Vanessa Bryant Shows Off Nike Kobe 8 'Valentine's Day'

Kobe Bryant's Nike sneakers received a Valentine's Day colorway specifically for Vanessa Bryant.

Last Friday marked four years since the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi. While there are still issues with Kobe's signature sneaker line, specifically supply not meeting demand, no one can deny that Nike has done a commendable job of keeping his legacy alive.

Nike and Vanessa Bryant have worked together to re-launch the "Kobe Brand" and help introduce a new generation of fans to Bryant's legendary basketball career and iconic footwear. As a sign of class, Nike designed a heartfelt pair of sneakers for Vanessa for Valentine's Day 2024. 

On Monday morning, Vanessa posted a picture on Instagram of an unreleased pair of Nike Kobe 8s, which she called her Valentine's Day/Wifey player-exclusive colorway. Check out the heart-covered hoop shoes below.

Nike Kobe 8 "Valentine's Day"

Vanessa Bryant's Nike Kobe 8 sneakers / Vanessa Bryant

The design team and Nike did their thing with this colorway. The unreleased shoes sport a University Red upper, white branding, and maroon detailing that includes hearts stitched into the mesh upper. 

The Nike Kobe 8 was originally released in 2012 during Kobe's last playoff push with the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, the low-top sneakers are making a comeback as part of the Protro (performance + retro) line this year. Fans can view our constantly updated Nike Kobe release calendar to stay up to date on upcoming drops.

Vanessa's heartfelt kicks quickly made the rounds on social media, and the comment sections were predictably awful. But for a woman who has dealt with unbelievable loss in a very public way, it is always good to see her receive some much-needed recognition. Stay locked into FanNationKicks.com for all your sneaker news from the sports world.

Update

On Tuesday afternoon, Vanessa Bryant posted a picture on Instagram featuring another pair of Valentine's Day-themed sneakers. However, this time, it is a pair of Nike Kobe 4 Protros in a never-before-seen pink and white colorway, which she called another "player-exclusive." Unfortunately for fans, these shoes will not be released to the public.

The Nike Kobe 4 'Valentine's Day.' / Vanessa Bryant

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