Nike collaborating with LeBron James and soccer star Kylian Mbappe on a special edition of LeBron 18s | NBA News

One of the league's all-time greats, LeBron James, has been involved in NBA News on Tuesday after it was announced that the LA Lakers star had lined-up a special collaboration for his shoe, the LeBron 18s. James already has the most shoe designs of any player in the NBA and his latest were released last year.

Despite this, it appears that Nike, alongside LeBron, had engineered a plan to form a cross-sport partnership with one of European soccer's biggest stars.

NBA News: Social Media erupts after LeBron James' latest shoe announcement

Istanbul Basaksehir v Paris Saint-Germain: Group H - UEFA Champions League

As one of the NBA's finest-ever players and a role model to countless emerging basketball talents and fans, LeBron James has one of the greatest social media followings of any athlete.

Alongside Nike, James has released 18 signature shoe designs and in the latest NBA News, it has been announced that another of the sports company's top ambassadors could be linking up with LeBron to release a version of his current LeBron 18s.

On Tuesday, social media erupted when it circulated that French soccer star, Kylian Mbappe would be collaborating with LeBron James.

.@Nike are set to release a @KMbappe-inspired version of @KingJames' current signature shoe, the LeBron 18.

Featuring 'KM' branding on the tongue, an insole with a football pitch design, and LeBron's signature 'King James' logo, the shoe is expected to drop on January 7th. pic.twitter.com/5xIEgGZkd7
— MUNDIAL (H) (@MundialMag) January 5, 2021

Prior to the NBA News dropping, LeBron James and Kylian Mbappe had swapped profile pictures on Instagram. The two athletes have 122.4m followers between them on the platform and are among Nike's most vocal and influential partners.

James has a lifetime contract with Nike and Mbappe is one of the company's future faces, currently under a 10-year deal worth $187m. With the two combining, Nike can expect massive interest and sales as a result of the partnership.

LeBron James and Kylian Mbappe swap profile pictures ahead of a rumored collab on a new edition of the LeBron 18s pic.twitter.com/J2MG0VJZxT
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 5, 2021

LeBron James and Kylian Mbappe are on opposing ends of their career trajectories but are two of the finest in their sports. LeBron is intent on securing back-to-back titles with the LA Lakers in pursuit of Michael Jordan's ring tally and even at the age of 36, is still among the league's MVP candidates.

Mbappe meanwhile is 22, but has already achieved so much. The young forward was only the second teenager to score in a World Cup Final after the legendary Pele, helping France to World Cup glory in 2018, and has a cabinet full of trophies and personal accolades that he has achieved at Paris Saint-Germain. With such a massive collaboration with LeBron James, Nike clearly has major plans for their young star.