LeBron James’ newest sneakers sparked backlash from NBA fans, while others defended his legacy. During their 115-107 win against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, James sported the new Nike LeBron 23 “Shut Up and Dribble” kicks.
The shoe also featured the words “Still Talking” on the heel, which sparked a debate among NBA fans.
@Super_Bob0320 mocked the name of the shoe and said, “He shuts up and dribbles when it comes to Israel.”
He shuts up and dribbles when it comes to Israel.
— superbob (@Super_Bob0320) January 22, 2026
@MatRabbit added, “so corny lmao.”
However, not all were against it.
@dxvid wrote, “‘STILL KING.’ Love that. Nike’s always been #1 in the shoe game.”
The new colorway features a cool grey upper with black detailing, while the phrase “Still Talking” appeared on the heel with the “Tal” crossed out to say, “Still King.”
The launch of the new colorway may have inspired James as he put up a near-double-double performance with 19 points and 8 rebounds, to help the Lakers win on the road.
“They never had this issue with MJ”: NBA fans react to the LA Lakers’ governor’s frustration over LeBron James
As LeBron James savors the release of the new colorway of his signature shoes, a report from ESPN’s Baxter Holmes had plenty of NBA fans questioning the future of the LA Lakers and King James.
According to the report, Buss has been frustrated with James and even thought of not extending his contract in 2022. Buss also reported that she felt that James’ agency, Klutch Sports, had exerted too much control within the organization and the fact that James takes almost all the credit in ‘saving’ the franchise.
This report had NBA fans split in terms of their reactions.
@tHaCrYpToNiNjA said, “Reasonable. He’s the biggest crybaby the league has ever seen. No surprise here.”
@redraiderman1 raised something else, saying, “They never had this issue with MJ…”
While @theGLgrind aimed at James’ followers and wrote, “LeBron riders not going to like hearing the truth. He’s always had a ridiculous ego 🤷♂️
Between the shoes, the report, and the reactions, James once again proved that even a regular-season win rarely stays just about basketball.
