Since June 2008, the Akron men's basketball program has been partnered with Nike under which the Zips' shoes, game uniforms, warm ups and accessories are licensed under the Nike and LeBron James Trademarks.

The Zips are just one of four college programs in the country that are partnered with the LBJ line of Nike equipment [Kentucky, Miami (Fla.) and Ohio State].

"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 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 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.”

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.

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.