Tales from the Kicks: The LeBron Soldier X

"To be able to continue to build up our city, to continue to be an inspiration to our city, it means everything," LeBron James confessed to reporters congregated inside the press room after Game 7 of the 2015-16 NBA Finals.

King James had put the finishing touches on leading his Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA championship since the franchise came to life 46 years prior, winning three-straight pressure-cooked games over the (Kevin Durant-less) Golden State Warriors.

This was a career-defining moment. A jubilant home from the humidity of South Beach. "Not two, not three..." memories had vanished. LeBron James was home.

Sneakers are part of any championship conversation. Michael Jordan's "Flu Game" Air Jordan XIIs serve as a reminder of how much footwear can influence the game. For his part, James' first NBA title outside of Miami's jurisdiction was accomplished wearing the LeBron Soldier X.

Image courtesy of Nike News.

Casual onlookers of James' footwear adventures with Nike probably didn't realize LeBron's Soldier line has been tailored as a separate commodity from the King's yearly signature efforts. Debuting in April 2007, James started to switch over to the Soldiers, forging his regular-season kicks during the NBA Playoffs.

Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press

Debuting in April 2007, James started to switch over to the Soldiers, forging his regular-season kicks during the NBA Playoffs.

The line quickly became part of his sneaker legacy, with shoes like the Soldier II surfacing during the 2008 Olympic Games and the Soldier IV serving as the first signature pair of kicks James wore in a Miami Heat uniform.

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Each adaptation since is now part of James' empire. These noble pieces of footwear are displayed as battle scars.

James wore the Soldier X as he willed the Cavaliers back from a cataclysmic 3-1 deficit in the Finals. Served up with an innovative lacing system, the Soldier X relied on tightening straps to fasten in his feet rather than actual laces.

It's a sneaker, unlike James' traditional series, that drew the ire of some reviewers, despite being aesthetically triumphant. NightWing2303 over at WearTesters endured issues with the Soldier X's lack of cushioning: "Cushion was so bad (for me) that it literally pained me to wear them. I was hoping for the opposite, as the cushion used is my favorite offering from Nike (most of the time), but this time the dense midsole really hindered the Zoom Air’s natural ability to absorb and deflect energy and impact."

Any negative elements consumers may have felt about the product didn't have an adverse effect on James. He averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per game wearing them, on his way to being named Finals MVP.

Nick DePaula of Nice Kicks and ESPN explained why he believes James' made the switch to the Soldier X during the 2015-16 NBA postseason: "LeBron was simply looking for a lighter model down the stretch of the playoffs, and wasn't overly crazy about the LeBron 13 design. It worked out perfectly that the Soldier 10 had a new and sleek laceless look to them."

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What gives the Soldier X a leg to stand on in terms of viability is the fact Nike embraced the model with open arms. Advancing their FlyEase platform—sneakers designed with a laceless entry system for people with disabilities—led them to a revamp of the Soldier X.

Image courtesy of Nike News.

Nike creative Tobie Hatfield explained the tweaks he made to James' Soldier X, per Nike News. "It looks just like the traditional Soldier 10, but with a far more generous opening for the foot. Of all the shoes we’ve ever made, this may be the easiest one to get into.”

Image courtesy of Nike News.

With a championship pedigree plus the FlyEase element planted in the mix, the question becomes, is the Soldier X one of James' most important sneakers? "I don't think I'd put the Soldier 10 in the tier of being one of LeBron's most important shoes. Zoom Generation, LeBron 2, LeBron 7,  LeBron 8—all were more impactful models and designs," DePaula explained to Bleacher Report.

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Was it as impactful as those models on a mainstream front? Probably not. But the Soldier X deserves to be remembered for the fact James lifted up an entire city wearing them. For fans and basketball historians, the Soldier X will always have a place in history.

All stats and information courtesy of Sports-Reference.com. unless noted otherwise. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.