Brendan Dunne 
Kobe’s not done. The Black Mamba made it abundantly clear at the end of the shortened 2011-12 NBA Playoffs, with the Lakers exiting contention at the hands of Oklahoma City, that his career was far from over. He definitely proved that out in London, skipping summer vacation and racking up some more hardware for his mantle in the form of an Olympic gold medal. And with the Lakers squad getting a huge boost in the form of both Dwight Howard and Steve Nash going into next season we’d say things are looking pretty good for Mr. Bryant.
So what will be on feet for him as this star studded LA squad tries to put together another championship bid? This, the Nike Kobe VIII. The sneaker will again be a ‘system’, with these early prototype shots showing off a similar sock like set up shooting out of the ankle area. Also of note is that the model will be the early home of the Engineered Mesh material, a treatment we’ve seen trickle out on Nike Sportswear models for a minute now. And while the sample shots shown give off a Hyperdunk air with the front end Swoosh placement the final version will indeed feature the insignia pushed back to its traditional orientation in the Nike Kobe line. Hit the jump with us to get the photos of this prototype version of the Nike Zoom Kobe VIII System and stay with Sneaker News to get a look at the final retail version and word on when it will release. Also, let us know in the comments below if you think the silhouette is looking like a worthy successor to the Kobe lineage.
via: CK
