When Saquon Barkley launched himself over a defender with a no-look hurdle after a spin move, NFL fans didn’t just react-they lost their minds. The play, which happened during the Eagles’ November showdown with the Jaguars, instantly went viral. Everyone from sports analysts to casual fans was scrambling for the replay.

But it wasn’t just raw athleticism. There was something unusually smooth-almost choreographed-about the whole thing. As it turns out, the move had roots in an entirely different sport.

Barkley was rocking a pair of LeBron James Retro 4 cleats that day. And while most people saw it as a simple sneaker nod, it was way more than that. According to LeBron, the move felt eerily familiar.

“He did that spin and just took off mid-air – and he had my kicks on!”James said on The Pat McAfee Show. “I was going crazy. I couldn’t believe what I was watching.”

The play was Barkley’s, but the inspiration was pure LeBron

Barkley later admitted in an interview with Bleacher Report that the play was inspired by a late-night YouTube binge. “I was watching LeBron highlights the night before,” Barkley said. “There was one where he spun into a dunk mid-air, and I thought, ‘I need to bring that to the field.'”

And so he did.

It helps that the LeBron Retro 4 cleats were custom built for impact plays-Nike worked with Barkley to tweak the design with added ankle support, per Complex Sneakers. It wasn’t just style; it was functional performance gear.

LeBron’s influence on football isn’t new-he’s joked before about being an all-state wide receiver and even claimed he considered trying out for the NFL during the 2011 lockout. But seeing NFL stars like Barkley channel his energy on the field? That’s a new kind of legacy.

“I see guys rocking my shoes and doing things like that?”James said. “That’s love. That’s real.”

As Barkley continues to evolve into one of the most dangerous backs in the league, this moment stands as proof that sometimes the best plays don’t just come from training-they come from inspiration.