I agree about certain models like the Jordan IXs maybe not getting as much love because the player didn't play in them, and I do think it's a shame that Lebron isn't really wearing the XIs since I grew up on wanting certain shoes/colorways because MJ played in them during key moments.
That said, I think the "sneaker culture" is so different now, especially from the 90s, that it doesn't even matter anymore if a player is wearing the shoes or not, as the XIs are clearly proving. I think a lot of people now have more of a collector's mentality about shoes with all colorways that Nike keeps churning out, and a lot of focus has shifted from wanting to wear the shoes that player X is wearing in certain games to collecting different colorways. When you think about it, a lot of the most sought after or popular colorways in Lebron's sig line aren't even ones that he's ever worn on court. Granted, we don't even have access to some of the stuff he does wear cuz he wears so many PEs these days, but I just think people in general have a different attitude now, for better or worse.
