Nike LeBron 12 EXT 'Wheat' Release Date Schedule, Pics and Retail Price

Nike is diving into the time capsule for the April 4 release of the LeBron 12 EXT shoe, which adds a 2015 riff on the Air Zoom Generation sneaker LeBron James wore in the 2004 Rookie Challenge.

The wheat portion of the sneaker comes from the color and design Nike is putting into it. It also hearkens back to that fateful Rookie Challenge, in which LeBron dropped 33 points in a game that also featured Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Manu Ginobili, Yao Ming and Amar'e Stoudemire. 

Release Date	Retail Price	Availability
Saturday, April 4	$250	Select Nike Stores & Nike.com

On the Nike website, this sneaker boasts that it's got a unique identity among most major releases for basketball shoes, since it is not solely designed for use on the court: 

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Geared for off-court use, the LeBron XII EXT features a wheat nubuck upper with metallic gold accents. As a nod to LeBron’s memorable rookie challenge performance, the heel pull-tab displays the date 2.13.04. Classic LeBron branding on the tongue tab and sockliner tie back to the legendary Air Zoom Generation.

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As far as the design goes, in addition to the top picture, which was taken during the 2004 Rookie Challenge, XXL tweeted out this photo from an oblique angle:

The first thing one is drawn to, as one should be, is the color. It's got the look of a wheat field, like the kind of colors that tend to dominate Terrence Malick movies at their most philosophical. That's what LeBron wanted for the 2004 Rookie Challenge, which is what he got. 

It's also a strong design that allows the wearer to show off in the summer or, if you like the illusion of a boot without the actual thing, in the winter months when you want something to protect your feet from the cold. 

Moving to a different angle, thanks to this photo from Kicks on Fire, we get a brief look at the Nike swoosh logo:

It's not uncommon for Nike to make the swoosh logo the main focus of the sneaker. Seven seasons of Mad Men have taught me that brands love to have their names and/or logo front and center, as is their right since it builds a brand or keep a powerful one intact. 

Yet this particular use of the Nike logo is tremendous. In addition to updating the 2004 version so that it pops, the shine that comes off the logo balances out the the soft wheat color that encompasses the remaining 90 percent of the shoe. 

Finally, via Sneaker Shouts, here's what the back of the Nike LeBron 12 EXT looks like:

Here's where Nike goes head-on embracing the retro aspect of the sneaker, as you can see the LeBron James signature on the sockliner tie complete with the date of the 2004 Rookie Challenge (February 13, 2004).  

Even though it was obvious LeBron was going to be a superstar long before that night in February, in which he went 15-of-26 from the floor and added six assists, this was his moment on the national stage in one of the greatest rookie classes in NBA history. 

An All-Star showcase is not going to be pure basketball at its finest, since no one cares about defense, but LeBron took over this particular night in a way that proved he was operating on a different plane than fellow stars like Wade, Anthony and Ginobili. 

Now, 11 years later, LeBron has won two championships, four MVP trophies and is regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. The best way to honor a 30-year-old legend is by owning an upgraded version of one of his most memorable sneakers.