Kicks

LeBron James Wins Olympic Gold Medal in Gold Nike LeBron 22

LeBron James wore a gold colorway of the Nike LeBron 22 in the Olympic gold medal game.

Pat Benson

LeBron James wears the Nike LeBron 22.
LeBron James wears the Nike LeBron 22. / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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NBA legend LeBron James can add a third Olympic gold medal to his already unparalleled career. Just as the Los Angeles Lakers forward continues to reinvent himself to stay atop the sport, his signature sneaker line remains more relevant than ever.

During Sunday's gold medal game against France, James wore his 22nd signature Nike sneaker in a metallic gold colorway. James debuted the Nike LeBron 22 last month and has now made Olympic history in the hoop shoe. Three gold medals in three different signature sneakers. Only Kevin Durant has won more with four.

Throughout all of the Paris Olympics, James has worn the Nike LeBron 22 in the same 'USA' colorway. The patriotic kicks featured a classic red, white, and blue color scheme that perfectly matched Team USA's Nike uniforms.

However, James finally debuted a second colorway of the Nike LeBron 22 at the best possible time (he also tested out a metallic blue colorway during warmups). James provided 14 points and 10 assists in the USA's 98-87 win over France. But it was the gold sneakers that set social media ablaze.

The Nike LeBron 22 is expected to launch in September for $200 in adult sizes. Currently, there are no tech specs or official campaign details. But it's safe to say that James just gave Nike plenty of promotional content with today's gold medal victory.

The grey hair, the gold shoes, and the determination all highlight how far James has come since the disappointing bronze medal performance in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

There are no signs of the 38-year-old slowing down anytime soon. Luckily for the sneaker community, that means plenty more footwear stories to come. Stay locked into Kicks on SI for all your sneaker news from the sports world and beyond.

Further Reading: Ranking Team USA's basketball sneakers from best to worst.


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Pat Benson

PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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