Here's What LeBron's First Signature Shoe Looked Like Before It Released

There aren't many rarer LeBrons in existence.

Nike Air Zoom Generation White Royal Sample (1)
via goldtankdawg

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Nike Air Zoom Generation White Royal Sample (1)

by Brandon Richard

The Nike Air Zoom Generation was a landmark sneaker for a myriad of reasons. Never had an incoming athlete been under so much pressure to perform at a high level — and consequently, no brand had been under more pressure to deliver the right signature sneaker. It turned out that Nike's design trio of Tinker Hatfield, Eric Avar and Aaron Cooper served up a winner, but the Air Zoom Generation wasn't perfected overnight.

Below is a look at an early version that didn't release. More like a Hummer than the retail pair, the sample features a noticeably higher sloped collar and repositioned Swoosh.

This year, Jordan Brand has commemorated the Air Jordan's 30th Anniversary by bringing back unreleased oddballs from the 80s and 90s. Perhaps this design will be revisited whenever Nike decides to move forward with LeBron James retros.

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Nike Air Zoom Generation White Royal Sample