King James Unveils LEBRON XI “Terracotta Warrior” Limited Edition

For his new signature shoe, LeBron James has consistently fed back to his shoe designers that he wants to feel locked down, as if the shoes are an extension of his feet, for the 1,000+ directional changes he makes per game. Nike Basketball designers aim to build on the strengths of his game and provide protection for his powerful force without hindering his intricate precision on the court. The upper is built in a new way, featuring revolutionary Nike Hyperposite technology for lightweight lockdown, while taking protection, containment and responsiveness to a new level. The upper incorporates Hyperfuse construction and Dynamic Flywire technology. The LEBRON 11 is deconstructed to get James’ foot much lower to the ground so he can feel the court, while enhancing cushioning via the full length Lunarlon and Nike Zoom unit – a combination featured for the first time in a Nike LeBron signature shoe. Nike Basketball designers successfully channel the duality of King James’ play and persona to tell the story via various LEBRON 11 colorways. This new colorway of the XI takes inspiration from LeBron’s 2011 China trip. James was impressed by the Terracotta Warrior Exhibition, which he visited when he was in Xi’An, China.

The exhibit, plus James’ playing style – which reflects a warrior’s spirit of grit, confidence, hard work and determination – inspired the Terracotta Warrior colorway. The design is inspired by the Terracotta Warriors as we see them today – in neutral stone colors along with pop colors of purple/teal/red to represent how they were originally painted. The graphic texture on the upper articulates the linked, plated armor that the warriors wore. The special lining shank design graphic is drawn from the style of Bronze Age art, the era in which the Terracotta Warriors were made. The LEBRON 11 Terracotta Warrior will be available on October 1st in Greater China, and on November 27th in North America and the rest of the world.