What happens when three kings of industry team up? You get a spectacular launch for a basketball shoe unlike anything ever seen before on the hardwood.

LeBron James (a.k.a. King James) and Nike (the king of the shoe industry) have teamed up to create LEBRON 9, James’ ninth signature shoe. With the help of John Calipari and Kentucky, the winningest program in college basketball and a Nike Elite school, Nike will debut the UK-colored version of the shoe on Friday at Big Blue Madness in front of a sold-out crowd at Rupp Arena. Players and staff have the option of wearing the shoe Friday and throughout the season.

“Coach Calipari has a special love for LeBron, and actually the way his teams are run really fits in with how the 9 was built,” Nike Basketball designer Jason Petrie said.

The shoe is a reflection of James’ versatile style of play. A version of the shoe will be specially tailored to fit UK’s blue-and-white color scheme.

“With the 9, we’ve actually got the stability elements mixed in with the speed elements, so now you’re providing for every player on the floor,” Petrie said. “When it was time to do a shoe for Kentucky, we felt like the LEBRON 9 really fit perfectly with that program.”

The UK-colored shoe will be on sale in select stores on Saturday. Other select colors will be available, and the primary black/red/white launches Oct. 25. The shoe will also be available for purchase on NIKEiD.com.

Coach Cal will join a live chat and video stream on Saturday at noon on Nike’s Facebook page to discuss the shoe, versatility and skill development.

Designed by James himself, the LEBRON 9 integrates Flywire technology and Hyperfuse construction – a Nike Basketball first – in the upper for superior support, along with a combination of Max Air 180 and a Nike Zoom unit for comfortable and responsive cushioning.

“From the very beginning of the design process for the LEBRON 9 we wanted to break the mold with a shoe that maximized the strengths of a triple threat player like LeBron,” Petrie said. “LeBron brings a rare combination of speed, agility and force to the game and my goal is to outfit him in a shoe that lets him do what he does best while maximizing our superior innovations.”

Built for breathability and durability, the Hyperfuse construction is a composite of three different layers of material that are fused together to create a nearly seamless, one piece upper that sheds considerable weight without sacrificing protections. A mid-foot harness that wraps around the foot incorporates Flywire 3.0 technology for added strength and lockdown support. This lightweight upper mimics the speed and strength symbolic of James’ game.

The finely-tuned midsole provides a unique hybrid cushioning system. By combining Max Air 180 in the heel for absorption on impact with a Nike Zoom unit in the forefoot for a springy response, a player is protected on impact where they need it most. A composite shank plate provides torsional rigidity and support while reducing midsole weight.

Additional elements such as engineered textile wings, Nike Pro Combat inspired padding in the inner collar, asymmetrical lacing, heel pull tab, outrigger for lateral stability and flex grooves in the outsole bring James’ ninth signature shoe to unrivaled levels of performance. Signature style including James’ new logo, his signature on the ventilated tongue and a special outsole pattern are special nods to James.