LOS ANGELES — Bronny James discussed stepping into his NBA legend father’s shoes — literally — while shopping for sneakers in a video published days ahead of the 2024 NBA draft.
LeBron James’ eldest son fielded questions about his family, sneaker collections and his footwear preferences on and off the court during the 300th episode of Complex’s “Sneaker Shopping” series.
During the rare interview, Bronny James said it was his first time in a physical shoe store in years, dating back to “probably before COVID.”
However, his father is a lifetime Nike athlete and Bronny James is an inaugural Nike basketball NIL athlete himself, giving him access to any Nike shoe a sneakerhead could desire.
“[It’s] special. All the opportunities my dad has given me,” James said of his sneaker access. “The ability to pick any shoe.”
The former USC guard unsurprisingly favors his father’s shoes on the court, specifically the first in his father’s signature line, the Nike Air Zoom Generation, also known as LeBron 1s. James said he loves playing in these shoes, released in 2003, a year before he was born, because “they’re super light and look great.”
James revealed that he and his brother, Bryce James, helped wear test the next generation of LeBrons, starting with the Lebron 20s, released in 2022. A tag on the shoe reads, “Designed and engineered to the exact specifications of the next generation,” a nod to LeBron James’ sons.
“We were in the lab a little bit,” Bronny James said. “I helped him cook up some shoes. He wanted to get some feedback from his sons.”
James shared his desire to wear shoes in his father’s collection, going so far as to double up pairs of socks to fit into his father’s pair of Nike Off-White x Hyperdunk shoes while playing for Sierra Canyon.
Within the James family, competition for the title of superior sneakerhead is intense. James saluted his younger brother’s passion for sneaker hunting.
“We all have to get ours,” James said. “Bryce, he be searching for shoes. He tries to find everything.”
James shared his love for his favorite Nike silhouette, the Nike Vomero 5, offering a glimpse into his own style and personality beyond LeBron James’ line of shoes. He prefers the low-key early-2000s running shoe, opting for the simple black, white and tan colorways.
After extensive discussion of shoes, Bronny James acknowledged his excitement about this week’s NBA draft, calling the experience a blessing and potentially playing in the NBA a dream come true.
After the interview, James observed the Complex video series tradition of going on a shopping spree. He purchased pairs of some of the most sought-after Nike collaborations with hype brands such as Cactus Plant Flea Market, Off-White and CLOT, totaling $10,172.
As a birthday present for his brother, who turned 17 during the episode’s filming, James picked up a few pairs of Kobe 8s.
