Nike LeBron 12 Low 'USA' Release Date, Retail Price and Pics

Nike isn't wasting any time with its support of the LeBron 12 low releases, putting a wash of colorways on the market in what's been one of the most successful iterations of the Cleveland Cavaliers star's signature shoe.

The latest colorway is the "USA," which will hit the market on Thursday. While one may see the "USA" moniker attached and make the natural red, white and blue assumption, Nike actually moved away from the obvious association with this release. As noted by Sneaker News, the colors of Old Glory were put inside in favor of a white and gold colorway that's perfect for a spring release:

As a proponent of white shoes, these are right up my personal alley. White and gold have always been a winning combination, and it obviously helps that gold is a color that's awfully familiar to James' Team USA roots. The four-time NBA MVP also has two Olympic golds on his resume, which helps the overall colorway make logistical sense.

Of course, it's hard to say any business related to LeBron's shoe game is bad at the moment. Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes reported Nike generated $340 million in sales numbers over the last year, by far the highest number on the market and a 13 percent uptick from the previous year.

Release Date	Time (ET)	Retail Price	Color(s)
Thursday, April 9	10 a.m.	$175	White/Gum/Navy/Red

Kevin Durant, whose Nike line sold $190 million, was a distant second. In fact, you'd have to add together the next top four earners—Durant, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose—to surpass James alone. We can have a King of the Court debate for hours; there is no denying who is the king of the (active player) shoe game.

The "USA" release should only boost Nike's bottom line for the next fiscal year. A low-top shoe with perhaps the best on-court performance of any previous LeBron release, the 12s are solid for playing and off-the-court use. Whites go with anything, lows look good with shorts, and the gold isn't such a garish color that you'd have to find a way to match elsewhere.

Often with colorways introduced post-release, that's the biggest problem. Designers, desperate to differentiate the shoe, delve too deep into outlandish or bright colors. All-red shoes look really dope when you're wearing a red shirt. But have you ever seen someone go with the all-reds while wearing some other color?

Of course not. Because that would be ridiculous.

The "USA" release is solid because it checks every possible box. It has a direct relationship with James' playing career. It's a good on-court performer for those who prefer wearing lows on the court (an increasing subsect, by the way). It's a clean, simple colorway that lends itself perfectly to the upcoming warm weather; it'd be hard to hate on someone who chose these in a situation when a Sperry would be the default call.

Plus, there's the whole being patriotic thing. So if you're interested and have $175 hanging around for kicks, get out there and get your USA on. For my money, it'll be the best possible pickup you can make from the LeBron 12 collection.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.