Get ready, FAMU sneakerheads! New LeBron James shoes in Rattlers colors dropping soon

Florida A&M University sneakerheads can soon add the latest LeBron James footwear release to their Rattler paraphernalia.

Nike has released multiple LeBron James sneaker models in FAMU colors, orange and green, however the latest sneaker design is dedicated exclusively to the HBCU, purposefully including the FAMU logo across the back of the shoe.

The APB x Lebron XX sneaker was announced on the Florida A&M Athletics Twitter site with a 2-minute campaign video titled “From Tally To The World.”

“From Tally to the world, the APB x FAMU Lebron XX stands to celebrate culture and community above all,” the Whitaker Grp released on its Instagram page after the announcement, “As APB’s very first NIKE collaboration, it represents the special relationship between FAMU and Tallahassee, anchored in greatness and legacy.”

All-Points Bulletin is a retail brand of the Whitaker Grp, dedicated to immersing itself in local culture, and according to Mark Nabeta, a spokesman for the Whitaker Grp, the store in CollegeTown at 799 W. Gaines St., heavily contributed to the collaboration with Nike.

Joshua Padilla, director of athletic communications and digital strategies for FAMU Athletics, said the exclusive FAMU shoe solidifies the HBCU’s relationship with Nike and LeBron James.

The four time NBA champion is an official sponsor of FAMU along with Nike, and has recently been contemplating retiring after his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, lost to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals.

“We are the only LeBron James school in the nation and have received the most custom LeBron’s since the partnership,” Padilla said. “It’s a long partnership and it shows how much Nike and LeBron care about FAMU.”

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During its six year contract with Nike, which began in 2021, FAMU will reportedly receive $3.3 million in retail products for all sports programs and the Marching 100, $200,000 in marketing support, and also $200,000 in supportive scholarships.

Padilla said the shoe has been long awaited, with a first look premiered by FAMU Athletics ahead of the Florida Classic and the Marching 100 at the Florida Classic Battle of the Bands in November 2022.

Following the November teaser of the shoes, James wore the shoes during two NBA games in January.

On Jan. 15, James wore the Ivory colorway of the FAMU Lebron XX during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers where he also became the second NBA player in history to earn 38,000 points in his career.

Days later he wore the orange colorway sneaker in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, with the words “FAM OVA EVERYTHING,” written across the side of the shoe.

APB x Lebron XX comes in alternating orange and ivory with a hint of green and snakeskin to honor the university. The shoes are priced at $200 and will be available in limited quantities exclusively at the APB store on West Gaines Street and online at www.apbstore.com beginning at 10 a.m. on June 2.

In the marketing campaign video released, Tallahassee, FAMU culture, and the stylish new sneakers were on display in the video directed by Kiyana Christopher of the Whitaker Grp. Students, Marching 100 members and student athletes were filmed on campus and at local landmarks like Olean’s Café on South Adams Street, and at the Capitol, donning the sneakers.

“Going into this our mission at the Whitaker Grp is always to highlight individuals and communities,” Christopher told the Tallahassee Democrat, “It was super important for us to build honest connections with the people in the video.”

FAMU alumnus Christopher Dorcellus was filmed in the campaign video walking in front of the Old Capitol building and speaking with other students while wearing the sneakers. He says seeing the shoes and video announcement was exciting.

“I immediately told myself that this would be a project for the ages,” Dorcellus said of his initial reaction to the concept, “My first impression on the sneakers was that I immediately have to add these to the archives.”

Dorcellus graduated from FAMU in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and now operates his personal brand, A&M Archives, where he discusses FAMU’s legacy through the context of vintage and exclusive Rattler paraphernalia that he has collected.

Dorcellus previously added the FAMU Nike Dunk Low to his archive back in October when it was released.

APB exclusively launched the FAMU Nike Dunk Low, a design in the Nike HBCU Dunk collection, at the Tallahassee store with the designer, FAMU alumna Caitlyn Davis.

Contact Democrat writer Alaijah Brown at ABrown1@gannett.com and on Twitter at @BrownAlaijah.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU themed APB x Lebron XX sneakers to launch officially on June 2