Nike and LeBron James are finding themselves in hot water after renewed backlash over the Nike LeBron 23 “Honor the King” colorway, a special edition sneaker meant to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Instead of sparking inspiration, the teal-toned shoe has drawn criticism from sports fans and sneakerheads who feel the concept — and the moment it pulls from — is being handled in a way that’s uncomfortable at best and disrespectful at worst.
The colorway is one of 23 special designs Nike says are meant to tell important stories from James’ career. This one, however, is built around an especially heavy reference: the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where King was assassinated in 1968.
Nike says the teal tone is inspired by the motel and also points to a 2008 game where James scored 51 points against the Memphis Grizzlies. But critics argue that blending an iconic basketball moment with the location of one of the most traumatic events in U.S. history is exactly the kind of branding move that turns “honor” into a marketing strategy.
That discomfort has been amplified by social media reactions, including a post from Peter Darker, who placed responsibility not only on Nike, but on James himself.
“This is on LeBron too,” Darker wrote. “He has his own wing at Nike HQ. Nothing gets approved for his brand without his ok.”
The shoes first appeared earlier this month when James debuted them during a game. At the time, sneakerheads were already skeptical. But the conversation grew louder after Sandra E. Garcia of The New York Times covered the reactions among fans, bringing broader attention to the debate around whether this is a meaningful tribute or a misstep.
Nike has defended the intention behind the design. In the Times interview, John Jowers, Nike’s vice president for communications, said, “Design is so subjective, and some people the design will resonate with, and others maybe less so, and obviously that becomes a little bit more charged when you have bigger principles at play. I think the intent, though, was really to pay homage to Dr. King, his life and his legacy.”
But the criticism isn’t just about the look of the sneaker. It’s about the symbolism, and what gets lost when King’s legacy is reduced to a colorway.
Commentator David Dennis Jr. addressed this directly in an Instagram reel, pointing out that King was in Memphis for a reason that often gets glossed over when the focus shifts to aesthetics: he was there to fight for the rights of sanitation workers.
Dennis argued that honoring that moment with a sneaker feels tone-deaf, especially amid ongoing scrutiny surrounding labor.
“Dr. Martin Luther King was killed while trying to fight through the drudges of capitalism,” Dennis said. “There’s nothing more capitalist than slapping ‘Nike’ on a shoe that trivializes one of the most gruesome murders in American History. Absolutely disgraceful move by all parties involved.”
He also questioned the purpose behind the profit.
“I don’t even know where the money is going,” he added, before landing on a bleak takeaway that hit a nerve for many viewers: “Capitalism is just going to get us all.”
Part of what makes the “Honor the King” debate so familiar is that sports have long walked a tightrope with tributes. Teams like the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies have honored King through limited-edition uniforms, and NBA players regularly wear custom shoes on MLK Day. In recent years, it’s also become common for players to debut “Black History Month” colorways on MLK Day before they officially release — a trend that has helped produce some of the league’s most iconic sneakers.
But this moment feels different. Not because athletes shouldn’t honor King, but because some fans are asking what it really means to “honor” someone whose life’s work challenged the very systems that big brands profit from.
Nike hasn’t announced a release date, but the shoes are expected to retail for $210 in adult sizes on Nike’s website and at select retailers. According to StockX, the Nike LeBron 23 “Honor the King” is set to release on February 5.
