The Kobe series for Nike has become one of the most legendary signature lines of all time. NBA Superstars like Devin Booker, DeMar DeRozan and many more have been religiously wearing Kobe sneakers for years now. Kobe wore 11 different shoes in his line while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Below is a guide to the Nike x Kobe Bryant series.
You can find Nike products at shoepalace.com.
Kobe 1
The Kobe Bryant and Nike partnership kicked off with the Nike Zoom Kobe 1 in 2006. Some legendary moments happened for Kobe while he was wearing the 1. The Nike Zoom Kobe 1 was a rather simple shoe in terms of style and technology. But the 1 was Kobe’s first signature shoe for Nike…which is obviously a big deal. But even bigger than that is Kobe wore the 1 when he scored 81 points in a single game. That game is one of the most iconic in the history of sports. The Nike Zoom Kobe 1 puts an emphasis on cushioning. Kobe was dealing with injuries when the 1 was being crafted and he wanted a shoe that put cushioning at the forefront.
Kobe 2
The Nike Air Zoom Kobe 2 was originally released in 2007. The Kobe 2 was a lighter and less bulky silhouette than the 1. The 1 was intentionally designed to be bulkier, and Nike and Kobe went in the opposite direction with the 2. The Nike Air Zoom Kobe II was designed by Ken Link. There were multiple styles of the Kobe 2 made. There was a midtop version, with a midfoot strap. There was also a lightweight high version. The idea of making multiple versions of a signature sneaker was an interesting one. The versions were designed to fit the games of various kinds of athletes. The Los Angeles Lakers played the Miami Heat on Christmas Day in 2006. Nike and Kobe used that game to debut the Kobe II.
Kobe 3
The Nike Zoom Kobe III would follow in the footsteps of two immensely popular silhouettes from the Nike & Kobe partnership. The III is a major departure from the first two Kobe signature models in terms of aesthetic and construction. The Nike Zoom Kobe III would be released in 2008. The III was designed by Eric Avar. 2008 was an interesting year for Kobe. He received his first, and shockingly lone, MVP Trophy for the 2007-2008 campaign. LA would make the 2008 Finals, largely because of Kobe’s greatness. Unfortunately, they would lose to the Boston Celtics for the championship in the Finals. Kobe was continuing to grow as a player and his best was yet to come.
Kobe 4
The Nike Zoom Kobe 4 is possibly the most popular silhouette in the Nike and Kobe partnership. It is an influential shoe for not just the Kobe line, but also the sneaker industry. Kobe Bryant came to the designer of the 4, Eric Avar, with a simple request, he wanted the lowest and lightest basketball shoe possible. Avar looked to soccer for inspiration when it came to the Kobe 4 design. Bryant had a love for soccer, which made the inspiration exciting for him. The widespread assumption when it comes to basketball shoes had always been the higher the better. Avar wanted to prove with the 4 that you could make a low profile shoe, and still offer a lot of support.
Kobe 5
The Nike Zoom Kobe 5 debuted on Christmas Day in 2009. The Los Angeles Lakers were looking to win another championship in 2009-2010, after bringing home the title a year prior. The Lakers would return to the NBA Finals in 2010. They would defeat the Boston Celtics to bring home back to back championships. It would be Kobe’s fifth, and final championship. Eric Avar and Matt Nurse designed the 5. The Kobe 4 changed the way basketball shoes were made. The low top cut was not the norm for a basketball silhouette when the 4 was released. The 4 and 5 followed in the footsteps of shoes that soccer players wore. The 5 had an even lower profile than the 4.
Kobe 6
The Nike Zoom Kobe 6 debuted in 2010. It is considered by many Kobe sneaker enthusiasts to be one of the best Kobe signature sneakers in the Nike x Kobe line. Eric Avar designed the Nike Kobe 6. It has a textured upper that is inspired by snakeskin. This honors Kobe’s Black Mamba mentality and alter ego. It has a dual layer memory foam sockliner, a Phylon injected midsole, and Zoom Air in the heel and forefront. The Nike Kobe 6 has a tighter and more secure fit than previous Kobe models. The 6 has some of the most memorable Kobe colorways, including the iconic Nike Zoom Kobe 6 “Grinch.” The 6 is easily one of the most influential basketball shoes.
Kobe 7
By 2011, Kobe was an older player who had racked up a lot of NBA miles. He was putting up his usual substantial numbers and was still a dangerous player on the court during the 2011-2012 season. The 7 featured a new tech that maximized performance in a sleek and comfortable silhouette. The shoe’s “Kobe System” gave the 7 two interchangeable midsole options. The options allowed players to attack fast or attack strong. The Kobe System granted a variety of athletes to wear and shine in the 7. The interchangeable insoles were game changers when the 7 was launched in 2011. They were on the feet of Kobe when he helped Team USA win the Gold Medal in London in 2012.
Kobe 8
The Kobe 8 debuted in 2012. It was designed by Eric Avar. Avar and Kobe had a long and successful relationship at Nike by 2012. Their goals, with each new shoe in the series, was to make a thinner and more breathable basketball silhouette than the one prior. The 8 continued the trend of Nike and Kobe being inspired by soccer players and their footwear. Soccer shoes are light and low cut. Kobe and Avar thought there were advantages to bringing that design to a basketball shoe. Kobe had one of the darker moments of his career when he tore his Achilles late in the season, while wearing the 8. The 8 is easily one of the most popular Kobe silhouettes.
Kobe 9
The Nike Kobe 9 may not be one of the most celebrated shoes from the Nike and Kobe partnership. The design was a huge departure from the Kobe sneakers that came previously. Since the Kobe and Nike partnership started in 2003, Kobe, Nike, and designer Eric Avar put an emphasis on pushing forward the technology and performance of basketball sneakers. Right before the 9 was launched, Kobe, Nike and Avar were focused on low cut, lightweight and soccer cleat styled footwear. The 9 debuted in 2014. . For the 9, Kobe looked to boxers for inspiration. The higher cut gave much more support, which was something an older Kobe thought was important.
Kobe 10
The Nike Kobe 10 would be released in 2015. The Kobe 10 continued to push Nike Basketball into new places of innovation and technology. The Nike Kobe 10 was once again designed by the great Eric Avar. The 10 was a simple and minimal shoe when it came to design. The shoe’s goal was responsiveness. It has a seamless textile upper and a Lunarlon sole unit. The Mamba logo was on the tongue. The 10 had a hybrid cushioning system with Zoom Air in the heel. The Nike Kobe 10 was made available in a low top and high top. Kobe would begin the 2015-16 season wearing the Kobe 10 in its high Flyknit version, but also wore the Elite Low from time to time.
Kobe 11
The Nike Kobe 11 would be the final shoe Kobe Bryant would actually play NBA basketball in. It was the end of a special era for Kobe and Nike. The 11 did an excellent job of bringing everything the brand wanted to do with the line, in terms of progression and innovation, to the last shoe. The 11 was designed by the legend, Eric Avar. Kobe and Avar knew the 11 would be the final shoe Kobe would play in. Because of this, they knew they had to do something exceptional. The Kobe 9 introduced Flyknit. This was the first time Flyknit was on basketball shoes. Nike continued the evolution of the material by weaving in TPU yarns, this provided more structure and stability than the past use of Flyknit.
Back to All