Nike LeBron 14 REVIEW: Best Modern LeBron Shoe Yet?

After a solid LeBron 13, an awesome Soldier 9 and a sh**ty Soldier 10, we finally got LeBron’s next main signature shoe. I was really excited to play in them and after couple weeks of action, here’s my detailed Nike LeBron 14 review.

I’ll talk about the shoe’s tech, fit, performance, materials and decide it it’s worth the price. Let’s start the Nike LeBron 14 review!

SPEC SHEET

TYPE: MID TOP

TECH: ZOOM AIR, FLYWIRE

FIT: TRUE TO SIZE

COLORWAYS: 2+

MY RATING: 8/10

THE TECH

ZOOM AIR

We got a nice looking cushion setup on the 14. Two smaller ZOOM AIR units in the forefoot, one big one in the heel and one more in the midfoot area for smooth transitions. And of course a Phylon midsole. Definitely a nice setup both on paper and from experience.

FLYWIRE

We have your regular Flywire cables connected to the laces for proper lockdown & containment. Works really well with the addition of that strap.

FIT

So the shoe is made for LeBron. A tall, heavy guy that puts a lot of torque on his whole body. This is a shoe best for a bigger/heavier guy. And that’s how it fits.

It definitely has great lockdown and containment. The shoe has a wide construction, something wide footers will REALLY appreciate. They fit true to size and even a bit loose I’d say. That’s not a problem because of the laces and that strap that actually does a great job of adding that extra layer of support and confidence.

Didn’t really feel any major problems. It does feel a bit clumsy for a smaller dude and I did experience some minor heel slippage here and there (I see lots of people are having this issue). Other than that, they’re pretty solid.

PERFORMANCE

CUSHION

A premium type of setup that should feel premium, right? Well, it would if I’d be a center or a forward. I’m a fairly light guard however and the units don’t provide as much bounce as they would for a heavy player.

The forefoot cushion is great, you do get great response and some court feel and they don’t feel like concrete which is ideal in my opinion. The heel area doesn’t offer that much impact protection but I still felt some. The midfoot unit actually makes for a cool step transition that is nice bonus.

Overall, something heavier players will really appreciate. And something guards will kinda like.

TRACTION

The outsole is this weird looking dot pattern with splashes for a “cool” looking design. Just like I expected, this is a pattern that works really well on clean courts and is sensitive to dust/dirt. That’s how it was. I played on a great court a few times and it performed really well – stopping power, multi-directional movements, all felt confident.

Playing on more common dusty courts was worse. They gripped the floor well for the first 20-30 minutes. Then dust started kicking in and sliding was pretty common.

The rubber compound looks to be durable. I did not expect that but taking these outdoors won’t be a problem.

SUPPORT

Just like most LeBron shoes, this was a masterpiece in terms of support. Fit is great for a wide footer, there’s Flywire, a TPU heel counter and a wide base. The upper is isn’t that sturdy but there is still killer support from areas of the shoe.

UPPER

The upper is perforated foam with mesh on top of it. There are some Fuse layers on high-wear areas for durability and the toebox in reinforced with nylon. Very similar to the Soldier 10. And that’s not a bad thing.

This upper is comfortable, light (for a LeBron shoe), breathable and really durable. Not much break-in time needed. Definitely liked how it felt.

FINAL VERDICT

BEST FOR A HEAVIER FORWARD/CENTER

So the LeBron 14 is not a versatile shoe in my opinion. However, that doesn’t make it bad. If you’re a bigger guy, you’ll definitely feel the benefits. If you’re a guard like me, it’s logical to look for something different.

Comfortable, sensitive traction, solid cushion, killer support and a nice upper.