Andrew Rizzo Kobe Bryant’s signature sneaker line birthed several iconic models, but you could argue that the most memorable Kobe Bryant shoe moments came during his sneaker free agency stint in the early 2000s. In the brief stretch of time between the Mamba’s departure from adidas and signing with Nike, the Beaverton brand made a sales pitch of sorts by outfitting the Lakers star in several player edition shoes, including special Jordans, Converse, and Air Force 1s centered around his team’s timeless purple and gold.
Now, Nike draws inspiration from Kobe’s Air Force 1 Mid PE from the 2002-2003 season on the Air Force 1 Low “Kobe Bryant” for Holiday 2024. The shoe comes with the same purple and gold double Swoosh and outsole as the original PE alongside some additional, tasteful touches. Seen here via first look images, the Mamba’s logo is debossed near the heel and the tongue features Kobe’s signature in metallic gold.
Notably, the Air Force 1 was the first non-adidas model Kobe wore during his sneaker free agency period, with Kobe breaking out a white and orange Air Force 1 Mid during a now legendary visit to NYC’s Rucker Park during the summer of 2002. Once the season began, the Air Force 1 Mid “Kobe Bryant” PE became the first non-adidas shoe he wore on NBA hardwood. Needless to say, there’s plenty of aura and mystique to be celebrated here.
Specific release information is under wraps as of this writing, but the Air Force 1 “Kobe Bryant” looks to play a big role in Nike’s Holiday 2024 slate. Know that this article as well as our Sneaker Release Dates hub will display all the most recent images and release details as they come in.
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- Nike Air Force 1 Low “Kobe Bryant” @kicksdong
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- Nike Air Force 1 Low “Kobe Bryant” @kicksdong
