Andrew Rizzo Kobe Bryant and LeBron James’ Nike sneaker lines have never officially overlapped, with any such pairing existing only as a far-out concept or, in this case, a one-of-one custom created for a certified legend. Diana Taurasi recently watched her No. 3 jersey soar to the rafters at the Mortgage Matchup Center as the Phoenix Mercury inducted her into their Ring of Honor, on the same hardwood where she won one of her three WNBA titles and played all 20 of her seasons. As if the moment itself weren’t enough of a gift, sneaker customizer Vick Almighty hooked her up with a custom piece of footwear that quite perfectly encapsulates her Hall of Fame career.
Matching the Phoenix Mercury jersey Taurasi wore throughout her career, the sneaker blends multiple models into a palette of purple, black, and orange. The upper borrows from the recent Kobe Air Force 1 Protro “Barcelona,” albeit with a handful of new touches.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
The tongues are crafted from croc skin with stitched text reading “DT3” on the right and “White Mamba” on the left, the latter being the nickname Kobe bestowed upon Taurasi due to her tenacious genre of basketball. Down below, the shoe swaps in the sole and Air unit of the LeBron 8 “Lakers” alongside the outsole of the LeBron 10 “Lava.”
Diana Taurasi’s Kobe x LeBron sneaker won’t see a public release, and it’s hard to imagine Nike ever releasing any sort of Kobe x LeBron shoe in an official capacity. Check out the detailed images below if you’re a fan of the White Mamba and this one-of-one tribute.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
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- Images by @jacobccreator.
