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Kobe Bryant and his signature line of footwear, both with Nike and adidas, has gone down in history as one of the most iconic of all time. While his adidas kicks don't get nearly as much love and respect as his Nike line, die hard Kobe fans have a special place in their heart for the first wave of signature sneakers for the Lakers great. Looking back at the various silhouettes, let's go through and take a look at what is arguably the top 10 Kobe colorways you can pick up today.
10. adidas Crazy 8 (aka KB8) 1998 All-Star
The adidas Crazy 8 is arguably the most popular non-Nike signature shoe of Kobe Bryant. While it has undergone a name change due to Kobe no longer being under contract with the Three Stripes, its retro versions sans the Kobe branding have been fan favorites for over twenty years. When thinking about releases, the "1998 All-Star" colorway is by far our favorite of the batch. It's classic black and white theme paired with Lakers purple and gold detailing, and they fact Kobe wore this pair makes them a no-brainer.
9. Nike Kobe 7 System Christmas Cheetah
Originally released as a part of Nike Basketball's Christmas Pack in 2011, this cheetah-themed Kobe 7 sports a purple-based upper, volt accents, and red laces to tie the theme altogether. What makes this pair even more special, aside from the dope colorway, is the fact that Kobe wore them on-court during the 12/25/2011 Christmas Game during the season opener for the partially locked out 2011/2012 NBA season.
8. Nike Kobe 7 "Invisibility Cloak"
The Nike Kobe 7 "Invisibility Cloak" took iridescent vibes to a whole new level. While this pair have no ties with The Deathly Hallows cloak from Harry Potter lore, people began to make the reference the design with the iconic piece worn on-screen by Daniel Radcliffe throughout the film series. It's purple-based iridescent upper that color shifts make these Kobe's stand out from all the rest. An instant eye-catcher.
7. Nike Zoom Kobe 4 Chaos
When the Nike Zoom Kobe 4 made its debut in 2008, it was the first silhouette from Kobe's line to go low-top. This ushered in a new era of basketball footwear and play style that is still practiced today. Regarded as one of the best Kobe signature sneakers of all-time, the "Chaos" colorway is clearly our favorite. With its indirect tie-in's to The Dark Knight series and its use of purple, grey and red, you can't go wrong with this pair.
6. Nike Kobe 9 Elite Masterpiece
After years of going the low-top route, the Nike Kobe 9 debuted as a high. Designed by Eric Avar, the silhouette is so smooth that Tinker Hatfield even went on record stating that he wished he had worked on it! Talk about the ultimate praise, and Avar is no amateur either. The "Masterpiece" edition hits on all cylinders, from design, to colorway, to materials and more. Not to mention it is one the best performance basketball sneakers The Swoosh has had to this day.
5. Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low HTM Multi-Color
While not directly involved with the design, Tinker Hatfield found a way to get in on the Kobe 9 action one way or another. This came in the form of a few special edition "HTM" designed colorways, including our favorite, the "Multi-Color" iteration. Hiroshi Fujiwara, Tinker Hatfield, and Mark Parker's use of multi-color Flyknit makes this Kobe 8 Elite Low HTM stand above all the rest. Its limited nature only fueled the hype as well.
4. Nike Zoom Kobe 5 Bruce Lee
Inspired by the greatest martial artist of all-time, the Nike Kobe 5 Bruce Lee edition pays homage to one of Kobe Bryant's heroes. Mimicking the look from his famous Enter The Dragon film, this Kobe 5 features a del sol-based upper with black, silver, and red accents throughout. There's even unique cuts on the sneaker that pay tribute to the final fight scene from the movie. So coveted, Nike retroed this pair as a Protro edition in 2020.
3. UNDFTD x Nike Zoom Kobe 5 Protro Hall of Fame
Kobe Bryant was inducted into the 2021 NBA Hall Of Fame posthumously by his wife Vanessa Bryant and fellow Hall of Famer, Michael Jordan. In celebration of this momentous occasion, Nike linked up with LA-based retailer, Undefeated on a special edition colorway of the Kobe 5 Protro. Chock full of details, this "Hall of Fame" edition sports a gold-based upper with snakeskin detailing, purple accents, mis-matched colored Swooshes on the sides, and more. The final result, a pair fit perfect to honor the legacy of the Black Mamba.
2. Nike Zoom Kobe 6 Grinch
You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch! The Zoom Kobe 6 "Grinch" made its debut as a part of Nike Basketball's Christmas Pack for 2010. Inspired by the anti-hero from the classic Dr. Seuss novels, this Kobe 6 hits on all cylinders. It's bright green upper and snakeskin like design make this pair stand out from the rest of the crowd. It instantly went down as one of the most popular sneakers of all-time, and was released in "Protro" form, ten years later, in 2020 to much appraise from fans and sneakerheads alike.
1. Nike Zoom Kobe 6 Protro Mambacita
One of the most tragic losses of the 21st Century were the deaths of both Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant in 2020. Kobe is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, and his daughter was on her way to having a legendary career in the sport as well. In honor of her husband and her daughter, Vanessa Bryant designed a special "Mambacita" edition of the Zoom Kobe 6 Protro. Originally unreleased as Kobe's Nike deal expired, it was later released in 2022 shortly after Nike and the Bryant estate came to a new agreement. In honor of Kobe and Gigi, the Nike Zoom Kobe 6 Protro "Mambacita" is truly tasteful, memorable, and iconic. A perfect way to represent their legacies forever.
For updates on the latest in sneakers, streetwear, and more, keep it locked to our Twitter and the Sole Retriever mobile app. If you're looking for a more in-depth breakdown for Kobe signature sneakers and upcoming releases, check out our Kobe Buyers Guide and our Nike Kobe Release Page.
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