Nike Lebron 16
Released 9/2018, Mid Top, Lebron James,
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8.9
EXPERT RATING
8 reviews
8.9
USER RATING
17 ratings
Provides balanced cushioning, traction that works on all surfaces, and premium BattleKnit upper
Best Suitable For:
Especially recommended for explosive and powerful wing players.
Price Comparison:
Available at 3 shops | Official Retail Price: $184.99
Category Performance Ratings:
Weight & Sizing:
Weight:
light
heavy
Sizing:
small
large
Width:
narrow
wide
Comparison to Similar Shoes:
Nike Lebron 16 |  Nike Sabrina 2 |  Nike Lebron Witness 8 |  Adidas D.O.N Issue #4 |  Nike GT Hustle 3 |  Nike G.T. Hustle 2 | Add shoe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert Rating | 8.9 | 8.5(0.4) | 7.7(1.2) | 7.9(1.0) | 8.4(0.5) | 8.1(0.8) | |
| User Rating | 8.9 | 9.1(0.2) | 8.6(0.3) | 8.3(0.6) | 9.0(0.1) | 8.7(0.2) | |
| Best Price | $184.99 | $100 $130 | $64.97 $110 | $60.97 $120 | $190 | $70.97 $170 | |
| Type of Cut | Mid Top | Mid Top | Mid Top | Mid Top | Mid Top | Mid Top | |
| Weight | 480g - 500g | NA | NA | 360g - 380g | NA | 330g - 350g |
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Nike Lebron 16 Review
Pros:
Premium materials
Traction works well even on dusty courts
Cons:
Expensive retail price
Performance of the Nike Lebron 16:
All sneaker critics agree: The Lebron 16 is a huge improvement over the XV and one of the best shoes of Lebron's signature line in a long time.
The traction works on all surfaces, the cushioning is a little more versatile but still very comfortable, and stability is much-improved thanks to the use of tiny lateral outriggers on the outsole.
The Battleknit 2.0 looks and feels very premium and provides great lockdown and containment.
Overall, the Lebron 16 is an outstanding performance hoops shoe that is especially recommended for explosive and powerful wing players.
See all 8 reviews
Expert Reviews of the Nike Lebron 16:
Expert Rating: 8.9 (ranks #30 of 330)
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
7
8 - Good
1
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.4
October 4, 2018
The LeBron 16 will suit any play style or move — be it slashing, cutting, shooters, defense, rebounding.
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9.3
October 2, 2018
I really, really like the Lebron 16. The price is expensive but justified by the amazing tech and ultra-premium feel.
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9.0
September 26, 2018
The Lebron 16 is an upgrade in every aspect! They look better, they feel better, and they perform better!
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9.0
October 1, 2018
The Lebron 16 is an outstanding performer!
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8.8
October 1, 2018
Everything I didn't like about the Lebron 15 was fixed! Better traction, better stability, and containment. This is the best Lebron to come out in years!
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8.8
October 1, 2018
The cushioning setup is super fun to play in, the traction worked on every court and the Battleknit 2.0 is super comfortable. The Lebron 16 is a very versatile shoe, but explosive and fast wing players will particularly love this hoops shoe.
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8.8
October 18, 2018
Awesone impact protection, really good traction, but the court feel is minimal and the Lebron 16 is pretty heavy.
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8.0
January 6, 2019
Cushioning and traction are awesome but the fit and support were a bit of a letdown for me.
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User Reviews of the Nike Lebron 16:
User Rating: 8.9 (ranks #105 of 330)
10 - Amazing
4
9 - Great
9
8 - Good
4
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
8.6
November 9, 2021
My first Lebron shoes, bought them for outdoor use. First impression - horrific court feel, boots-like. High ride, gotta get used to it. Incredible cushioning setup for outdoor use - the impact protection is godly and the bounciness is enjoyable. Nice lateral stability. Gorgeous looking, premium feeling. Cons - excessive cushioning for indoor play (I'm >100kg). my right toenail became arch enemies with those shoes, I have to tape it heavily otherwise it gets black after one training (pressure)
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9.8
December 31, 2021
This shoe is nuts. Initially very stiff, the cushioning breaks in after a while and feels like an air mattress beneath your feet. Supreme bounce without sacrificing mobility and court feel, this cushion is best utilised by larger, powerful humans like Bron himself. Traction is epic, nice thick grooves do the job at the highest level. Battleknit is super flexible and my foot feels like it can breath in it. The perfect shoe for a big, explosive athlete like the man this shoe was made for.
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8.0
November 4, 2021
Pretty okay pair of shoes. I primarily use these for inside basketball, but they hold up well outside too. If i'm being honest, i expected more for the expensive price. The shoes really aren't anything special, and do not provide a very "premium" feel. Accounting for price or not, I'd choose Dame 5's over these any day of the week. For outside and inside use.
TL;DR - Too expensive, feels average, Dame 5's are better in every way
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9.0
November 6, 2021
This review is for outdoor use only. Using these outdoors was great. They are some of the most comfortable shoes I've worn. The materials were phenomenal. The traction was good for the outdoors. Unfortunately, they did not last long. They lasted about 3-4 months before one of the air max things popped. For Lebrons, they weren't very heavy.
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9.6
May 21, 2022
Overall, this shoe surprised me about how good it is. Traction bites hard, even on dusty courts. I have nothing to say about cushioning except for amazing, but its heavy. However, there's one thing I don't like in this shoe is support, I rolled a few times my ankle when I was running, but it rarely happens.
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Traction of the Nike Lebron 16:
Expert Traction Rating: 9.1 (ranks #76 of 330)
User Traction Rating: 9.2 (ranks #91 of 330)
10 - Amazing
9
9 - Great
11
8 - Good
5
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
10.0
October 4, 2018
The Lebron 16 features gripping, thick traction that needs no wiping, and no breaking in.
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8.5
October 2, 2018
Not amazing - but pretty damn nice. Dust doesn't seem to be a problem.
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8.0
September 26, 2018
Super hard rubber and deep grooves work well, but don't expect a lot of squeaking or insane grip.
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9.0
October 1, 2018
The traction on the Lebron 16 is really nice! Even on dusty courts, you will have to wipe only very occasionally.
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9.0
October 1, 2018
The best traction of a Lebron since the X.
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10.0
October 1, 2018
The Lebron 16 held up extremely well even on the worst courts.
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9.0
October 18, 2018
The traction is really good!
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9.0
January 6, 2019
The wavy herringbone traction pattern was super impressive.
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Cushion of the Nike Lebron 16:
Expert Cushion Rating: 9.0 (ranks #86 of 330)
User Cushion Rating: 8.9 (ranks #118 of 330)
10 - Amazing
6
9 - Great
11
8 - Good
8
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
10.0
October 4, 2018
The LeBron 16 has a stiffer overall setup that still provides serious impact protection but feels quicker and smoother from the jump.
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8.0
October 2, 2018
The cushioning of the Lebron 16 is high up off-the-ground and provides insane impact protection and bounce. The responsiveness is okay, but the court feel is minimal.
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9.0
September 26, 2018
The cushioning is a little more responsive and less bouncy than the cushioning of the Lebron 15. This setup works a lot better for guards like me.
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9.0
October 1, 2018
Lower ride and not as bouncy as the Lebron 15. This cushioning is still made for bigger and heavier players and I would have liked more responsiveness.
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9.0
October 1, 2018
The high-off-the-ground Zoom cushioning provides the perfect balance of impact protection and responsiveness.
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9.0
October 1, 2018
The cushioning isn't as crazy bouncy as it was in the predecessor. This time we get a more versatile and responsive setup.
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9.0
October 18, 2018
The court feel isn't great I love the impact protection!
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9.0
January 6, 2019
The Zoom Max cushioning is super comfortable and provides a ton of impact protection. The cushioning is pretty high off the ground which means you lose a little court feel.
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Materials of the Nike Lebron 16:
Expert Materials Rating: 9.0 (ranks #31 of 330)
User Materials Rating: 9.0 (ranks #60 of 330)
10 - Amazing
5
9 - Great
15
8 - Good
5
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
October 4, 2018
It isn’t the most premium of materials, but it’s nicer than most and performs well.
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10.0
October 2, 2018
The Battleknit 2.0 is pretty soft and pliable from the start.
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9.0
September 26, 2018
Battleknit 2.0 feels a lot stronger and more durable than the Battleknit used in the Lebron 15.
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9.0
October 1, 2018
Battleknit 2.0 is really, really nice. This version is thicker and stronger which fixes the containment issues of the Lebron 15.
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9.0
October 1, 2018
I really like the use of the thicker and less stretchy Battleknit 2.0
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9.0
October 1, 2018
The materials are a standout feature of this shoe.
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9.0
October 18, 2018
The upper is a bit more rigid and supportive compared to the Lebron 15.
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8.0
January 6, 2019
The materials are super comfortable, soft, and wrap around your feet very nicely.
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Support of the Nike Lebron 16:
Expert Support Rating: 8.7 (ranks #108 of 330)
User Support Rating: 8.6 (ranks #177 of 330)
10 - Amazing
4
9 - Great
10
8 - Good
7
7 - Average
3
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
October 4, 2018
Battleknit 2.0 is tighter and less stretchy which improves lateral containment. The wide and stable base, as well as the added outriggers, provide stability on lateral cuts.
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10.0
October 2, 2018
The support is amazing! Materials don't stretch at all and the lateral stability problems of the Lebron 15 are a thing of the past.
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9.0
September 26, 2018
The support and lockdown are much improved compared to the Lebron 15.
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9.0
October 1, 2018
Zero heel slippage, no side-to-side movement, and the tiny outriggers improve lateral stability a lot!
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9.0
October 1, 2018
Stability is drastically improved compared to the Lebron 15 by adding a tiny outrigger.
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8.0
October 18, 2018
Lockdown is pretty good but the ankle support is only average.
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7.0
January 6, 2019
The dead space and the fact that the cushioning is pretty high off the ground negatively impacted the stability for me.
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Fit of the Nike Lebron 16:
Expert Fit Rating: 8.4 (ranks #131 of 330)
User Fit Rating: 8.5 (ranks #192 of 330)
10 - Amazing
4
9 - Great
10
8 - Good
6
7 - Average
3
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
1
9.0
October 4, 2018
After my fourth wear everything about the shoe just formed around my foot when laced tight and there is now no movement at all.
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10.0
October 2, 2018
The Lebron 16 fits like a glove!
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9.0
September 26, 2018
Nice and comfortable fit after a short break-in period.
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9.0
October 1, 2018
The one-bootie upper is easy to put on thanks to the flexible tongue and the additional lower eyelets provide a lot of flexibility to get the perfect fit for your feet.
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8.0
October 1, 2018
Í did have a little heel slip in the beginning that was fixed by using the lower eyelet and breaking in the midsole.
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7.0
October 1, 2018
I went down half a size but the fit was still sloppy for me. I tried to adjust the lacing but couldn't get rid of the dead space in the toe box.
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7.0
January 6, 2019
The fit is perfect for wide-footers, but I experienced a lot of dead space in the toe box and midfoot.
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Durability of the Nike Lebron 16:
User Durability Rating: 8.8 (ranks #106 of 330)
10 - Amazing
6
9 - Great
3
8 - Good
5
7 - Average
1
6 - Subpar
1
5 - Poor
0
Outdoor of the Nike Lebron 16:
Expert Outdoor Rating: 83.3 (ranks #55 of 330)
User Outdoor Rating: 82.1 (ranks #69 of 330)
Good (100%)
12
Fair (50%)
4
Bad (0%)
1
fair
October 4, 2018
As far as outdoors goes, you should actually be good for a few months.
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good
October 2, 2018
Thick and heavy rubber that should work well outdoors.
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good
October 1, 2018
The outsole will probably hold up well outdoors.
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Width of the Nike Lebron 16:
very narrow
0
slightly narrow
4
regular
13
slightly wide
6
very wide
0
slightly narrow
October 2, 2018
The fit is rather narrow.
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slightly narrow
September 26, 2018
Maybe slightly too narrow for wide-footers.
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regularly wide
October 1, 2018
As a wide-footer, I didn't have any issues with the fit.
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regularly wide
October 1, 2018
No dead-space at all for my fat feet.
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slightly wide
October 1, 2018
The toebox and forefoot was a little too roomy for me.
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slightly wide
January 6, 2019
I had to wear an additional pair of socks with my slightly narrow feet.
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Size of the Nike Lebron 16:
very small
0
slightly small
0
true to size
19
slightly long
4
very long
1
true to size
October 4, 2018
Go true to size.
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½ size large
October 2, 2018
We went own half a size for a really snug and tight fit.
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true to size
September 26, 2018
I went true to size.
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true to size
October 1, 2018
Runs true to size.
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½ size large
October 1, 2018
I went true to size but I feel narrow-footers can go down half a size.
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runs large
October 1, 2018
I went down half a size and it still felt roomy.
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true to size
October 18, 2018
They fit true to size.
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