LeBron James rocks “Solar Red” Nike Air Yeezy 2s at Bronny’s USC game
LeBron James recently attended his son Bronny James' USC game on Wednesday night. The game saw the Washington State Cougars defeat the USC Trojans 72-64 in a matchup that was closely contested through the first half. In the second, however, the Cougars managed to pull ahead, outscoring the Trojans 43-36.
While the game was an exhilarating one, it was LeBron James' fit that caught the attention of NBA fans. While sitting courtside, the four-time NBA champ broke out a rare pair of Solar Red Nike Air Yeezy 2s. The iconic Kanye West shoes are from a time when the musician was signed with Nike, before joining Adidas.
The Solar Red colorway is one of the most sought-after pairs of Nike Yeezys after the Red October Yeezy 2s, with pairs selling online for several thousand dollars. Per StockX sneaker marketplace, a pair of Nike Air Yeezy 2s is currently on the market for a whopping $7,777.
LeBron James casually broke out the rare shoes along with a Nike rendition of a classic retro Starter Jacket. In a short video shared on social media, the future Hall of Famer can be seen wearing the shoes. Check it out below!
Looking back at when the NBA was allegedly planning to ban Yeezy shoes much like the ones LeBron James wore
Although the Kanye West Nike Air Yeezys were incredibly popular, the NBA allegedly wasn't sold. After the popularity of the Nike Air Yeezy shoes, and the Nike Air Yeezy 2 shoes worn by LeBron James, the famed rapper was set to release a specific basketball line of shoes.
The shoes were designed in collaboration between West and Adidas, and were expected to be one of the hottest releases. Despite that, there was one specific detail that caused concern around the league, leading to reports that the shoe would be banned by the league.
Early photos of the shoe showed a reflective patch on the heel which caused problems with the NBA. Before the league could release a formal statement on the matter, ESPN wrote an article referencing the NBA's official footwear policy, which read:
"Shoes containing flashing lights or similar types of adornments (e,g., metallic or reflective) are not considered appropriate basketball footwear."
The news caught the attention of fans, with the NBA community debating whether or not the situation was reminiscent of the early Jordan 1 ban that confused fans. To make matters more confusing, Kanye West hadn't submitted the shoe to the NBA for review.
Fortunately for Kanye, and for NBA players like Montrezl Harrell and Andre Iguodala who chose to wear the shoe, an updated colorway didn't include the patch. Without the reflective heel, the NBA allowed players to wear the shoe, however, they never seemed to catch on.