Kobe Bryant's Sneaker Line with Nike Remains Unclear

What is the future of Kobe Bryant's signature sneaker line with Nike?

The late-great Kobe Bryant was more than a basketball player. The Los Angeles Lakers legend transcended sports to become a philosopher and teacher to his legions of fans worldwide.

Throughout most of his NBA career, Bryant was notoriously private. However, in his later years, Bryant evolved from a surly shooting guard to an approachable elder statesman. Fresh off a storybook playing career, Bryant transitioned into a new role as a filmmaker and author. 

In addition to taking over Hollywood and winning an Emmy in short order, Bryant participated in more candid interviews than ever. Despite being only 40 years old, Bryant seemingly had centuries of knowledge. Many of his lessons live on in viral clips on various social media platforms. 

January 2023 will mark two years since Bryant's untimely passing. Unfortunately for fans, salt has been poured into the wound by the inaccessibility of officially-licensed Kobe gear. Specifically, shoes from Bryant's signature sneaker line with Nike.

Limited edition sneaker releases have been sporadic at best. Nike has not released a shoe from the Kobe line since May 2022.

The situation is delicate, but it's fair for consumers to ask what the plan is for the future of the Nike Kobe signature line. To understand how we got here, we must look back at recent events.

History of the Nike Kobe Protro Line

View of the Nike Kobe 6 Protro 'Mambacita - Sweet 16' colorway / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

In August 2018, Nike launched the Kobe 'Protro' line. Bryant's retro shoes were updated with technological upgrades. Nike re-released the first, fourth, and fifth shoes from the Kobe line from 2018-2020.

Understandably, production was put on hold following the tragic events of January 26, 2020. Seven months later, production of the Kobe 5 Protro in new colorways resumed. In December 2020, the Nike Kobe 6 Protro began to be released in very limited quantities.

From there, the situation worsened. In April 2021, a nearly two-decade-long partnership between Nike and the Bryant estate expired. A public disagreement between Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant and Nike began when an unreleased colorway honoring Gianna Bryant appeared online.

Eventually, cooler heads prevailed, and the two parties did not reach an agreement on a new contract until March 2022. The Nike Kobe 6 Protro 'Mambacita - Sweet 16' was released in limited quantities, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, the nonprofit charitable foundation that in 2020 was renamed to honor Gianna.

Future of the Nike Kobe Line

Anthony Davis wearing a player-exclusive colorway of the Nike Kobe 6 Protro / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Nike has remained silent about the future of the Nike Kobe Protro line. Fans have been left in the dark, while professional players have had mixed results. Bryant's shoes remain as popular as ever in the NBA. Players have worn older models and unreleased colorways of the Nike Kobe 6 Protro.

There have been rumors about the release of the Nike Kobe 6 'Prelude' as well as the launch of the Nike Kobe 8 Protro. However, nothing has come from the rumors. 

It has been over six months since Nike last released one of Bryant's shoes, and the future appears uncertain. Bryant built his signature line not just with consumers in my mind but specifically for the people. 

The Kobe line was once known for its prolific amount of options and accessibility to the average fan. Now it is another over-hyped sneaker worsened by artificial shortages.

Kobe fans are loyal and dedicated to carrying on the "Mamba Mentality" in any way they can. They haven't had many reasons to cheer over the past two years. A general release of a new Kobe model would be nice. But then again, business isn't nice. 

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