The Nike Kobe 9 EM Protro “Stitches” Releases January 1st

Hollywood ties.

Matt Varga December 31st, 2025 (updated)

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The Nike Kobe 9 is really beginning to spread its wings in the Nike mainline anew. On top of bringing the Mamba back to a high top design for the first time in over 6 years, the Kobe 9 was notable for eventually holding three distinct cuts based on the same tech package: the original high, a later Low Elite, and the “Engineered Mesh” that additionally cut the price point by a skosh.

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WHERE TO BUY

Mens Nike Kobe 9 EM

SKU: IH1401-500

RETAIL PRICE: $190

RELEASE DATE: Jan 1, 2026

US 01/01/2026 Thursday

Retailer	Release type	Status
Nikestore US	Standard	M 3.5 / W 5 M 4 / W 5.5 M 4.5 / W 6 M 5 / W 6.5 M 5.5 / W 7 M 6 / W 7.5 M 6.5 / W 8 M 7 / W 8.5 M 7.5 / W 9 M 8 / W 9.5 M 8.5 / W 10 M 9 / W 10.5 M 9.5 / W 11 M 10 / W 11.5 M 10.5 / W 12 M 11 / W 12.5 M 11.5 / W 13 M 12 / W 13.5 M 12.5 / W 14 M 13 / W 14.5 M 13.5 / W 15 M 14 / W 15.5 M 15 / W 16.5 M 16 / W 17.5 M 17 / W 18.5 M 18 / W 19.5
DICK'S	Standard	Check Site

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Beaverton has made heavy use of all three since the Kobe 9 checked off its “Halo” introduction, primarily utilizing the EM build in that span as the platform for simplistic “Team Bank” editions. However, the bring-back of the Kobe 9 EM “China” signaled more high-profile fare wasn’t out of the question. The “Purple Dynasty” aka “Stitches” edition at hand is a full-throated confirmation, adding “Sanded Purple/Fierce Purple” accents atop that dusky foundation for a smooth tribute to Tinseltown. If that LA-centric air wasn’t already evident, a silvery overhaul of the insoles ties it down.

The official moniker likely nods to Kobe Bryant’s career-altering Achilles tear; it was this moment that humanized the Black Mamba like never before, and Nike later used this as part of the storytelling of the Kobe 9 Elite and later the EM edition via the nine horizontal stitch lines at the heel that line up near-perfectly with the injury.

The Nike Kobe 9 EM “Purple Dynasty” aka “Stitches” is set to launch on January 1st in adult ($190) and GS ($120) sizes. To be the first to know of an updated store list, keep our Sneaker Release Dates page nearby.

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.