Lakers' LeBron James, USC's JuJu Watkins' Historic Nike Shoe Collab Unveiled in Photo
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and USC's JuJu Watkins joined forces to design a new LeBron NXXT Gen shoe.
"Working with LeBron to co-create a first is wild," she said in Wednesday's announcement. "It's built for my game, my story. Shaping something to share with the next generation of hoopers means everything."
Nike said the "Silver Lining" colorway will be the first to hit stores this summer, and more designs are forthcoming.
The company added that the shoe is tailored to Watkins' game: "The result harnesses a fine-tuned balance of court feel and bounce that enables JuJu's ability to both drive downhill and create her own shot from distance, commanding the floor with each touch."
The junior guard was one of the most heralded prep prospects in the country when she signed with USC in 2023, and she has more than lived up to the hype.
Through her first two seasons, Watkins averaged 25.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists. She also took home nearly every major individual award in 2024-25.
The two-time All-American has been sidelined for all of this year after suffering a torn ACL in the 2025 NCAA tournament.
The injury has done little to dampen Watkins' star power, though. Plenty of fans and WNBA teams are eagerly awaiting the moment she's eligible to make the leap to the pros.
Nike first signed Watkins to an NIL deal in October 2024, and NBA insider Shams Charania called it "one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in women's basketball."
Having her design her own shoe under LeBron's signature line is a big step forward in the partnership, and it might only be a matter of time before Watkins receives her own signature sneaker.
