Rusty Weiss
The Nike LeBron 23 “Honor the King” sneaker, a special colorway in LeBron James‘ signature line, has sparked significant backlash following its release and promotion around Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Why? Because the color scheme for the $210 shoe was inspired by the signage of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, the site where King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Why would you draw inspiration from the location of an assassination?
Nike positioned the design as a tribute tied to James’ illustrious 23-year NBA career, specifically referencing his 51-point performance against the Memphis Grizzlies on MLK Day in 2008. The heel features the word “Equality,” aiming to honor King’s legacy of civil rights advocacy.
From @TheAthletic: Nike's new “Honor the King” LeBron James shoes are a nod to where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed in 1968.
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 20, 2026
"As far as tributes to King, this is as big of a miss that I’ve seen," our columnist writes. https://t.co/6Wz4Ekc7wb
LeBron James Nike MLK Shoe Backlash: Critics Call ‘Honor the King’ Design Tone-Deaf and Disrespectful
The choice to incorporate elements from the assassination location—now home to the National Civil Rights Museum—has drawn widespread criticism for being insensitive and exploitative.
Critics argue that commercializing such a tragic historical site trivializes King’s death and his work supporting striking sanitation workers in Memphis as part of the Poor People’s Campaign. Which is why he was in Memphis at the time.
Ya think?
Jason Jones from The Athletic could hardly believe the shoe was real.
‘The first time I saw the image on social media, I continued scrolling. The internet is full of fake images, and this had to be someone trolling,” he wrote. “A Lorraine Motel shoe? No way.”
“Wrong. The shoe is very real.”
“As far as tributes to King, this is as big of a miss that I’ve seen,” Jones added. “Some things are meant to be memorialized, not monetized.”
Come on. Is there anything the self-proclaimed “King” isn’t willing to monetize?
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Jones wasn’t the only prominent sports voice outraged by the MLK shoes.
Backlash erupted quickly on social media and in sports media outlets, with many calling the design “tone-deaf,” “tasteless,” and “disgraceful.” Comment sections flooded with accusations that Nike prioritized profit over respect
ESPN pundit Clinton Yates tweeted that the situation highlighted a lack of empowered Black voices in Nike’s decision-making rooms, calling it “a disgrace.”
the fact that this is real indicates, yet again, that not enough black folks are in enough rooms at Nike. Or that they dont feel empowered enough to speak up. What a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/0a25AbAZLT
— Clinton Yates (@clintonyates) January 19, 2026
ESPN’s David Dennis Jr. described it as a “tone-deaf situation from Nike, from LeBron, from all parties involved,” emphasizing that the assassination site was the “last place” one would expect for inspiration.
Thus far, LeBron has not responded to the backlash.