First Look At The Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Lower Merion Aces”

Back to Bryant's old stomping grounds.

Matt Varga October 9, 2025

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The “Mamba Mentality” isn’t only synonymous with winning for Bryant’s exploits in the pros. No, the hyper-driven commitment to success at all costs was present in the Philadelphia native from genuinely the earliest possible moments, perhaps most famously in a story he’d later recount where he scored 63 points at the age of eight by forcing his adolescent opponents to use their off-hand. If that’s what Kobe put on tape before the age of 10, he shocked absolutely no one by continuing those winning ways into his varsity days at Lower Merion High.

Bryant’s Philadelphia alma mater has understandably made repeat appearances throughout his signature shoe series, but Nike has keyed in on the Kobe 5 “Lower Merion Aces” as it plots Protro releases. We first heard news of this bring-back in May, and as its 2025 drop nears closer, we now have our first look. Given the wealth of colorway options that have already seen a new window as part of the Protro program, it’s no massive surprise that the Kobe 5 “Lower Merion” reprises the “Away” colorway it carried in 2010, delivered with a blend of school-spirit burgundy and chrome hits outlining the toe, Flywire at the quarter, and the fabric heel/collar. As with previous Protro 5s, Zoom Turbo, Cushlon, and Zoom Air help bring the last-decade proposition into the future.

The Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Lower Merion Aces” drops Spring 2026, retailing for $200. Catch our first look embedded at the top of this page, and watch our Sneaker Release Dates page for any updates on a concrete date as next year fast approaches.

WHERE TO BUY

Mens Nike Zoom Kobe 5 "Lower Merion Aces"

SKU: IM0557-001

RETAIL PRICE: $200

RELEASE DATE: Mar 23, 2026

US 03/23/2026 Monday

Retailer	Release type	Status
Nike SNKRS US	Standard	Coming Soon

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Photo via @sneaker_sample.

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.