LeBron James’ on-court resume is unassailable; depending on your perspective, he’s either the greatest or in the top 2, with genuinely hundreds of performances worthy of retelling to future generations. In the realm of footwear, however, it’s been far more rare for a shoe bearing the King’s name to become a bonafide collector’s item. Easily the most bankable asset in that regard is the “Dunkman,” James’ most notorious colorway and one that he’s revisited plenty in his sneaker exploits in the years since. After a pretty prolonged hiatus for the look in his signature line, the Swoosh is revisiting that ZLII edition via the Nike LeBron 22 “Dunkman.”
For those not in the know, revisit our retrospective coverage of the LeBron 2. However, most basketball fans should be aware that a PE of The Kid From Akron’s second signature ushered in a rarely-used logo depicting James cocking back a tomahawk dunk, a touch that elevated the grey/neon green colorway to iconic status. Given its importance in sneakerhead circles, the look has since hit the 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14 and 18, revitalized in the past calendar year for his off-court LeBron TR1.
All of that to say, there’s plenty of precedent for how this look can be reimagined and reinterpreted, but the Laker superstar’s latest largely keeps to the script, etching out space on the medial side shank for the embroidered logo, while pinning the steely tones on the upper and utilizing neon green in various spots in the trim. For a final refined touch, a brushed finish coats the shoe’s upper, leaning into the elevated status the LeBron 22 has majored in since its introduction.
The Nike LeBron 22 “Dunkman” currently doesn’t have a concrete release date, but expect these landing sometime in the Summer/Fall 2025 window. Retail pricing is similarly opaque at this juncture, but don’t be shocked if these carry a premium on the usual $180 sticker price. For the latest on either front, keep our Sneaker Release Dates page within reach.
