Nike Lebron 18
Released 10/2020, High Top, Lebron James,
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8.2
EXPERT RATING
6 reviews
8.5
USER RATING
28 ratings
LeBron's 18th signature shoe has one of the best cushion setups available.
Best Suitable For:
Great for big guys who like soft and comfortable cushioning.
Price Comparison:
Available at 3 shops | Official Retail Price: $199.99
Category Performance Ratings:
Weight & Sizing:
Weight:
light
heavy
Sizing:
small
large
Width:
narrow
wide
Comparison to Similar Shoes:
Nike Lebron 18 |  Nike G.T. Jump 2 |  Air Jordan 38 |  Under Armour Curry 4 FloTro |  New Balance Kawhi 2 |  Under Armour Curry Spawn FloTro | Add shoe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert Rating | 8.2 | 8.6(0.4) | 8.6(0.4) | 8.7(0.5) | 8.3(0.1) | 8.4(0.2) | |
| User Rating | 8.5 | 8.8(0.3) | 9.0(0.5) | 8.9(0.4) | 8.9(0.4) | 8.5(0.0) | |
| Best Price | $199.99 | $134.97 $180 | $84.97 $200 | $130 $140 | $159.99 | $130 | |
| Type of Cut | High Top | High Top | High Top | High Top | High Top | High Top | |
| Weight | 490g - 510g | NA | 390g - 410g | 320g - 340g | 360g - 380g | NA |
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Nike Lebron 18 Review
Pros:
Outstanding cushion
Premium materials
Cons:
Poor lateral stability and containment
Uncomfortable tongue
Performance of the Nike Lebron 18:
The traction of the Lebron 18 is good on clean courts, but inconsistent on dusty courts. The rubber of the outsole is durable enough for outdoor use.
The cushion is one of the best setups you can buy today! The combination of full-length Zoom Air, Cushlon, and Max Air offers top of the line comfort with solid responsiveness.
The $200 retail price is justified by materials that feel premium and durable, but some reviewers had issues with the tongue rubbing at the top of the foot.
The Lebron 18 fits true to size, but the Batleknit materials take a little to break-in.
The support is the low point of the shoe as reviewers had issues with lateral stability and containment due to the soft and high-off-the ground outsole.
Overall the LeBron 18 is a comfortable shoe that is more suitable for big guys who can take advantage of the cushioning and don't make a lot of hard cuts.
See all 6 reviews
Expert Reviews of the Nike Lebron 18:
Expert Rating: 8.2 (ranks #235 of 333)
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
2
8 - Good
4
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
8.8
November 2, 2020
This is my favorite LeBron to play in! The only drawbacks are the weight, lateral stability, and court feel. Everything else performed well and I enjoyed playing in it. I'd 100% recommend these.
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8.8
December 18, 2020
The Lebron 18 is a bad boy with an amazing cushion and solid traction. The lateral instability was the only thing holding them back from being an all-out beast.
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8.2
May 31, 2021
The LeBron 18 provides plenty of cushioning but is a heavy shoe because of it. Despite this, it's a good shoe that can fit a variety of play styles if you can handle the support and lack of court feel.
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8.0
October 9, 2020
The LeBron 18 is definitely a big boy shoe. The cushion is by far the best aspect of the shoe and the traction is solid too. The digging of the tongue into my foot and lateral stability were issues though.
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8.0
October 24, 2020
Overall for $200 I wouldn't recommend the LeBron 18. The tongue was pretty uncomfortable, the traction wasn't great, and the lateral containment was an issue. Pick these up if you want a crazy cushion setup.
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7.6
June 14, 2021
I would not recommend this shoe to just about anyone. I'd only say get these if you need the extra cushion underfoot and are in dire need of impact protection. It really depends on your play style. Based on my personal preference, however, I didn't like the lack of court feel and responsiveness of the LeBron.
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User Reviews of the Nike Lebron 18:
User Rating: 8.5 (ranks #205 of 333)
10 - Amazing
2
9 - Great
13
8 - Good
10
7 - Average
3
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.8
December 31, 2021
These shoes are amazing for large athletes who suffer from joint/leg pains after playing. My brother and I had patella tendonitis before using these, but the beefy cushion protected our joints so well that it went away for us both! These shoes aren't a magic cure, but their supportive and cushioned qualities certainly make it a joy to play in. Nice bounce too! Laterally, you are not so supported, so watch out someone may take your ankles. Overall however not a big deal these shoes still bang!
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9.0
April 16, 2023
It is not vey breathable due to lots of cushioning and great material use, this also makes them extremely heavy but after 5 or so sessions, you become use to the weight. I find that the traction is amazing unless lots of dust gathers, i would usually wipe my shoes once every session or so because of this. They are extremely durable however due to the high heel position, you feel a bit more unstable and prone to ankle rolls. However, the shoe is extremely comfortable and has great heel to toe
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8.9
January 10, 2022
Super fun shoe to play in. Everything is amazing with the exception of the support. Traction is good, materials are great on foot, and the fit is great. The cushion is out of this world with a 3 layer setup. you really feel everything under your feet. There is not that much court feel but that doesn’t really matter to me. support is the only thing I have a problem with. Rolled my ankle a few times in this, but overall amazing shoe
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9.2
November 16, 2021
Great basketball shoe! Cushion is just superb, traction is decent on clean courts, lateral stability is quite an issue but if you are a lighter guy it doesn't really matter. The only downfall of this shoe is the tongue and its weight.
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7.8
October 29, 2021
It was a decent shoe to wear but it really shouldn't be this price, save you money for the lebron 19 or witness 6
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Traction of the Nike Lebron 18:
Expert Traction Rating: 8.3 (ranks #223 of 333)
User Traction Rating: 8.4 (ranks #208 of 333)
10 - Amazing
4
9 - Great
11
8 - Good
16
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
2
5 - Poor
1
8.0
November 2, 2020
Playing on an outdoor court, the traction was a little inconsistent. For the most part, I had a nice bite, but on some hard movements I slid out a bit.
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9.0
December 18, 2020
The traction on the Lebron 18 is very consistent indoors. It worked wonders and the rubber always maintained contact with the floor.
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8.0
May 31, 2021
The traction does the trick. It has very good coverage and really bites on clean courts. The forefoot does collect dust on dirtier courts and wiping is needed.
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9.0
October 9, 2020
The traction performed above average and worked well most of the time. The only issue I had was some parts of the outsole picked up a lot of dust and caused a bit of slipping.
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8.0
October 24, 2020
The traction on the LeBron 18 is okay. On clean courts I didn't have any problems, but on dusty courts you might run into some issues.
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8.0
June 14, 2021
The traction holds up well. The pattern worked for me.
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Cushion of the Nike Lebron 18:
Expert Cushion Rating: 9.5 (ranks #24 of 333)
User Cushion Rating: 9.3 (ranks #54 of 333)
10 - Amazing
19
9 - Great
9
8 - Good
5
7 - Average
1
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
10.0
November 2, 2020
The cushion setup is awesome! It's one of my favorite setups that I've tested recently. The combo of Air Max and full-length Zoom Air is insanely comfortably but lacks a little bit of court feel.
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10.0
December 18, 2020
This cushion setup features three layers of cushioning: a Cushlon midsole, a rear Air Max unit, and a full-length Zoom Strobel. Impact protection is great, but there is a bit of lag as the cushioning is super soft.
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9.0
May 31, 2021
The full-length Zoom unit, Air Max heel, and Cushlon cushioning provide great energy return and impact protection. However, the setup provides no court feel.
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10.0
October 9, 2020
Full-length Zoom Air, Cushlon, and Max Air really make for a nice combination of impact protection and responsiveness. Overall, the cushioning is bonkers!
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10.0
October 24, 2020
The cushion is insane and definitely the best aspect of the shoe. This is the craziest cushion setup I have tested to this day. It is very bouncy and comfortable. You do lose some court feel, but I like it better than the LeBron 17!
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8.0
June 14, 2021
The LeBron 18 provides plenty of cushioning and they feel like you're walking on clouds. The downside is that because of the cushion, the shoe is very heavy.
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Materials of the Nike Lebron 18:
Expert Materials Rating: 8.3 (ranks #133 of 333)
User Materials Rating: 8.7 (ranks #108 of 333)
10 - Amazing
6
9 - Great
15
8 - Good
8
7 - Average
4
6 - Subpar
1
5 - Poor
0
9.0
November 2, 2020
The knit material is very nice and a bit thinner compared to previous LeBron models. It felt awesome on foot. I wasn't a big fan of the tongue though.
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9.0
December 18, 2020
The Knitposite 2.0 upper is nice and thick with a rubbery feel. The material doesn't stretch much and there is no break-in time.
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9.0
May 31, 2021
Knitposite 2.0 is breathable and lightweight. It provides everything you'd need from materials but does feel too soft and stretchy.
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7.0
October 9, 2020
The Battleknit is extremely strong and durable, but kind of suffocating. The Air Max in the tongue of the shoe is crazy, but I wasn't a big fan as it dug into the top of my foot and felt terrible.
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8.0
October 24, 2020
The Battleknit upper feels very premium and has decent breathability. I had an issue with the tongue digging into my foot and it was not the most comfortable. Air Max in the tongue looks cool, but it's a gimmick and didn't do anything for me.
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8.0
June 14, 2021
The Knitposite 2.0 feels nice but isn't quite as soft as other knit materials.
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Support of the Nike Lebron 18:
Expert Support Rating: 7.0 (ranks #323 of 333)
User Support Rating: 7.8 (ranks #275 of 333)
10 - Amazing
5
9 - Great
4
8 - Good
6
7 - Average
13
6 - Subpar
6
5 - Poor
0
8.0
November 2, 2020
Lateral containment is good and the knit material didn't stretch out that much for me. Lateral stability was decent, but sometimes I felt like I might roll my ankle when the Air Max compressed. The base could be a little wider to provide more stability.
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7.0
December 18, 2020
Support in the heel and lateral containment are great. Lateral stability could be better and there was some rollover because of the lack of an outrigger.
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7.0
May 31, 2021
The heel counter and lacing system helps to keep your ankle locked in. The materials don't provide much lateral support and I felt myself falling off of the footbed.
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7.0
October 9, 2020
The lacing system is solid and it helped lock down my feet with good lateral containment. The stability is okay, but I did feel wobbly at times. Bigger hoopers shouldn't have issues with this.
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6.0
October 24, 2020
I think the support is the worst thing about the shoe. I had no heel slippage, but lateral containment was lacking. My feet would slide off the footbed on hard moves. They didn't give me the confidence I wanted when I was playing. Everything else was fine.
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7.0
June 14, 2021
Because of the fit, my foot was sliding along the footbed quite a bit.
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Fit of the Nike Lebron 18:
Expert Fit Rating: 8.2 (ranks #200 of 333)
User Fit Rating: 8.4 (ranks #209 of 333)
10 - Amazing
5
9 - Great
9
8 - Good
13
7 - Average
6
6 - Subpar
1
5 - Poor
0
9.0
November 2, 2020
The Lebron 18 fits nice and snug in the toe box area and feels great through the rest of the mid foot.
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9.0
December 18, 2020
The lockdown is solid linearly, but not great laterally. The shoe tips a bit on hard stops and quick starts which can be improved by tightening the laces, but the cheap plastic tongue dug into the top of my foot when I did that.
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8.0
May 31, 2021
Initially, the shoe fits great and really hugs your foot, but the stretchy materials can loosen up the fit as you play.
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8.0
October 9, 2020
They were a little snug initially, but after breaking them in they fit well. The shoe is extremely comfortable from the bottom down, but the upper was just okay.
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8.0
October 24, 2020
I thought these felt nice on my foot, but the tongue area felt a little bulky. The heel is sculpted well and the fit is good overall.
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7.0
June 14, 2021
The fit was not there for me. It was not snug at all.
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Durability of the Nike Lebron 18:
User Durability Rating: 8.0 (ranks #243 of 333)
10 - Amazing
4
9 - Great
7
8 - Good
6
7 - Average
7
6 - Subpar
2
5 - Poor
1
Outdoor of the Nike Lebron 18:
Expert Outdoor Rating: 37.5 (ranks #166 of 333)
User Outdoor Rating: 29.5 (ranks #252 of 333)
Good (100%)
2
Fair (50%)
12
Bad (0%)
12
no
November 2, 2020
The durability on the outsole isn't great and I wouldn't play in these outdoors.
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fair
December 18, 2020
Not the best for durability, but worked well.
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good
October 9, 2020
The rubber felt durable enough for outdoor use.
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no
June 14, 2021
I wouldn't think about taking these outdoors. The rubber is very soft.
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Width of the Nike Lebron 18:
very narrow
1
slightly narrow
4
regular
20
slightly wide
6
very wide
1
slightly narrow
November 2, 2020
These fit slightly narrow for me.
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slightly wide
May 31, 2021
LeBron's are known for fitting a tiny bit on the wider side.
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slightly narrow
October 9, 2020
Wide footers should go a half size up.
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regularly wide
October 24, 2020
I have slightly wide feet and had no issues.
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Size of the Nike Lebron 18:
very small
0
slightly small
4
true to size
23
slightly long
6
very long
0
true to size
November 2, 2020
True to size fit me very well.
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true to size
December 18, 2020
These run true to size.
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true to size
May 31, 2021
They can accommodate a bit of a wider foot, but sticking to true to size should work.
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true to size
October 9, 2020
Runs true to size.
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true to size
October 24, 2020
I would say these run true to size.
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