Nike and California NBA star, LeBron James are once again at the center of a culture clash, and this time it involves one of the most sensitive legacies in American history. To mark Martin Luther King Jr Day, the sportswear giant attempted to honor Dr. King by producing a special sneaker for LeBron James. The result, however, has sparked intense backlash, with critics calling the move tone deaf, offensive, and even “absolutely disgraceful.”
According to the Daily Mail, the sneaker in question is the so called “Honor the King” colorway of the James 23. On paper, the idea sounds respectful. A tribute to Dr. King, worn by one of the most influential Black athletes in the world, released around MLK Day. But once the details emerged, many felt Nike badly missed the mark, and so did California basketball icon LeBron James.
As explained by ESPN writer David Dennis Jr in a video posted to his social media accounts, the sneaker features a mostly teal color with reflective graphics. That teal, according to Dennis, draws inspiration from the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. That is the same location where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated in 1968. “Who designed these,” asked one NBA fan via X.
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“There are so many other places that you can take colorways from to honor Dr. King,” Dennis said. “You can take places from Atlanta. You can take Birmingham, Montgomery. What about Washington D.C. where he delivered the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.” He did not mince words when describing how unsettling he found the inspiration choice. “The last place that I would think of would be the signage from where he was assassinated.”
Dennis’ criticism carries deep personal weight. His father was a Freedom Rider and a Civil Rights leader in Mississippi during the 1960s, giving him a direct connection to the movement Dr. King led. While he acknowledged the importance of the Lorraine Motel today, he made it clear that context alone does not justify Nike’s design decision.
“Now look, the Lorraine Motel has now been turned into the National Civil Rights Museum, it’s a beautiful museum, I know a lot about it,” Dennis said. “I was there when it opened, actually, I was four years old. It does a beautiful job of telling the story of Dr. King in those last days, and I encourage everybody to go.”
What he does not encourage is turning that history into a commercial product. “I do not encourage everybody to feel as though buying a $200 shoe of the signage of the Lorraine Motel is doing anything to honor anybody,” he continued. “It just feels like a tone deaf situation from Nike, from LeBron, from all parties involved.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Dennis also criticized Nike for tying the shoe not only to Dr. King, but also to a basketball milestone. The company used the sneaker to honor a 51 point performance LeBron James had against the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008. “Because that moment in American history deserves to be in the same space as the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King,” Dennis said sarcastically.
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He also pointed out a deeper contradiction that many critics feel uncomfortable ignoring. Dr. King was in Memphis supporting the rights of sanitation workers when he was killed, fighting against economic injustice and worker exploitation. Dennis argued that this message clashes sharply with Nike’s long criticized overseas labor practices.
“Dr. Martin Luther King was killed while trying to fight against the dreads of capitalism,” he said. “There’s nothing more capitalist than slapping Nike on a shoe, on a color that sort of trivializes, not sort of, very much so trivializes one of the most gruesome murders in American history.”
His conclusion was blunt and unforgiving. “Absolutely disgraceful move from all parties involved. I don’t even know where the money’s going… this is just bad marks all around for everybody involved. Disgraceful, disgusting act and I hope they can figure out some sort of way to right this wrong.”
Despite the backlash, the sneaker is reportedly set for a wide public release on February 24. Whether Nike and LeBron will respond to the criticism remains to be seen. For now, the controversy serves as a reminder that honoring cultural icons requires more than branding and good intentions. Context matters, and when it comes to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, people expect reverence, not reflective graphics tied to tragedy.
