"These shoes are now a national treasure"- LeBron James shares BR Kick's post remembering the launch of his 'Equality 15' sneakers
Bleacher Report Kicks, an Instagram page covering sneakers, posted a throwback to the special edition LeBron James sneakers that James debuted in December 2017. James planned the debut, choosing a match against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. With black and white versions, the sneakers were designed to send a message of equality despite a person’s skin color.
LeBron James played in mismatched colors of the Nike LeBron 15 “Equality” back in 2017 https://t.co/wJsOFcWxW3
LeBron James shared the said post on his Instagram story, showing us that the pair are valuable in his collection. LeBron James had a poor shooting night against the Wizards but made up for it by getting his teammates involved. Despite a 34.8% shooting night, James recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists. After their 106-99 win, LeBron James spoke up about his shoes and their cause, saying:
“Us as Americans, no matter the skin color, no matter the race, no matter who you are, I think we all have to understand that having equal rights and being able to stand for something and speak for something and keeping the conversation going [is important].”
James has always been active in speaking up about such issues. In February 2018, when Nike and LeBron James launched a limited edition of LeBron 15 ‘Equality’ during a raffle, they raised $457,780, which they donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Today the National Museum of African American History & Culture officially accepted the pair of Nike LeBron 15 “Equality” PEs @KingJames wore vs. Wizards on 12/17/17. They were unveiled in front of a group of 59 children @Nike welcomed to D.C. from across the country @NMAAHC https://t.co/Ddky5IJtIP
Later that year, in July, a day after James opened his "I Promise School" in Akron, Ohio, his game-worn sneakers were officially accepted into the NMAAHC. Damian Thomas, the museum's sports curator, signifying its importance, said:
“These shoes are now a national treasure. And it’s important that we’re able to share LeBron’s story.”
During Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 2019, James put the shoes on again as he sat courtside, missing the game with an injury. When asked about the sneakers and their significance, he said:
“Equality is all about understanding our rights, understanding what we stand for and how powerful we are as men and women, black or white or Hispanic.”
LeBron James and the Lakers show up on MLK Day
The superstar player that he is, James has featured in many MLK Day fixtures in his career. This season was no different as the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Utah Jazz on Jan 17th, 2022. James played 37 minutes, logging 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on a 45% shooting night.
LeBron and Russ lead the way in the comeback 🙌
@KingJames drops 25 PTS, 7 REB and 7 AST, and @russwest44 provides 15 PTS and 8 REB as the @Lakers battle back for the W! https://t.co/XZuzGo0ey2
The Lakers won the game, 101-95 against the fourth-placed Jazz thanks to solid performances from Stanley Johnson and Russell Westbrook. Finishing with 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists, Westbrook also had a couple of highlight plays on Utah's defensive center, Rudy Gobert. Stanley Johnson was crucial for the Lakers in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of his 15 points.
The Lakers are now back to .500 with a 22-22 record, placing seventh in the Western Conference standings. They will play their next game at home against the Indiana Pacers before starting a six-game road trip against the Orlando Magic.