NCAA’s NIL policy planted a seed years ago, when they let JuJu Watkins sign with Nike, and now, the fruits are finally here in the form of a collab with 'King' LeBron James.

On February 8, James debuted the new sneaker of the NXT Series. But this time, Watkins is a part of it.

As per Sole Retriever’s X post, James has debuted the Nike LeBron NXT Gen JW, which is his collab with the USC star. The collaboration for these sneakers was first announced in November 2024. This particular PE will also come with 8 colorways, 4 for spring and 4 for summer in 2026.

The expected spring colorways are Metallic Silver Light Crimson, Light Crimson Bright Crimson, Metallic Copper Black, and Light Photo Blue Black. And for summer, Muslin Gelati, White Black, Stadium Green Light Menta, and Merlot Metallic Silver renditions. The retail price will be $170 and $180 for the premium version.

Watkins signed with Nike during her high school days in 2022. Later, in 2024, she signed a multi-year contract extension. Eventually, she also filmed a Nike commercial with Bron. An experience that made the USC Guard “starstruck”.

“My first commercial was a Nike commercial with LeBron. That was, like, one of the moments where I'm, like, starstruck. And I don't feel that a lot”, she said.

So, releasing a shoe is an even bigger moment. This also makes Watkins the second NCAA player to have their Nike PE. The first was Paige Bueckers and her Nike GT Hustle 3, during her UConn days.

But it’s not just about shoes. The USC 12’s connection with LeBron goes beyond Nike.

Juju Watkins’ Connection With Lebron James, Besides Nike

The Lakers’ star knew Watkins even before her college days. Because his sons, Bronny and Bryce James, both attended Sierra Canyon School, as did Watkins. In 2022, Watkins became the first female athlete to sign with Klutch Sports Group for NIL, which was founded by James’s close friend Rich Paul.

And that’s not all. In 2023, James’s production company ‘Uninterrupted’ launched a docuseries on Watkins, with the title “On the Rise: JuJu Watkins”, it highlighted her journey. James attended USC’s games and often took to social media, praising Watkins and calling her “the one.”

So, the collaboration is not just about releasing PEs. It’s about the King passing down the torch to Watkins, a next-gen star who’s going to make it big.

Would you like to get one of these sneakers for your collection? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Souvik Roy