LeBron James was rocking Kentucky-themed shoes against the 76ers last night

It’s been a big couple of days for Kentucky-themed basketball shoes.

It was just a day ago that we learned of Devin Booker‘s new shoe, the Nike Book 2 “Must Be The Denim”, which will be unveiled on Saturday ahead of Kentucky’s home game against Tennessee. Booker’s shoes are a tribute to the Wildcats’ 1996 national championship team, which wore the now-famous denim uniforms and featured current head coach Mark Pope on the roster. 30 years later, UK is running the denim look back when the Volunteers come to Rupp Arena.

But now we have arguably the greatest basketball player of all time also joining in on the Kentucky fun. During his game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James was rocking an all-blue UK edition of his LeBron 23 PEs with the school logo on the back. The Lakers went on to beat Tyrese Maxey (who finished with 26 points) and the Sixers by a score of 119-115.

LeBron James in Kentucky LeBron 23 PEs tonight 🔵 👑 @KingJames pic.twitter.com/jL3syYb3S5

— Sole Retriever (@SoleRetriever) February 6, 2026

Looking at highlights from the game, James only wore the Kentucky-themed shoes for the first half before switching to a different pair of white shoes. Admittedly, he didn’t make the blue and white proud during those opening two quarters. James registered four points and five assists with four turnovers on 1-6 shooting in the first half as the Lakers trailed 59-51. The Hall of Famer finished his night with 17 points and 10 assists on 7-17 shooting as L.A. made its fourth-quarter comeback.

All of this begs the obvious question: Does LeBron James have any college eligibility left? He’s no stranger to the Kentucky men’s basketball program. Former UCLA guard Amari Bailey has played in NBA games, and he’s about to visit Grand Canyon next week. James never even made it to college before going pro.

Might as well give him a call, Coach Pope.