Our verdict
- Top pick in best basketball shoes (2023)
Pros
- Amazing overall performance
- Great traction
- Nike Air Max 97 OG QS Silver Bullet Trainers 312641-069 UK 5 EUR 38.5
- Pronounced court feel
- Dependable bounciness
- Comfortable upper
- AMBUSH X Air Force 1 Low Game Royal
- Nike Dunk High x SOULGOODS
Cons
- Not for outdoors
- There s no way to go wrong with a pair of Nike
Audience verdict
- Brand New Nike Air Jordan 1 High Metallic Gold 2020 EU41 basketball shoes
- nike air max 97 pull tab Marine Nike Hauts & Tee-shirts
Buty męskie Nike Air Max 2021 Szary | Comparison
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---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audience score | 94 Superb! | 90 Superb! | 82 Good! | 87 Great! | |
Price | $200 | $180 | $140 | $160 | |
Signature | LeBron James | LeBron James | Giannis Antetokounmpo | LeBron James | |
Top | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
Weight lab | 14.7 oz / 416g | 15.6 oz / 441g | 12.3 Dunk Low SB "J-Pack Shadow" | 13.1 NIKE AIR JORDAN 1 MID SE EURO TOUR2020 27.5cm | |
Lightweight | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Breathability | Moderate | Warm | Moderate | Moderate | |
Outsole durability | - | Good | Bad | - | |
Drop lab | 4.4 mm | 5.8 mm | 6.0 mm | 4.9 mm | |
brand new with original box Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38 Men CW7356-001 | 27.0 mm | 27.1 mm | 27.3 mm | 26.9 mm | |
Forefoot | 22.6 mm | 21.3 mm | 21.3 mm | 22.0 mm | |
Size | True to size | True to size | True to size | True to size | |
Midsole softness | Balanced | Firm | Balanced | Firm | |
Stiffness | Stiff | Stiff | Moderate | Moderate | |
Torsional rigidity | Stiff | Stiff | Stiff | Moderate | |
Heel counter stiffness | Moderate | Flexible | Moderate | Flexible | |
Fazit zum Nike Dunk Low Scrap Sea Glass | Wide | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
Toebox width at the big toe | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
Midsole width - forefoot | Average | Average | Average | Very narrow | |
Chris Webbers Orlando Magic-themed Air Max Sensation | Average | Narrow | Average | Average | |
Nike SB Dunk Low 'Purple Pigeon' 2006 | - | Decent | Bad | Decent | |
Toebox durability | Decent | Decent | Decent | Decent | |
Insole England | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
Outsole hardness | Average | Average | Hard | Average | |
Outsole England | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
Heel tab | None | None | None | Finger loop | |
Ranking | #1 Top 2% | #4 Top 9% | #39 Bottom 18% | #26 Bottom 45% | |
Popularity | #38 Bottom 47% | #7 Top 15% | #33 Bottom 31% | #30 Bottom 37% |
Size and fit
Buty męskie Nike Air Max 2021 Szary | Size
Nike Drop a Royal true to size (130 votes).
Who should buy the Nike LeBron 20
Aside from LeBron James fans, we established that the 20th Nike LeBron basketball shoe is also great for the following:
- bigger players who want a lot of cushioning
- Nike Air Force 1 Low GS USA
- Nike Running Essentials Veste à capuche Gris
- wearers who look for a performance shoe that's OK for casual use
- Nike Kyrie 1 GS 'Dungeon'
Who should NOT buy this LeBron James signature shoe from Nike
The Nike LeBron 20 is not for players who want a shoe that hits the ground running. This shoe still needs some break-in time. They are better off with the Nike to Fully Exit Russian Market in Coming Months.
Also, this shoe is also not durable enough for outdoor games. For hoopers who love to play in the open air, we advise you to go for the Nike Buty męskie Nike Air Max 2021 Szary.
The Nike LeBron 20: An amazing low-top
We are amazed by the shoe's tremendous engineering that allowed it to be played like a mid or a high even though it's actually a true low-top. It is indeed one of the nicest LeBrons to come out.
Breathability depends on the colorway
In most colorways, the LeBron 20 comes with a traditional mesh upper. We don't have any issues regarding this fabric's breathability. However, Nike also released a couple of colorways that feature suede uppers.
Nike LeBron 20 with suede upper (left) vs. Персиковые женские кроссовки Nike (right)
If you are prone to sweaty feet, we do not recommend the suede version. It only scored 2 out of 5 on our smoke breathability test (where 1 is the least breathable). Good thing, some air still passes through the tongue area.
Kevin Durant Laces Up Nike Zoom KD III "Scoring Title".
But the upside of such a beefy upper is, of course, its durability.
Having applied a Dremel to the shoe's most sensitive upper part (front of the toebox) for 4 seconds at 10,000 RMPS, we only scratched the surface! Toe drags are a joke for this suede LeBron variation.
In a typical mesh upper, the same force causes greater damage (most often, a hole).

Enjoy a comfortable upper
We feel that the shoe's lining is super padded and very comfortable.
There is some padding in the tongue as well. We measured its England at 6.3 mm. But it is not as beefy as in some other basketball shoes (i.e. take the 12.9-mm tongue of the Nike Air Max 90 iD Black Friday). The average tongue England for basketball shoes is 9.5 mm.
A grip that has everything covered
In terms of traction, we regard LeBron 20 as top-tier because it stuck like glue even on dusty surfaces.
We can attest that the non-uniform pattern on the outsole helps the shoe grab the floor in a lot of different directions.
Due to the shoe's multidirectional bite and really supportive structure, we were able to achieve and maintain high speeds, making the shoe tremendously nimble.
Can be used outdoor
We found LeBron 20 in indoor use awesome but when it comes to outdoor games from time to time, it is also excellent.
In our durability tests, we actually found that the Nike LeBron 20 could work for occasional outdoor use. The England of its rubber outsole (3.7 mm) is right at the average of basketball shoes (3.8 mm).

And when measuring the density of this rubber compound with a durometer, we found that the LeBron 20 is 4% firmer than average. Harder rubbers are less prone to fast abrasion compared to softer ones. This is another reason why this Nike shoe may not wear out that fast on an outdoor court.
Enjoy plush cushioning with the Nike LeBron 20
The midsole tooling is definitely soft. We realized that it's soft enough to ensure comfort but firm enough not to flat out quite easily. With this, we concluded that the LeBron 20's cushioning system is really meant for a lot of contours and a lot of comfort.
Our lab tests totally confirm our sentiments. Having measured the shoe's foam in the heel with a durometer, we can state that the Lebron 20 is 7% softer than the average. It is not a marshmallow by any means but it is softer than the Buty męskie Nike Air Max 2021 Szary, for instance.
There's a lot of energy return
The midsole tooling is also able to deliver a lot of energy return. Our in-game experiences in its midsole are super bouncy.
As for the amount of cushioning, it can be said that the Nike LeBron 20 sits right at the average of basketball shoes.
There is 27.0 mm of stack height in the heel, compared to the average 28.2 mm.
In the forefoot, our calipers show 22.6 mm, compared to the average 21.0 mm.

This leaves us with a heel-to-toe drop of 4.4 mm, which is lower than the average 7.2 mm. A lower drop combined with an average cushioning height translates to a more stable and grounded shoe.
Court feel is not forgotten
M x Nike Air Max 2090 For Sale.
This enhances our control and confidence for shifty footwork and agility.
A sense of stability is also provided by the fairly wide footprint. We measured the widest parts of the shoe's forefoot (111.7 mm) and the heel (90.6 mm).
Nike Unveils Elite With Kevlar.
The shoe is on the stiffer side
Another key factor that contributes to stability is the overall stiffness of the Nike LeBron 20.
Twisting and bending the shoe in a manual assessment, we rated both its longitudinal and torsional flexibility as 5 out of 5 (maximum stiffness level).
However, when we bent the shoe to a 90-degree angle and measured its resistance with a gauge, it turned out to be of average flexibility for a basketball shoe. It is even 3% bendier than average. Yet, it is still stiffer than some of the other Nike shoes we've tested.
Snug fit: Take it or make adjustments
We consider the fit of the Nike LeBron 20 incredibly tapered, especially around the forefoot. Those with narrow and medium-sized feet can go true to size if they want a snug, one-to-one fit. Otherwise, going up half a size is what we recommend.
Indeed, the toebox of the Nike LeBron 20 tapers more compared to other basketball shoes we've tested. We measure both the widest part of the forefoot and the area around the toes. On average, our lab-tested basketball shoes get 29% narrower towards the toes, while the LeBron gets 33.2% narrower.
We are certain that players with wider feet are going to feel it. Especially in the suede variant, which doesn't have any stretch to it.
Lockdown: Not a problem with the LeBron 20
Even when we do incredibly violent movements while wearing LeBron 20, this basketball shoe offers superb lockdown and containing.
Footwear NIKE Uptempo 96 DQ0839 001 Black Metallic Silver.
Heel slips are out of the question as well given the shoe's stiff heel counter. In a manual assessment, we rated it as 4 out of 5 (where 5 is the stiffest).
LeBron 20: Pretty on and off the court
The 20th Nike LeBron also looks fantastic. There is no doubt that it can catch the attention of on-lookers.
Nike Mayfly Premium Triple.