ uniforms.
The protagonist "Tune Squad" and the antagonistic "Goon Squad" will don Nike and LeBron-branded Dri-FIT uniforms made from Durasheen fabric with an engineered print and stitched-down twill logos.
The "Space Jam: A New Legacy" collection from Nike and Converse releases in July on Nike.com, SNKRS, and at select retailers. The film Space Jam: A New Legacy will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, releasing in theaters nationwide July 16 and available in the U.S. on HBO Max for 31 days from the theatrical release.
Reggie Wade is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @ReggieWade.
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