Stripes to Swoosh: The History of Kobe Sneakers
From teenage sensation to five-time champion, the sneakers Kobe Bryant wore on his way to the top.
In 1996, a talented high school senior shared some exciting news at a press conference turned prep rally. "I'm Kobe Bryant,” the 17-year-old told his classmates and media members. “I decided to take my talents to um [...] No, I have decided to skip college and take my talents to the NBA."
Bryant’s decision to forgo college as a shooting guard was shocking. Historically, only big men had made the leap from prep to pro. The decision was backed by adidas, which had been working behind the scenes on a deal poised to pay Kobe $48 million over the course of six seasons. In that span, Kobe won the 1997 Slam Dunk contest, launched his own signature sneaker line, appeared in four All-Star Games (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002) and won three NBA titles (2000, 2001, 2002).
By year six, the star had cooled on the direction of his partnership. Bryant famously ended his endorsement deal with adidas the next season and began a year of footwear free agency. After wearing player-exclusive pairs from Jordan Brand and Reebok as well as favorites from AND1 and Converse, Bryant decided to sign with Nike.
In his first few years with the Swoosh, Kobe resurrected the Huarache franchise, landed his own signature series and launched the Hyperdunk. Taking home two more titles and winning his lone MVP trophy in Nike, the Black Mamba ended his career in 2016 as one of the most decorated players in hoop history.
As we remember the legacy of one of the most dedicated and influential basketball players of all time, discover the essential Kobe sneaker catalog below.
adidas EQT Elevation/Crazy 97 (1997)
Designer: James Carnes
Arriving in Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant was barely old enough to drive yet already appearing in adidas commercials. The brand was ready to make Kobe an international icon.
The young sensation sported the adidas EQT Elevation at the 1997 Dunk Contest and through that spring’s postseason. Years later, the same shoes returned as a retro, rebranded as the adidas Crazy 97, a nod to Bryant’s rookie run.
adidas KB8/Crazy 8 (1997)
Designer: James Carnes
In only his second season as a pro, the adidas KB8 introduced Kobe Bryant to the world as the leading man for the German juggernaut. Bold branding and Feet You Wear technology made the KB8 the perfect vehicle for the wunderkind to sell the Stripes as his star ascended.
While still a sixth man in LA, Kobe was voted an All-Star Game starter in 1998 at the tender age of 19. Facing off against Michael Jordan at Madison Square Garden, the torch was metaphorically passed as the legend and rookie matched moves. The showy young superstar made a statement in a PE pair of the KB8, later launched as a retro under the Crazy 8 moniker.
adidas The Kobe/Crazy 1 (2000)
Designer: Eirik Lund Nielsen
After three installments of the youthful KB8 series, a more sophisticated series debuted. Dubbed The Kobe, adidas introduced a new trilogy tied to Bryant, this time inspired by Audi’s TT Roadster. Designed by Eirik Lund Nielsen and overseen by Peter Moore of Air Jordan 1 fame, The Kobe was decidedly different in appearance and made more personal by both new naming and branding.
On court, The Kobe had an unrivaled run, appearing on the feet of Bryant in NBA Finals wins with the Lakers in 2000, 2001 and 2002. “Sunshine” styles illuminated his Staples Center home while “Mesh” makeups defined the postseason. Years later, The Kobe returned in retro form, rebranded as The Crazy 1 with original colorways and new renditions alike.
adidas The Kobe 2 (2001)
Designer: Eirik Lund Nielsen
Eirik Lund Nielsen returned for one of the most progressive basketball shoes ever made: the adidas The Kobe 2. Smoother, sleeker and shorter than its predecessor, The Kobe 2 was first shown to Bryant through conceptual clay models; the Laker sensation later helped pick colorways.
The Kobe 2 hit shelves in neutral palettes, playing off the model’s minimal design. An 'All-Star' iteration tied to Laker hues arrived alongside the subdued hues, although the futuristic sneaker proved most powerful in an unreleased 'USA Flag' PE colorway. Produced as an homage to America following the events of September 11, Bryant wore the pair for his very first Ring Night game, later gifting the shoe to rising high school sensation LeBron James.
Air Jordan 3/8 Kobe Pack (2016)
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Bryant never shied away from demonstrating that Michael Jordan was his biggest inspiration both competitively and stylistically. From a young age, he mimicked Mike’s moves in practice and in game, sharing a brotherly relationship and rivalry without equal in professional sports.
As a free agent in the footwear space, Kobe considered joining Jordan Brand. MJ’s namesake line came to Kobe with purple player-exclusive pairs of both the Air Jordan 3 and Air Jordan 8. The retro revamps on Mike’s ’88 and ’93 signatures were exclusive to Bryant from 2002-2003, later brought back as seeded exclusives in 2016 as an ode to Kobe’s career.
Nike Air Huarache 2K4 (2004)
Designer: Eric Avar
In 1992, Tinker Hatfield executed a case study in reduction. While traditional basketball sneakers proved their weight through volume and bulk, Hatfield looked instead to sandal styling, inspired by ancient Greek footwear.
The result was the Nike Air Flight Huarache, a favorite of Michigan’s Fab 5 and Chicago’s Scottie Pippen in the early ’90s, and later loved as retro renditions by Kobe Bryant. Bringing back the franchise and introducing Kobe as a Nike athlete, ankle cutouts and featherweight styling returned in the form of the ultra-advanced Nike Air Huarache 2K4.
Nike Zoom Kobe 1 (2005)
Designer: Ken Link
After reviving the Flight Huarache by way of the 2K4 and 2K5, Bryant readied a model of his own. Working with Nike designer Ken Link, the two prepared a silhouette that pulled from basketball’s best shoes. From the Blazer to the Turbine, the Nike Zoom Kobe 1 was a clean-cut hybrid of hoops history.
With the introduction of the Nike Zoom Kobe 1, the dawn of Bryant’s Swoosh era formally took shape. Leading the Lakers back to the playoffs and dropping 81 points in his first namesake Nikes, the Kobe 1 came at a time when the evolving guard was on a career-defining tear. Since its arrival, the Nike Zoom Kobe 1 has returned in ‘Prelude,’ ‘Protro’ and 'Fade to Black' form.
Nike Hyperdunk (2008)
Designer: Eric Avar
Going for gold and breaking the internet, Kobe Bryant and Nike conquered both Beijing and algorithms in 2008. In the Nike Hyperdunk, Kobe departed from his signature series, leading the Redeem Team back to the top at the Olympics.
In the same summer, Bryant leapt over an Aston Martin as part of Nike’s iconic Hyperdunk promotional commercial. Part science, part sweat, part special effects, the video helped make the Hyperdunk a hit on the hardwood. Introducing Lunarlon cushioning and Flywire support to the sport, Eric Avar’s advanced basketball shoe moved units and YouTube views alike.
Nike Zoom Kobe 4 (2008)
Designer: Eric Avar
Not one to rest on the laurels of their Hyperdunk success, Bryant and Avar went back to Nike’s Innovation Kitchen and cooked up something unique: the Nike Zoom Kobe 4.
Carrying over the Lunarlon and Flywire technology they had recently brought to basketball, the pair now looked to fútbol for inspiration. Equipping Bryant with a low-cut model—unusual for a player of his size—the two defied physics and dismissed the high-top genre for one of the most revolutionary performance sneakers ever created. Kobe took home a title in this below-ankle signature and the league soon followed in his footsteps.
Nike Zoom Kobe 5 (2009)
Designer: Eric Avar
As an encore, Avar and Bryant brought back the fútbol formula and returned to the NBA Finals with the Nike Zoom Kobe 5. In the 5, Kobe fittingly won his fifth title while the designer ascended to all-time heights.
Refining the formula of below-ankle build, Flywire support and contemporary court feel, the Kobe 5 spread through the league as players big and small made the model their own. Introduced in 2009 and brought back as a 'Prelude and ‘Protro,’ the Kobe 5 has transcended both time and position.
Nike Zoom Kobe 6 (2010)
Designer: Eric Avar
Bryant’s reptile alter ego—the Black Mamba—took center stage with the release of the scaly Nike Zoom Kobe 6.
Introduced in the iconic 'Grinch' colorway, the Kobe 6 kept the low-top look, Flywire support and Zoom Air cushioning seen on its predecessors. Bryant battled the best in the game in his most personal signature shoe yet, living as a fan favorite in original, 'Protro,' 'Prelude' and 'Fade to Black' varieties with many of the NBA’s young elite later receiving player exclusives.
Nike Kobe 8 (2012)
Designer: Eric Avar
The Nike Kobe 8 was built for speed and informed by identity. Materials made famous by Nike Running resided both in and outside the 9.6 oz signature shoe; minimal in construction but bold in personality thanks to knit styling representative of the Black Mamba’s killer instinct.
The Nike Kobe 8 had a long run on court and on the market. While most new models from Bryant’s namesake series debuted around the holidays, the Nike Kobe 8 was the only pair to see two Christmas colorways over the course of back-to-back seasons. Incredibly light and low to the court, the Kobe 8 is favored amongst performance purists. Though never revived as a retro—save 'Fade to Black' and 'Prelude'—the pair lives on in the collective memory through thematic colorways, engineered mesh makeovers and elite upgrades for the postseason.
Nike Kobe 9 (2013)
Designer: Eric Avar
Altering the direction of the industry once again, Avar and Bryant returned with something completely unorthodox. After years of going against the grain with low-top silhouettes, the two took inspiration from Bryant’s Achilles injury to form the high-top Nike Kobe 9 Elite. Built like a boxing boot and showing the same scars Kobe overcame, the shoe revolved around Flyknit while showcasing the same court feel through drop-in Lunarlon cushioning.
Worn on court by Kobe in high-top and low-top forms, the chameleon kicks challenged creativity through HTM collaborations [Hiroshi Fujiwara x Tinker Hatfield x Mark Parker] and NikeiD options. Bryant became the NBA’s third all-time leading scorer during the year of the Kobe 9, surpassing his childhood hero, Michael Jordan.
Nike Kobe 11 (2015)
Designer: Eric Avar
Leaner, meaner and more refined, the Nike Kobe 11 represented the fine-tuned detailing of the man who wore them. Serving as Bryant’s last-ever game shoe, Avar polished the low-top look introduced years prior on the Kobe 4 with stronger Flywire, more responsive cushioning and better court feel.
In the ultimate curtain call, Kobe dropped 60 points on the Utah Jazz—the same team he famously hoisted up air balls against as a rookie in the playoffs—capping off a storybook career in front of a packed Staples Center. The likes of JAY-Z, Kanye West and Jack Nicholson were all in attendance, watching the most dedicated to do it go out on his own terms.
Trending Colorways
Nike Kobe A.D. ‘Cool Grey’ (2016)
The Kobe A.D. was the first shoe to release after Kobe Bryant's retirement, imparting the Mamba Mentality to a new generation of athletes. As Bryant adapted to a new, less hectic life and recreational activities beyond the hard court, the Ross Klein design took inspiration from theme park animatronics, with numerous technologies featured beyond the surface.
Flywire technology is placed underneath a synthetic top layer—a hidden element of support included at Bryant's insistence—while forefoot micro-grooves abet the quick cuts, lateral movement and countermoves that became a hallmark of the legend's game. ‘Cool Grey’ is subtle in its makeup, offset with an iridescent heel counter.
Nike Kobe A.D. Mid BM 'City Edition' (2017)
The beloved ‘City Edition’ landed one year after the inaugural A.D.’s release with a specific audience in mind. Designed for Lakers fans in a black and gold colorway, “Black” and “Mamba” text is embroidered on the tongues in the team’s signature font. The Swoosh is executed in a drop shadow style, paying tribute to the franchise’s uniforms from previous years.
Nike Kobe A.D. NXT 360 'Mamba Day' (2018)
At the time of release, Bryant was said to have been more involved in creating the Kobe A.D. NXT 360 than any other sneaker in the franchise. The third generation in the A.D. series was first spotted on the feet of DeMar DeRozan in March 2018, the second time the Raptors star had been entrusted to exclusively showcase Mamba footwear.
The silhouette is highlighted by a 360-degree Flyknit upper, completed with an iridescent Swoosh. The aerodynamic style features a drop-in sockliner, pairing Lunarlon foam with Zoom Air. The ‘Mamba Day’ release is rendered in a futuristic color scheme, juxtaposing black against a holographic silver Swoosh and icy blue outsole.
Nike Zoom Kobe 6 Protro 'Mambacita Sweet Sixteen' (2022)
Designed by Bryant’s wife Vanessa, the Zoom Kobe 6 Protro 'Mambacita Sweet Sixteen’ pays tribute to Bryant and his daughter Gianna. Employing a polyurethane "island” upper to mimic snakeskin, it features a black and white color base, complemented by a gold “2” on the heel and “Kobe” and “Gigi” on the back heel. “Mambacita” logos on the back heel and insole complete the monochromatic style.
Nike Zoom Kobe 4 Protro ‘Mambacita’ (2023)
Like the ‘Mambacita Sweet Sixteen’ colorway, ‘Mambacita’ is adorned with various tributes to Gigi. The colorway is inspired by her youth basketball team’s black and white uniform. Gingham flourishes are a nod to the shirts she often tied around her waist, while a red Swoosh underfoot is inspired by one of Gigi’s favorite hair bows. Her name is featured on the heel and shoelace tips.
Nike Kobe 8 Protro ‘Halo’ (2023)
Nike and Bryant’s wife Vanessa dreamed up the Protro ‘Halo’ to mark the superstar’s birthday on August 23, 2023. The all-white Kobe 8 features a notable technical upgrade, swapping out the Lunarlon midsole of previous versions for React Foam. A carbon fiber shank provides solid footing, while a herringbone-tread outsole abets stop-start movements.
Kobe FAQs
Are there any new Kobe releases?
The latest releases can be found on our dedicated Kobe shoes page. Upcoming and recent Kobe basketball sneaker releases include:
What is the difference between the Zoom Kobe 6 and the Zoom Kobe 6 Protro?
The Zoom Kobe 6 Protro includes a more responsive Zoom Air cushioning system than the Zoom Kobe 6, as well as scaled-down traction for improved feel on the court. Additionally, the shape of the Zoom Kobe 6 Protro is slightly altered for a lower and sleeker fit.
What basketball shoes does Caitlin Clark wear?
Caitlin Clark wore the Kobe 5 'Bruce Lee' when she broke the women's NCAA scoring record. She has also been seen wearing the Kobe 6 'Reverse Grinch' during games. On August 30, Clark debuted a new light blue Nike Kobe Protro 6 PE on court in the Indiana Fever's game against the Chicago Sky.
What does Protro mean?
Protro means “Performance Retro,” a type of model developed by Nike and Kobe Bryant. Protro shoes take classic Kobe silhouettes and update them with modern sneaker performance technology while keeping the original aesthetic intact. This aligns with Kobe’s constant pursuit of improvement, allowing athletes to have the benefit of newer sneaker technology while maintaining the look of iconic shoes and colorways.
What is releasing as part of the Kobe Team Bank collection ?
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