Sports brand Nike has unveiled the Lebron 12, a basketball shoe with five hexagonal air bags built into the sole to provide "accelerated explosiveness" (+ slideshow).
The soles combine Nike's existing Zoom technology – which uses balls of bouncy fibres to help give athletes more power when their feet impact against a hard surface – with hexagonal pockets of air for extra cushioning across key points on the bottom of the foot.
"Nike Zoom Air delivers the same great cushioning it brought to footwear when first introduced to basketball in 1995; now the hexagonal Nike Zoom Air is mapped to the pressure points of the foot where it's most needed for basketball performance," said Nike in a statement today.
"James runs approximately three miles per game, and the average player changes directions about 1,000 times over that distance, requiring supportive, comfortable footwear to withstand tremendous impact and torque. Dynamic Flywire cables provide lockdown support for James's unrivaled combination of speed and strength."
Each of the seven colour combinations for the Lebron 12 has been influenced by elements of James' style of play. The first two will be released in October, with a further three made available in November and the final two going on sale in December.
"Nike's Sport Research Lab provides the Nike Basketball design team with in-depth analysis on athletic performance and scientific testing," said Nike. "The Lebron 12 was born in the lab, where scientific data and analysis substantiated the need for next-generation cushioning, support and flexibility."
"The lead colourway, the Lebron 12 NSRL, was inspired by the new shoe's genesis in the lab."