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LeBron James was a pivotal figure in the LA Lakers' winning run during the inaugural edition of the NBA In-Season Tournament. They capped off the tournament with a 123-109 win against the Indiana Pacers 123-109 on Saturday, December 9.
While certain players made statements about what the contest means to them, four-time NBA champion James made one of his own by sporting Oregon Ducks' kicks as a shoutout to one of the best college football teams in the country. Incidentally, the Oregon Ducks basketball team is also the rival of the USC Trojans, the team his son Bronny James plays for.
In this instance, however, James paid rich tribute with a unique pair of kicks that brought Heisman finalist Bo Nix to mind. But in what comes as disappointing news for the Oregon football team fans, the quarterback lost the Heisman Trophy to LSU's Jayden Daniels.
The Green and Gold Ducks are LeBron 21s, the latest of LeBron James' signature basketball shoe collection. Nike unveiled the kicks earlier this year with the designs inspired by his daughter Zhuri James.
For an athlete who has been a massive influence on other sports teams and their athletes across the world, the Ducks will surely feel hyped to have a marquee figure supporting them.
LeBron 21 designer explains what makes LeBron James' new sneakers special
Ahead of the launch of the much-awaited LeBron 21s, Jason Petrie, the lead designer of the shoe explained the thought process that went into the making of the sneakers. According to the official site:
“As we took our next steps from the LeBron XX, we were inspired by the way LeBron James maintains his body and his game during the offseason,” Jason Petrie, Lead Designer for the LeBron 21. His trainer says it's like taking care of an F1 car. You tweak the car between each race. You don’t need to rebuild the car completely. We wanted to retain some of the elements we know he loved, like the Zoom Turbo unit, but refine some of the finishes in the upper.”
Designed for performance and just as visually stunning, the LeBron 21s have been a rage across the league with other players sporting them as well. A kixstat report lists the likes of Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz), Jarred Vanderbilt (LA Lakers), and Anthony Davis (LA Lakers) using them on the floor.
On the season front, LeBron James has been on a tear. The recently-crowned NBA In-Season Tournament MVP will now set his sights on this season's championship.
