Adidas is Releasing Retro Kobe Sneakers on Mamba Day

Adidas is releasing Kobe Bryant's retro sneakers on the same day Nike celebrates Mamba Day.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant warms up in adidas gear. / Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Basketball fans and sneakerheads all over the world have April 13 circled on their calendars. Not only is it the eighth anniversary of Kobe Bryant's final NBA game, but it will be the first time in several years that Nike has fully celebrated Mamba Day.

Who can forget April 13, 2016? Bryant put an exclamation mark on his legendary career by scoring 60 points in his last game. Simultaneously, Nike pulled out all the stops to celebrate the face of its basketball division. Fans were treated to surprise sneaker drops, custom colorway options, and limited-edition apparel.

We will fast forward through all the emotional pain and contractual drama over the past several years just to say that this upcoming Saturday will be the first time Nike has truly embraced Mamba Day in some time. Earlier this week, we detailed the three sneaker releases the brand has planned for the hoops holiday.

Honestly, the stakes feel high for this Mamba Day. Everyone will be competing for those sneakers, including myself. I will be in there with y'all battling like Bryant did for rebounds in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. Luckily, there is a fallback plan for fans wanting to buy some retro Kobe sneakers without all the hassle.

The adidas Crazy 98 in the 'Lakers Road' colorway. / adidas

In a surprising move, adidas plans to get in on the action of Mamba Day. The adidas Crazy 98 is releasing in an OG colorway inspired by the 'Lakers Road' version, which Bryant wore on NBA courts during the Del Harris era.

Online shoppers will be able to purchase the adidas Crazy 98 for $150 in adult sizes on the adidas website at 10:00 a.m. on April 13. These old-school sneakers are the latest release in a concerted push by adidas to reprise many of its models associated with Bryant.

Bryant's second signature sneaker was originally called the adidas KB8 II (the brand has always struggled with naming its signature sneaker lines). However, after Bryant left adidas in the summer of 2002, his sneaker catalog was rebranded and re-released many times over the years.

Younger fans will not fully appreciate the sneakers. But everyone over the age of 35 will immediately be transported back in time to the late 1990s. If Bryant taught us anything, it is that competition is good. Adidas is not letting Nike have anything easy, and that includes Bryant's iconic sneaker legacy. Stay locked into FanNation Kicks for all your footwear news from the sports world.

Rankings: The top 10 sneakers worn during 2024 March Madness.