Nike Unveils LeBron Witness IX PE for Bronny James Jr., New Kobe 'Dodger' Protros

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Nike Basketball unveiled a new Nike LeBron Witness IX PE, a player-exclusive colorway in honor of Bronny James. The shoe features subtle textures, red accents, and Bronny's name and logo, symbolizing his journey from son of LeBron James to rising Lakers star. Nike also rereleased the Kobe 11 Protro 'Fade to Black' and announced the Nike Kobe 5 Protro 'Dodgers' for a fall release.

Why it matters

The new LeBron Witness IX PE represents the passing of the narrative from one generation to the next, as Bronny James follows in his father's footsteps to the NBA. It also showcases Nike's continued investment in the entire James family and their basketball legacy.

The details

The LeBron Witness IX PE features a tonal upper layered with subtle textures, red accents, and Bronny's name on the toe and his logo on the heel. This comes after Nike quietly moved to trademark the Bronny logo in early March. Bronny's journey to the NBA has not been linear, as he suffered a cardiac arrest during a college practice in 2023 due to a congenital heart defect, before returning to the court and being drafted by the Lakers. The new sneaker lives in the space between what almost was and what now is.

• On July 24, 2023, Bronny James collapsed during an early-morning practice at USC's Galen Center and suffered a cardiac arrest.
• Less than five months later, Bronny returned to the court and made his collegiate debut with the Trojans.
• After his freshman season, Bronny declared for the 2024 NBA Draft and was selected in the second-round at No. 55 overall by the Lakers.
• In October 2024, LeBron and Bronny James made history as the first father-son teammates ever to share the court in the NBA.