By the time the already-dubbed 'King James' appeared on the cover of SLAM #78 at the midway point of his rookie season, the most hyped prospect in league history was already meeting, and even exceeding the hype. Nike coined him 'generational' off top, with a record-setting $90-million rookie shoe deal and a signature series.
To celebrate SLAM's 30th Anniversary year in 2024, we teamed up with brands around the industry to highlight the players, the covers and the sneakers that have made their mark on hoops culture during that time.
One of the most frequent cover athletes in SLAM history, LeBron James has undoubtedly made a generational impact on the magazine. SLAM was there early, shooting a young James in Akron during his SVSM High School days.
The text behind the tongue of the new SLAM x Nike Air Zoom Generation is updated from the cover and says as much: 'Since The Beginning...' Flipping the hues of his first shoes, a rich red takes on the base color, while a series of design details celebrating his debut signature silhouette all come to life.
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