👀 Sneaker of the Week: Nike LeBron 23 “Uncharted”

🔥 The Weekly Lace-Up: Chase B’s spin on the Travis Scott x Jordan Jumpman Jack, and Kith’s new retail location (with accompanying ASICS collab) in Chicago

📸 Kick Flick: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander teases all-white Converse SHAI 001 at OKC Thunder Media Day 2025

Each week, we’ll select one standout pair, be it a classic, sleeper, new drop, or something with a story worth telling. Plus, Chase will give his verdict.

This week, we’ve tapped…

The King is back. LeBron James is set to tip off his record-breaking 23rd NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers—a milestone that cements his legacy as one that may never be matched. To mark the occasion, Nike Basketball has introduced LeBron’s latest signature shoe—the Nike LeBron 23—in a striking metallic gold colorway dubbed the “Uncharted,” which dropped on October 3rd. The release nods to King James’ achievement as the first player in NBA history to surpass 40,000 career points.

First previewed by LeBron in a monochromatic black version during an offseason workout earlier this year, the LeBron 23 is expected to arrive in a variety of bold colorways throughout the season. But the “Uncharted” may prove to be the flashiest of them all. Its all-over iridescent gold upper features ornate, royalty-inspired detailing, a crown-shaped midsole, LeBron’s signature on the tongue, and a “40K+” stamp on the heel—a design that embodies his King James persona.

The “Uncharted” sets the tone for what’s shaping up to be one of LeBron’s most meaningful signature lines yet. Next up is a “Miami Twice” colorway honoring his back-to-back championships with the Miami Heat, followed by “The Chosen One and the One Who Chose,” a tribute to the historic moment when LeBron and his son Bronny became the NBA’s first father-son duo to share the court on October 22, 2024.

The Nike LeBron 23 “Uncharted,” however, will go down as one of the most iconic and eye-catching colorways in LeBron’s signature line, blending performance innovation with bold, regal design elements.

The King is back, indeed. LeBron James is still performing at an all-NBA level, and his latest signature shoe—the Nike LeBron 23—celebrates the milestone with cutting-edge design and bold, statement-making colorways, starting with the launch edition, the “Uncharted.”

In my opinion, the Nike LeBron collection has had some incredible highs—think the Nike LeBron 8 “South Beach”—and a few moments when the line isn’t quite as hot. But through it all, it has remained at the forefront of basketball footwear innovation, both in performance and design. The LeBron 23 “Uncharted” is a statement that the Nike LeBron line continues to push boundaries, keeping King James at the cutting edge of the game.

I love all the nods to LeBron’s King James nickname on the “Uncharted,” from the crown-shaped midsole to the regal detailing on the upper. The “40K+” badge on the heel and the luxe packaging of the shoe box make this one of the most premium GR Nike LeBron releases to date.

When it’s all said and done, LeBron James may go down as the greatest basketball player ever. His longevity at an elite level alone puts him in the discussion with Michael Jordan as one of the sport’s all-time best. His Nike LeBron collection continues to reflect that legacy, as proved by releases like the “Uncharted.”

The first-ever collaboration on Travis Scott’s Jordan Jumpman Jack comes via Chase B, the producer and DJ signed to Scott’s Cactus Jack Records. Dropping October 8, the Chase B x Travis Scott x Jordan Jumpman Jack features a neutral black-and-grey upper, glow-in-the-dark outsole, Scott’s signature “smiley face” branding on the heel, and a custom Jumpman logo on the tongue. Buy them now →

With the Nike SB Dunk riding a hot streak into the cooler fall months, it’s only fitting that the retro skate silhouette arrives in an ACG-inspired “Persian Violet” colorway on October 7. Though not an official Nike SB x ACG collaboration, the pair channels the latter’s rugged, all-conditions aesthetic with rich Persian Violet suede overlays, a black suede base, and a deep red Swoosh. Buy them now →

Ronnie Fieg’s Kith continues to expand its already-impressive retail footprint. With multiple locations in New York, California, and Florida, the high-end sneaker and streetwear boutique opened a new store in Chicago on October 4th. To celebrate the milestone, Fieg teamed up with longtime creative partner ASICS for not one, not two, not three, but eight total releases. The collection draws inspiration from the World’s Fair, a cultural event both Chicago and New York have hosted, symbolically tying Fieg’s hometown of New York and the new Chicago location together.

The decision to release a sneaker collaboration to coincide with a new store opening has become a hallmark move for Fieg. In recent years, Kith celebrated its Japan expansion with Osaka-exclusive New Balance drops. For the Chicago launch, Fieg unveiled three ASICS Gel-Lyte III colorways, a Gel-Kayano 14, a Gel-Lyte 3.1, and other styles. Each pair blends distinct design elements inspired by the World’s Fair with Kith’s signature attention to detail, creating sneakers that are both collectible and wearable.

In time for the holiday season 2025, Jordan Brand is celebrating the Air Jordan 11’s legacy with an epic lineup of nine new releases, featuring classic colorways, regional exclusives, and other highly anticipated drops. The full roster includes the Air Jordan 11 “Rare Air,” “Inner Beast,” “Pearl,” “Mojave,” “H-Town,” “285,” “China,” “Gamma Blue,” and “Tokyo.”

Kicking things off is the “Rare Air,” released on October 1st. Inspired by unreleased samples and prototypes of classic Air Jordans, it features “Jordan” spelled out along the eyelets—a nod to early Air Jordan 11 designs from the mid-90s. Next is the Air Jordan 11 “Inner Beast,” a kids-exclusive Halloween 2025 drop inspired by Michael Jordan’s “Black Cat” moniker. The Women’s Air Jordan 11 “Pearl” follows on November 11th in a monochromatic white design.

Jordan Brand then rolls out region-exclusive drops: the Air Jordan 11 “Mojave” and “H’Town” in Las Vegas and Houston, respectively, on November 22nd, along with the Atlanta area-exclusive “285,” inspired by Interstate 285 that circles the city. On December 1st, the Air Jordan 11 “China” releases exclusively in China, and the lineup closes out on December 13th with the “Gamma Blue.” The Air Jordan 11 “Tokyo” is expected to release in Spring 2026, rounding out the celebration of the classic silhouette.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s new signature shoe, the Converse SHAI 001, continues to dominate both sneaker culture and the basketball world ahead of the 2025–26 NBA season. Since its summer debut, the model has dropped in standout colorways like “Butter,” “Masi Blue,” and “Hail Clay,” while Shai has teased an all-pink edition on social media. Now, the reigning MVP is showing off a new look: a monochromatic white SHAI 001 at the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2025 Media Day.

Dressed in a crisp, all-white color scheme, this latest reveal highlights Shai and Converse’s affinity for one-tone, monochromatic design. Whether this “White” SHAI 001 will be released to the public—or if Converse will expand the lineup with two-tone colorways as the NBA season unfolds—remains to be seen. One thing is clear: if Shai has generated this much buzz with every off-court move since his NBA Finals and MVP victories last spring, there’s no telling what the Thunder star has in store next.