LeBron James has been in the public sphere for almost 20 years. Since the time he was put on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a high school junior and had people like Jay-Z sitting courtside at his high school games, James has had a lot of time in front of the cameras. That has also given him ample opportunities to try out various facets of his personal style. Given that we have nothing but time, let’s take a look at how LeBron has evolved his personal sense of style over the years. From throwback jerseys to collaborations with major designers, LeBron James has done a little bit of everything over the years with his style.
No. 20: Barry Sanders throwback jersey, June 18, 2003, on MTV’s Total Request Live (TRL)
For those who are too young to remember, MTV’s TRL was a cultural totem of the late 1990s and early 2000s. A lot of us, especially kids getting home from school, would always watch TRL for new music videos, or see D12’s “My Band” go No. 1 for the 50th day in a row. This was only eight days before LeBron would walk across the stage at the 2003 NBA Draft where he would shake David Stern’s hand as the No. 1 pick.
No. 19: White on white suit, June 26, 2003, at the NBA Draft
One of the boldest looks in NBA Draft history. With Michael Jordan fully out of the picture, LeBron James was widely seen as the player who had the best opportunity to match the type of journey we had just seen with MJ. The hype was at an all-time high and LeBron rose to the occasion with a suit that met the moment.
No. 18: Carolina blue suit with White shirt and open collar, July 14, 2004 at the ESPY awards
By this time, LeBron is getting used to showing up at the ESPYs. But rather than a traditional suit, LeBron decided to get even more adventurous with a suit that looks like that of the North Carolina head coach in another universe. Also, James is going with the unbuttoned look because it’s July in Hollywood. Functionality often matters when it comes to matters of LeBron James, on the court or off.
No. 17: Open button-down, chain, and white undershirt at Roy Jones Jr. vs. Antonio Tarver Light Heavyweight Championship fight, May 15, 2004.
LeBron’s fight night outfits have gotten a lot more extravagant but this is a classic early 2000s fit we got here. Button downs with white tee’s underneath were a thing, whereas now the button down’s go down without undershirts. Although James’ style has evolved, this is fit is a true moment in time to when white tee’s under your nice button-down was Fight Night worthy.
No. 16: A tie to the ESPYs to go with a grey pinstripe suit and a pocket square alongside Eva Mendes, July 13, 2005
With every ESPY that passes, it seems that LeBron’s suit gets a little more luxurious. And while we can admire the intention he had with the mint green shirt and tie with the pinstripe suit, there’s really a lot going on here. Also, the red in the pocket square is distracting. But those who push fashion forward are not without the occasional miss.
No. 15: Team USA Gear and block colored MLB cap in Sapporo, Japan, August 21, 2006
While LeBron James is often in athletic gear due to his profession, I chose this one due to the extensive color-matching that LeBron is going for. He missed it with his ESPY fit but matching your colors from top-to-bottom was a MUST in 2006. Also, if you didn’t have a fitted MLB cap that was blocked in one color, did you really live in 2006?
No. 14: Linen jacket with an exaggerated collar at the BET Awards, June 27, 2006
Once again, it’s the summer and LeBron is trying new things during the summer award show season. Also, he’s branching out from the ESPYs to the red carpet of the BET Awards with this then-girlfriend and now wife Savannah. You can also spot a young Rich Paul behind LeBron.
No. 13: Green and Black summer ensemble at ESPN The Magazine party with Tracy Morgan, July 11, 2006
Perhaps another reason that we have seen such an evolution in LeBron’s style is that he is finally of legal drinking age. Being LeBron James, he wouldn’t ever be able to use a fake ID but now that it’s the summer and he’s 21, he’s showing out a little bit more and hanging out with people like Tracy Morgan. Morgan, who by the way, is pulling off an incredible 06-fit like LeBron is. Remember folks, if you wanna channel the mid-2000s, match them colors. Also, look at how long LeBron’s shorts are!
No. 12: Rugby-style sweater at the ESPYs on July 11, 2007
We can thank Kanye West for bringing Rugby-style clothes into vogue for young Americans in the mid-to-late 2000s. Here, LeBron is reflecting what would soon become a bigger part of his style by going to a more preppy look. Also, this was likely a side-effect of the NBA dress code that was instituted by David Stern in the 2005-06 season.
No. 11: LeBron James rocks leather jacket at “Last Chance For Change” Barack Obama concert with Jay-Z, October 29, 2008, at Quicken Loans Arena
Have you ever seen the Boondocks episode that retells the story of the 2008 election? Well, this is kinda like that, except with Jay-Z and LeBron James. But it must have worked as Barack Obama took Ohio on his way to a historic election as the first black president of the United States.
No. 10: LeBron James wears glasses now at Gucci Happy Hour during New York Fashion Week, September 16, 2009
As the decade winds down, the “nerd” or “geek” aesthetic has become in. Those of us who actually need glasses to exist became “interesting.” Anyway, LeBron is rocking some glasses during New York Fashion week and this is AFTER he already had LASIK surgery in 2007. He definitely didn’t need them, but this was a time when the nerd look ruled fashion. Not even The King was immune to the wave.
No. 9: LeBron pulls up to South Beach with a tan suit, July 9, 2010
LeBron’s style is reflecting a move from Cleveland to Miami. LeBron isn’t fully in Miami-mode, but he’s slowly getting there. Also, LeBron and Bosh both rocked the tan suit before Barack Obama’s tan suit controversy. The Heat were cultural icons in a way that other NBA teams haven’t quite been.
No. 8: LeBron hits the Oregon-USC football game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, during the 2011 NBA Lockout, November 19, 2011
Back in 2011, the owners of the NBA locked the players out as they negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement with the player’s union. The lockout reached a resolution about a week after LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and others went to Eugene to take a highly-anticipated showdown between Oregon and USC. LeBron is in cold weather football luxury, he also lucked out that it didn’t rain. USC would go on to upset the Ducks that night and ruin their National Championship hopes for that year. Personal note: I was at this game and was very upset after. Go Ducks.
No. 7: At the White House, January 28, 2013
LeBron James is bringing back the glasses that he does not need for the very formal moment of going to the White House as the 2012 NBA Champions. Does it matter that LeBron doesn’t need the glasses? Not really, because he’s going to keep rocking them. Serious Bron is here to stay and so are the glasses.
No. 6: Petty Bron taking a shot at the Boston Celtics with a Green flower lapel pin, January 14, 2014
A lot of people joke that LeBron would only have two rings were it not for the incredible shot from Ray Allen in the 2013 NBA Finals. That’s true, but that hasn’t stopped Allen’s former Boston Celtics teammates from still holding a grudge against him to this very day. Whether he meant to or not, LeBron’s green flower lapel pin looks like a shot at the Boston Celtics, who stood in his way for a very long time.
No. 5: Tech Fleece Bron shows up to basketball court dedication, September 25, 2014
LeBron James is back home in Northeast Ohio. Although LeBron and his LeBron James Family Foundation never left the region, James confirmed only a few months before this photo that he would return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now that he’s back home, LeBron can comfortably chill in some Nike Tech Fleece as he dedicates a new basketball court.
No. 4: LeBron is going to Hogwarts
What would it look like if LeBron James went to Hogwarts? Thankfully, we have the above outfit from an off night to give us the answer.
No. 3: LeBron goes back to throwback roots during 2016 Cleveland Indians World Series run, October 7, 2016
Only a few months removed from bringing Cleveland its first championship in 52 years, LeBron James throws out the first pitch for the Cleveland Indians during their playoff run that ended in a Game 7 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
No. 2: LeBron rocks tailored Thom Browne suit with suit shorts to Game 1 of the NBA Finals, May 31, 2018
For the 2018 NBA Finals, LeBron James bought tailored suits for everybody on the Cleveland Cavaliers by his friend, designer Thom Browne. But LeBron, of course, could not have a suit just like everyone else. He went with one of the boldest looks in NBA Finals history, rocking a tailored Grey suit with tailored shorts. He followed it up with arguably the greatest performance of his Finals career, scoring 51 points in an overtime loss against the 2018 Warriors.
No. 1: LeBron in full L.A. Dad leisure for Anthony Davis’ introductory Lakers press conference, July 13, 2019
LeBron James is a California guy now. Whether it’s a fitted cap or a sweatshirt, LeBron is often repping his new zip codes. Also, the Dad hat has become an even bigger part of LeBron’s repertoire when he’s doing non-basketball things, such as going to Lakers press conferences during the offseason.
