Matt Varga This side of the artist formerly known as Kanye West, it’s hard to credibly claim you’ve “jumped over the Jumpman.” But with Kobe Bryant’s Protro line comfortably clearing the bar for the “king of performance basketball,” it feels like Mike’s playbook is increasingly applying to the Mamba. Modern inventions like the “Siempre Hermanos” or WNBA series have interpreted sentimental moments from the life and times of Kobe Bryant to bring novel energy to his established icons, mixed in alongside dusted-off OG editions.
Word of the Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” returning in 2027 marks a major domino in the latter category. At the time of this writing, we’re still expecting some major bring-backs, with the Nike Kobe 8 “Mambacurial” tapping into a serendipitous alignment with the World Cup, and the “Shanghai Fireworks” delivering a wide release for a true grail-level pair.
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) @shoezen.one
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) @shoezen.one
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) @shoezen.one
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) @shoezen.one
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) @shoezen.one
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) @shoezen.one
The “Easter” at hand is storied in its own right, truly the grand prize of 2013’s holiday collection of the same name. Paired with the KD V and LeBron X, Bryant’s contribution was easily the most experimental; the light blue that its peers capitalized on appears on the toe, but a woozy gradient of yellow and purple as well as moody, speckled trim ensured ties back to the team he’d retire with. Though any information is very preliminary at this stage, Nike has largely kept close to original blocking and coloring in these sorts of Kobe retro efforts.
The Nike Kobe 8 Protro “Easter” is expected to release during the Spring 2027 window, placing it between the start of the year and March. A $200 retail price is expected.
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) GOAT
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) GOAT
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) GOAT
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) GOAT
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- Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013) GOAT
Lead image via @shozen.one.
