Sunday night, during his record 21st NBA All-Star Game appearance, LeBron James hit the court donning a pair of Nike LeBron 21 footwear that were modeled after a signature shoe by Deion Sanders from the ’90s.
The claw mark striping on the special-edition footwear was also present on the Air DT Max ’96, also known as the Air Diamond Turf 3. Furthermore, it was designed in the same white and black color scheme with gold accents, which coincidentally corresponds to the colors of Sanders’ alma mater, the Colorado Buffaloes.
Nike reissued Sanders’ third signature sneaker with his logo for the very first time this month, in addition to releasing a brand-new iteration. Despite several reintroductions of Sanders’ shoes since their initial release, the brand has refrained from including the markings on them due to Sanders’s lack of association with the brand for a significant period of time, culminating in his resignation in 2024 (hence the distinct name). Sanders, who was signed with Under Armour at the time, stated unequivocally that he would never return to Nike.
Conversely, for the NBA All-Star Game this year, Nike has produced an additional trio of modern basketball footwear that draw inspiration from classic models. The GT Hustle 2 was inspired by the Air More Uptempo, while the GT Jump 2 was modeled after the Total Foamposite Max. The GT Cut 3 was inspired by the Zoom Flight 5. James is making his 21st consecutive and all-star appearance, both of which are records. With 19, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar previously held the record for both.
It is currently unknown whether the Nike LeBron 21 “DT Max ’96” will be available to the general public or be available exclusively to players. If additional details become available, this post will be revised. Nike has been contacted by Footwear News for comment.
