Nike Kobe 9 “What The” Returning In 2025

The mashup theme reemerges 10 year later.

Matt Varga August 26, 2024

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With the “Halo” edition released on Kobe Bryant’s birthday, the doors are now open for the Nike Kobe 9, the newest entrant to the Protro program that brings back his beloved signature shoes for the modern game. Beaverton isn’t letting that opportunity fall by the wayside. After the “Christmas” Kobe 9 was reported to return for this Holiday season, another seminal release is being brought back to shelves with the “What The” colorway, now queued up for 2025.

Compared to the fully mismatched colorways that graced the “What The” Kobe 8 (also coming back in ’25), the concept’s execution on the Kobe 9 is surprisingly comprehensible; high-octane volt graces the medial side while the lateral is handled in a blend of “Chlorine Blue” & red/pink. Instead, the more off-kilter touches are reserved for the sockliner, presented in a potpourri-like “Multi-color” mix. Alternating interior patches display a host of Kobe Bryant ideals: influence, progress, perspective & detail all get mentions.

We should note that while the color codes are slightly different for this pair, a faithful retro of this colorway is expected. To that point, the emergence of the Kobe 9 Protro actually syncs up quite well with the shoe’s first release. Arriving April 4th, 2025, the Kobe 9 “What The” will land in men’s & grade school sizing, a decade after shoe’s first release in January 2015. While release specifics are very much subject to change this far out, expect this pair to carry a premium on its original $225 retail price.

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WHERE TO BUY

Nike "What The"

SKU: FZ7335-101

RETAIL PRICE: $240

RELEASE DATE: Apr 5, 2025

US 04/05/2025 Saturday

Retailer	Release type	Status
Nike SNKRS US	Standard	Coming Soon

Get on the Where to Buy list

Info via sneakermarketro.

Written by

Matt Varga, Junior Editor

Matt Varga is an Editor at SneakerNews. Initially earning a degree in Video Arts and Technology, he got his start in video editing and writing in the music world — primarily on hip-hop and electronic. A long-standing interest in sneakers led him to switching over to footwear. An avid collector, his favorite sneaker of all time comes down to either the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe” and Air Jordan 5 “Laney,” his first ever pick-ups. When he’s not writing, you can find Matt cooking, traveling, attending concerts and when weather permits, on the handball court.