A few days ago, I meandered through my local mall and found myself in House of Hoops, where I was surprised to see an array of LeBron 20s on sale for up to 30% off their original price. This was a shoe I had previously predicted would not make significant waves on third-party markets. Yet, interestingly, it’s a high-performing sneaker that has found favor among many NBA players.
Consider the statistics below courtesy of Kixstats illustrating the number of NBA players who wore the shoe during the 2022 season – interestingly ‘King James’ himself ranks fourth. However, popularity doesn’t necessarily translate into resale value.
So, why does Nike continue to release these basketball shoes? Well, the brand’s primary focus isn’t how their products perform on third-party marketplaces. In fact, the LeBron 20 ranks second as the player’s choice. This explains why the swoosh brand would go to the extent of creating the 21st edition of LeBron’s signature shoes. The brand stays faithful to its ethos of delivering high-performance sneakers for athletes.
So, while the latest Nike LeBron 21 may not command a high resale value, it’s certainly going to be invaluable to players. I’m going to be soon writing a performance review on the Lebron 21 but today I’m specifically interested in the Nike Lebron 21 Akoya current value on the secondary markets. But first, let’s take a quick look at the shoe
Nike Lebron 21 Akoya: A symbol of Father-Daughter Relationship
As per my understanding, the shoe is designed to mirror the tantalizing allure and radiant beauty of a rare pearl. It also serves as a touching tribute to LeBron’s treasured relationship with his daughter, Zhuri, symbolizing his steadfast dedication to nurturing her path to success.
Where To Buy
- Price:$200
- Release Date: 2023-09-28
- Style Code:FV2345-001
- Color: Light Bone / Coconut Milk / Dark Russet / Campfire Orange
Retailer(s)
You may also purchase it now on StockX
Resale Value: Nike Lebron 21 Akoya
The chart above gives us a summary of the average sale price of the shoe by size, as well as the returns associated with each. As you can see every size led to a loss except the size 15, which lead to a +$64 profit margin, that shouldn’t come as a surprise as the size 15 is very scarce. If you were planning on reselling this shoe, I hope I have given you enough evidence to change your mind.
The prevalent notion that basketball shoes are dead is a misinterpretation of the real issue at hand. The crux of the matter lies not in the demise of these shoes but in the consumers’ reluctance to pay the hefty prices attached to them. The secondary market offers a clear insight into what consumers are willing to shell out for a pair, and as per the records above, for the Lebron 21, they aren’t willing to exceed the suggested MSRP.
If priced at $160, these shoes could potentially sell faster than we can imagine. This is a feasible scenario, especially considering that these shoes often end up being marked down to 30% below their original price. Therefore, it begs the question: Why aren’t retailers more willing to collaborate with brands like Nike to establish a pricing strategy that benefits all parties involved – the brand, the retailers, and most importantly, the consumer?
