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Solomon Hill Loyal to Kobe Bryant Sneaker Line

The veteran forward still wears the shoes of the player he used to guard.

Pat Benson

© Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Solomon Hill has quickly become a fan favorite in Atlanta. Hawks fans love him for his wry sense of humor and undefeated social media presence. Not to mention he can still burn opponents from beyond the arc.

Last winter, while we were all stuck inside and watching NBA games played in empty arenas, I noticed the veteran journeyman had a strong collection of rare Nike Kobe sneakers (he wore a lot of the signature shoes of his former teammate, Paul George, too). 

Just recently he told the Hawks social media team that the Nike Kobe 6 was his favorite basketball shoe of all time. After doing some research, I found out his appreciation for Kobe Bryant goes way back.

Los Angeles to Tucson

Hill went to Fairfax High School, less than ten miles from the Staples Center. Thanks to his stellar play with the Lions during the winter and the California Supreme during the summer, Hill landed offers from top D-1 programs. 

Once Hill decided to attend the University of Arizona, a Nike school since 1998, he quickly started wearing Kobe's on the court. In fact, he wore several different pairs of the Nike Kobe 6 in Wildcat-inspired colorways. The shoe was originally released in 2011 and re-released as a performance retro ("Protro") in 2020.

NBA

To add insult to injury, following Bryant's untimely passing in January 2020, Nike and his estate could not agree on a new deal. Just like that, one of the most popular and influential basketball sneaker lines just ended. 

Still, there are legions of loyal NBA and WNBA players who wear Kobe's on the court. Even the young Hawks roster has a handful of players who grew up watching Bryant and want to carry on his tradition of excellence. But with each passing year, the list of current NBA players who competed against Bryant slims down a little bit. 

Hill played against Bryant twice, both times in less than a month during the 2014-2015 season. They were tasked with guarding each other. That was one of the few times, Hill wasn't wearing Kobe's that season. Afterward, he told reporters:

“You’re talking about one of the greatest players of all-time being on the floor. But I can’t going into a mindset of looking like, ‘Oh my God, he’s Kobe,' when I have to guard this guy. He can going out there at any given moment and put 81 [points] on you.” - quote from Vigilant Sports

In the first game on December 15, 2014, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 110-91. Bryant scored 21 points in 30 minutes. Hill scored 4 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 28 minutes. Bryant said of Hill, “I thought he competed hard, in that he moved his feet and I thought he played well.” 

Less than three weeks later, on January 4, 2015, the Lakers beat the Pacers 88-87 in Staples Center thanks to a Bryant floater over Hill with 12 seconds left in the game. The Black Mamba rang up 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in the win. This time, Hill logged 10 points and 4 rebounds over 36 minutes. 

Bryant played four more games before tearing his right rotator cuff and missing the remaining 39 games. Both the Lakers and Pacers eventually missed the playoffs that year. Additionally, Hill didn't play in either of the Pacers' two games against the Lakers during Bryant's farewell season in 2016. Even after Bryant's retirement, Hill, as well as Bryant's other acolytes, carry the torch by lacing up Kobe's before each game.

Girl Dad

Bryant's game and shoes are less important to Hill than what he did as a family man. Read the quote from the fellow Girl Dad on what Bryant meant to him as a man.

At this point in Hill's career, his team looks to him more as a locker room leader. A player bridging the gap between two distinct eras of the NBA that can impart the wisdom accrued from almost a decade in the league. But just because Hill is coming off the bench as a role player, don't get it twisted, he can still light defenders up any given night - especially if he's wearing some Kobe's you can't get your hands on.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".

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