Together, Nike and LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar small forward, are trying a different route with regards to their upcoming release of the special edition LeBron James 14 “Out of Nowhere” sneakers. Instead of a normal website or store-based release, a small number of the shoes have been going directly to a secondary marketplace before their wider release.
On Friday, StockX, an online sneaker resale store, auctioned off 23 pairs of James’ signature shoe from his NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings in 2003. This was no ordinary shoe package, however. The limited release of the shoes, which are called commonly referred to as “The First Game,” came with several special features, including a box made from the Cavaliers’ home court from last year’s championship season and a version of the championship rings that the team gave to its employees (not the version given to players).
Huge thank you to the @cavs and @TheQArena for helping make our SPO come together. pic.twitter.com/Ind7LmQYkw
— StockX (@stockx) January 20, 2017
The Cavs Court SPO was designed to celebrate the relationship between the Cavaliers and Cleveland’s youth. According to their website, StockX will contribute a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the ‘Cavs Court SPO’ to the Cavaliers Youth Foundation.
In an article from StockX.com, Tracy Marek, Cavaliers Senior Vice President of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer, explains the exciting news.
While the title and trophy were won by the team, the championship belongs just as much to the City of Cleveland and our great fans. So it is only fitting that they should have a piece of this history for themselves. We are thrilled to be able to offer this unique opportunity for our fans to have a permanent reminder of the incredible joy felt in Cleveland in 2016. We hope that this allows them to continue celebrating forever.”
Reportedly, Nike will release its LeBron 14 “Out of Nowhere” colorway through StockX, then later at House of Hoops and select stores on January 27th. Estimated retail price for the signature kicks is rumored to be $175.
The #Nike LeBron 14 'Out Of Nowhere' arrives in select #HouseOfHoops 1/27. | Stores: https://t.co/MeC16XnLFi pic.twitter.com/8MVSOxak2N
— Foot Locker (@footlocker) January 20, 2017