LeBron James’ signature sneaker line isn’t quite as storied as Michael Jordan’s. But it’s still got plenty of juice behind it.
Sure, there are plenty of sneakers within LeBron’s signature line that probably aren’t the greatest. They can get pretty big and bulky. Some of the pairs from the last few years look more like LeBron combat boots than actual basketball sneakers.
But there’s still a lot of good there, too! Especially when you look at the sneakers from his stint with the Miami Heat. There are some classic pairs that still hold up today.
We’re going to take a quick look at all of them. Here’s every LeBron James signature sneaker, ranked.
1
LeBron 8
This is the sneaker that really got the LeBron signature line hype going. Of course, there were good models that came before the LeBron 8. But this is the shoe that had folks lining up outside of sneaker stores in 2010 for this. It was the first big sneaker that LeBron and Nike released after his move to the Miami Heat. The shoe was polarizing. It was hot. It was colorful. It was everything you’d want to a sneaker to be and it still holds up to this day. It’s one of the best basketball sneakers ever.
2
LeBron 7
The LeBron 7 is my personal favorite LeBron. Particularly, the China Moon colorway of the sneaker might be my favorite colorway on any LeBron sneaker overall. It doesn’t get the love it deserves because the LeBron 8 exists, but it’s still one of James’ best.
3
Air Zoom Generation
The Air Zoom Generation has to be high on this list if only because it’s LeBron’s first signature sneaker. This is the shoe that started it all. Yes, it looks a bit dated. Sure, it’s got a combat boot vibe to it. But it’s a classic. There’s no debating that.
4
LeBron 20
The LeBron 20 at No. 4 on this list is probably going to surprise a lot of people. Maybe it’s recency bias here, but this feels like one of LeBron’s best sneakers ever. It’s a complete deviation from what the line has been — it’s a light, lowcut shoe primarily and not the big, bulky Brons we’re used to. That’s a more than welcome change.
5
LeBron 9
I think if the LeBron 7 and LeBron 8 didn’t exist, the LeBron 9 would generally be held in much higher regard. This is a really good shoe with a sleek look to it. Its predecessors were just … better.
6
LeBron 3
The LeBron 3 is a spectacular shoe that still holds up in design today. It’s almost perfect. It very clearly pulls some design concepts from OGs from the straps to the two-tone upper on the top. It mostly reminds me of the Air Jordan 11 in that way, which is an absolute classic sneaker in itself.
7
LeBron 10
8
LeBron 2
The LeBron 2 feels like a 90s shoe in the best way possible. When this thing dropped in 2004 it almost felt like it could’ve been a retro of a Jordan sneaker.
9
LeBron 4
I complain a lot about LeBron’s shoes being a bit too bulky and these definitely fall into that category. But, man, they’re also still really good. The details are always great and the colorways are solid. This is one of Bron’s best.
10
LeBron 6
The LeBron 6 is always going to be a special one in LeBron’s archive because this is the sneaker that he won his first MVP trophy in. These shoes represent history in a special way.
11
LeBron 5
The LeBron 5 is probably the worst of James’ first five signature shoes, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still one of his best. This is an absolute classic sneaker.
12
LeBron 11
This is the final LeBron James Miami sneaker, so some of the colorways that we’ve seen of these joints get pretty bright. The 11 brought a futuristic vibe to the LeBron line that we hadn’t seen before.
13
LeBron 12
The LeBron 12 continues that futuristic look that we saw featured from the 11. This was the first shoe that James wore when he returned to Cleveland after his stint in Miami.
14
LeBron 15
This shoe was actually pretty cool. LeBron had a collaboration with the streetwear brand, Kith, that really set the LeBron 15 off. The battle knit was a true departure from the look that we were used to with James’ signature line, but it was used well here.
15
LeBron 18
I need to make a note that the above version pictured of this sneaker is the LeBron 18 low. The low version of this thing is so good that I think it deserved to take precedent over the regular version. These saved the silhouette.
16
LeBron 17
The LeBron 17 was good. It was a bit too bulky — as most later LeBron sneakers are — but the shape of the shoe felt like a return to some of James’ best sneaker years. There were some pretty solid colorways that came with this one, too.
17
LeBron 13
The LeBron 13 is a solid sneaker. It’s definitely a bit weird in shape, but the low version of this shoe looks incredible. Above all else, it performed really well which is why — despite being of the combat boot variety — this one isn’t all the way at the bottom of the list.
18
LeBron 14
The 14 was a true precursor for what was to come with the LeBron James signature line over the next few years. It seemed like the shoes just progressively got bulkier and boring as the years went by. The 15 was a deviation from that, but man. The rest? Just not that good.
19
LeBron 16
I might be being a little tough on the 16 here. It’s definitely not my cup of tea, but it did bring some solid technology to the table with the Air Max-Zoom fusion it did. That knit just doesn’t sit right with me.
20
LeBron 19
Remember when I said that LeBron sneakers have been space combat boots? This sneaker right here is the literal embodiment of that. These look like something Buzz Lightyear would wear. They’re terrible. This is only a shoe that could work for LeBron James.
