LeBron James Joins Forces With Barbie For First Ever Male Athlete Collaboration

LeBron James is no stranger to breaking NBA records, but this time, he’s making history for a completely unexpected reason.

The NBA great, who’s not only a four-time champion but the league’s all-time leading scorer, is joining forces with Mattel, the company behind the massive brand Barbie, to become the first male professional athlete to get his own doll.

According to LeBron James himself, the pro baller teamed up with the popular brand for several reasons. The biggest was so he could continue inspiring people from all over to reach for the stars and achieve their goals through hard work and dedication.

According to a press release from Mattel, the well-known brand experienced a surge in popularity following the release of the 2023 movie “Barbie,” which starred Margot Robie and Ryan Gosling. Not only did the literal Barbie doll become even more popular, but Ken did, too!

“Ken is Barbie’s longtime best friend and supporter,” said Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie. “We are excited to bring fans a new presentation of Ken that celebrates LeBron as a role model, his icon status, lasting impact on culture, and dedication to setting a positive example for the next generation to reach their limitless potential.”

LeBron’s official Ken doll will launch at select Target stores, Amazon, Walmart, and Mattel Creations on April 14, 2025, at 12:00 AM EST. Although it costs a whopping $75, it could be money well spent.

The athlete’s “Kenbassador” doll resembles the 6’9″ baller to a tee. It stands one inch taller than the standard Ken doll and comes in custom, larger packaging. The Los Angeles Lakers star also worked closely with the Barbie design team, ensuring their creation matched his aesthetic off of the court, too.

For the outfit, the LeBron Ken doll will wear a custom varsity jacket over the LeBron James Family Foundation’s signature “We Are Family” t-shirt. The toy will also include a pair of Nike sneakers, sunglasses, a fanny pack, and black Beats by Dre headphones.

“As a young kid, I was fortunate to have role models who not only inspired me but also showed me what’s possible through hard work and dedication,” LeBron said about his new venture.

“Now, as an adult, I understand how vital it is for young people to have positive figures to look up to. That’s why partnering with Barbie to release the LeBron James Kenbassadors doll is such an honor. It’s an opportunity to recognize the powerful impact of role models who instill confidence, inspire dreams, and show kids that they, too, can achieve greatness.” 

After the official Barbie Instagram account shared the news, fans began reacting to the announcement, sharing their excitement about the iconic collaboration.

Nike wrote, “Hi LeBarbie,” while the official LeBron James Foundation posted, “He is kenough.”

A third user said the toy was the “perfect gift for the Bronsexual in your life,” before a fourth stated, “Ken just got upgraded to King.”

In addition to making history with Barbie, LeBron had another historic night to celebrate at the start of this year’s NBA season.

After his son, Bronny James, was drafted by the Lakers, they became the first father-son duo to play in the league at the same time and on the same team.

He went on to describe how special the moment was for him, considering he didn’t have that type of influence in his life growing up. “I think that’s one of the greatest things that a father can ever hope for or wish for,” he said.

Although LeBron knew he’d get to share the court with his son, 20, he still couldn’t get over the surreal feeling.

“The moment when we came out of the timeout and he was picking up full court and I went up – because my guy was taking the ball out. We stood next to each other and I kind of looked at him, and it was just like, ‘Is this ‘The Matrix’ or something?'” the proud father said. “It just didn’t feel real.”