Courtesy: Jeff Harwell-Zips Sports Photography Akron head coach Keith Dambrot prepares for his fifth season at the helm for the Zips.

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron Department of Athletics announced on Wednesday that its men’s basketball program will begin in September a three-year partnership with Nike under which the Zips' shoes, game uniforms, warm-ups and accessories will all be licensed under the Nike and LeBron James “LJ23” Trademarks.

Currently, the UA basketball program and entire athletics department calls adidas its official apparel provider and, with the exception of the men’s basketball program, that agreement will extend through the 2013 season. The Nike deal with the men’s team will run through August 2011.

"I'm from Akron and The University of Akron is my hometown school,” LeBron James said. “Because of my ties to the Akron community, the University and Coach Keith Dambrot it is important to me that UA is designated as a Nike/LeBron James LJ23 School. I want to be sure that Coach Dambrot's guys look great head to toe."

"This is just another example of LeBron’s commitment to the city of Akron, its University and our basketball program,” Dambrot said. “This announcement is important to us in many ways. It furthers our connection to one of the greatest players in the world, helps improve our image as we strive to become one of the top mid-major programs in the nation and also gives us a competitive edge in terms of recruiting."

"LeBron James is recognized worldwide as one of the greatest athletes to ever play the game," Akron director of athletics Mack Rhoades said. "Of equal importance, he is recognized as a quality person who loves his hometown and is willing to give back to it. This partnership is significant to the growth of our men’s basketball program as it provides a great distinction for our student-athletes and coaches."

The Nike/Akron partnership is a product of Dambrot’s long-standing relationship with James. As head coach of Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (1998-99 through 2000-01 season), Dambrot won a pair of state championships (2000 and 2001) with James being a key component of the squad. James is no stranger to UA’s Rhodes Arena on game days and is a regular at off-season workouts in the Zips' facility.

The Akron campus also serves as the site of the LeBron James Skills Academy and the LeBron James King's Academy each summer. This year's King's Academy (youth camp) begins this Saturday and runs until June 25, while the Skills Academy (showcase for the nation's best high school players) is scheduled for July 5-8. The King James Shooting Stars Classic (AAU tournament) is also headquartered on the UA campus each April.