The Nike Kobe 4 'Mambacita' Released in Limited Quantities

Fans trying to buy Los Angeles Laker legend Kobe Bryant's newest shoes are disappointed.

This Monday marked an important day on the basketball sneaker calendar. It was the first release from Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's signature sneaker line in exactly one year. 

For the second consecutive year, Nike designed a colorway to celebrate the birthday of Gianna (Gigi) Bryant. The Nike Kobe 4 Protro 'Mambacita' featured a white and black design that included several heartfelt tributes to Gigi.

To Nike's credit, the shoes only cost $180, and the profits benefited the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. Unfortunately for fans, the shoes sold out almost immediately after dropping at 10:00 a.m. on Monday.

Chart of sneakers produced / Kobe Sneaker Collection (@kobesneakers8) | Instagram

Many people in the sneaker community were quick to blame bots for snatching up more than their fair share of the rare kicks. However, the issue may have had more to do with the low number of shoes produced.

A chart (pictured above) began circulating online, and the number of shoes produced is rumored to be very low. While FanNation Kicks cannot verify the numbers, the chart indicates that only 40,024 pairs were made.

For comparison, Nike produced over 500,000 pairs of the Air Jordan 1 High 'Lost & Found'. If the numbers above are accurate, then it is safe to assume that Nike purposefully limited the latest drop from Bryant's signature line.

It has been less than a week, and the Nike Kobe 4 Protro 'Mambacita' already has an average resale price of $538 on StockX. However, the lowest asking price is north of $800 for larger sizes.

Monday's release was more salt poured into the wound of Kobe fans worldwide. It has become increasingly difficult for the average consumer to find shoes from the Nike Kobe line at retail prices. People want to support the line and would be overjoyed to buy shoes for a good cause. Nike just has to make it possible.

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