Sneaker News 
We’ve finally reached Mamba Day – a celebration of the career of Kobe Bryant who will finally bow out tonight after the Lakers and Jazz duke it out. For the Sneaker News staff, we’ve witnessed eleven Nike Kobe signatures and a crop of adidas versions over the years, so to say The Black Mamba was and is an influential figure in sneaker culture is an understatement. That said, Sneaker News brings back Staff Insights, a first-hand commentary on all the sneaker topics and discussions that pop up on a daily basis. Our topic today? Our Favorite Kobe Sneakers. Read on below and share with us your personal favorite Kobe sneaker of all-time.
Above: Zoom Kobe VI “Barcelona” – 2011 Release
Yu-Ming’s favorite: memories of a euro-trip
I’ve been following Kobe Bryant’s career from the beginning and this was the first shoe of his that I had to have. The Kobe VI was designed perfectly and the colors were amazing and unlike anything else out at the time, and what made them more attractive to me was that they were available only in Europe. These were nearly impossible to get in the United State. This was the only Kobe shoe that made me say “I have to have these.”
The city of Barcelona stands out to me for other reasons; it was the first international city I ever traveled to. I traveled to Europe sometime after the release, and I saw one pair of size 18s for sale – and almost considered buying them. To this day, I have yet to own a pair and I probably won’t because they’re just so damn expensive.
Above: Zoom Kobe V “Dark Knight” – 2010 Release
John’s favorite: The hero basketball deserves
I was a long-time Kobe hater. I respected the guy, but I never liked him. He was smug and arrogant because he was that good, and there was nothing you could really do to stop him. I actually remember cheering for the Pacers during the 2000 Finals – and I despise the Pacers. It took a while for me to come around on Kobe and that probably rings true for a lot of people. He got so much bad press throughout his career and when his Lakers were struggling in the post-Shaq era, it was easier to deride him. As I matured as a basketball fan, I began to appreciate that what he was doing was pure magic. Something unseen since the MJ days.
My fandom for Kobe grew and his dominance at the Olympics and the fourth ring was The Black Mamba at his peak. His shoes got increasingly better and the Kobe IV that released in 2008 was a game-changer, but the V was so aesthetically pleasing to me. I’ve always gravitated toward running shoes and low-tops in general so this was the perfect shoe for me. I’ve actually never watched Dark Knight, but this colorway was insane. What made it better was that the “Joker” counterpart was equally as good and both are regarded as among the best Kobes ever.
Above: Kobe 9 Elite “Perspective” – 2014 Release
Nick’s favorite: A random run-in at Foot Locker
When I first saw the Nike Kobe 9 Elite in person, it looked like the future. I hadn’t been this captivated by the design of a new basketball sneaker since the introduction of the Air Pressure back in 1989. The striking neon color palette on an unusually high-profile silhouette, drew me to the pedestal displaying these 2014 Kobes in the 34th Street Foot Locker. In my opinion, these sneakers seemed suitable for only two types of people in this world: serious ballplayers and over-styled fuccbois. There was no in-between.
Upon closer inspection, the technological merits of the Kobe 9 Elite became apparent. Nike’s first Flyknit basketball sneaker resulted in a seamless and ultra-lightweight upper and the addition of Flywire added extra support. Nike Lunarlon provided responsive cushioning and the pressure map outsoles looked like they could move and morph to your feet as you ran up and down the court. Every aspect of this sneaker represented state-of-the-art innovation in 2014, and set the stage for the future of Nike Basketball design. While other colors of the Kobe 9 Elite may be more refined and easier to wear, this version brings the strong futuristic 1990 neon flavor that makes them a standout for me.
Above: HTM x Kobe 10 Elite “Shark” – 2015 Release
Zack’s favorite: The most casually “Wearable” Kobe
I feel like a lot of people were disappointed in the Kobe 10 when it was unveiled, but I loved it. The overall look of the shoe was pretty minimal—which is probably why most people weren’t very impressed after the bold high-top Kobe 9—but I was feeling the no-nonsense, high-performance design. What had me most intrigued about the shoe was the innovative new sole unit, which combines full-length Lunarlon with visible Zoom Air in the heel, all held within the translucent midsole. Add the Free-inspired siping in the forefoot and the sliver of carbon fiber for lateral support, and you have one of the most technically advanced basketball shoe soles ever.
And then came the Flyknit versions. The high-top Kobe 10 Elite is much more wearable casually than the Kobe 9 Elite High, but still not really my style. I think the Kobe 10 Elite Low, however, is one of the most casual-friendly Kobe shoes ever. There were some pretty good general release colorways and a few amazing PE versions worn by Kobe himself, but my pick for the very best Kobe 10 Elite Low has to go to the “Shark” edition from the HTM pack. Like the Kobe 10’s design itself, the black and white colorway is simple yet complex, and just downright clean.
There are a few specific colorways on other models like the “Grinch” Kobe 6 and “Bruce Lee” Kobe 5 that I love, but when it comes to the overall design, innovation, and colorway for my favorite Kobe signature shoe, it’s got to be the Kobe 10 Elite Low HTM “Shark”.
Above: Zoom Kobe IV “Carpe Diem” – 2008 Release
Jordan’s favorite: Carpe Diem
Throughout Kobe’s illustrious career he’s won every basketball-related award humanly possible. He’s taken home the MVP, the scoring titles, racked up the All Star appearances, All-NBA team selections, has five rings, two NBA Finals MVPs and most importantly has the respect from his peers and the greatest NBA players of all-time. Among Kobe’s accomplishments, his signature shoe line has to be toward the top of the list. My favorite Kobe shoe, the Zoom Kobe IV, dramatically changed the trajectory of not only the Kobe line, but altered a mindset of an entire industry. Before the Kobe IV, most people thought that a basketball shoe had to be a high top to protect your ankles and to give you the stability you need on the court. With Nike Designer Eric Avar at the helm, he designed a shoe that proved otherwise. When I first saw the Kobe IV, I was blown away.
It was such a bold, yet sleek design and the “Carpe Diem” colorway, inspired by his personal mantra to “seize the day”, offered up a first impression I would never forget. The black upper with Lakers colors always makes for a nice color scheme but the grey hits along the tongue panel and midsole, the yellow lining/stitching and sick “Carpe Diem” logo on the tongue really made these great. To this day, the Kobe IV is the best performance basketball shoe I’ve ever played in and back when it originally released in January of 2009 at $120, it was a steal. A little over 5 months after these released Kobe went on to win the NBA title and his signature line would continue to grow into one of the greatest of all-time.
Above: Kobe 8 “Mambacurial” – 2013 Release
Patrick’s favorite: Basketball meets Soccer
Before there was Flyknit, there was Engineered Mesh, and before there was basketball, there was football. Kobe Bryant’s history with the game of soccer is well-documented as he’s acknowledged that growing up in Italy and playing soccer gave him the basics of his incredible footwork. That said, my favorite Kobe pair of all time has to be the Nike Kobe 8 Mambacurial released in the summer of 2013; The release was inspired by the Nike Mercurial Vapor IX which was, at the time, Nike’s best football boot on the market. That’s where the unique medial side ‘NIKE’ branding and boldly aggressive Swoosh swiping from the forefoot to the toecap originated.
That Fireberry and Electric Green colorway remains incredible to me to this day. It’s one thing to alter the entire Swoosh placement and branding of the shoe, but the head-turning vibrancy remains one of the most memorable color-blockings in Kobe history. Even the grass graphic inspired by the pitch on the shoe’s outsole was an underrated feature. The Nike Kobe 8 Mercurial was the perfect combination of unique thematics and execution and will go down as one of the most interesting Kobe releases ever. For that reason it remains my favorite.
Above: Kobe VII “Cloak” – 2012 Release
Jarett’s favorite: Love at first sight
The 2011-2012 NBA season was a critical time for Nike. Two of their star athletes, Kevin Durant and LeBron James, were at the top of their game, and would eventually meet each other in the NBA Finals that year. The KD 4 had released early in the season, and was quickly on its way to becoming one of Durant’s best signature sneakers yet. LeBron and Nike were coming off the major success of the LeBron 7 and 8, and the 9 was just as, if not more, well-received than those models. Then there was Kobe Bryant. Although he wasn’t in the twilight years of his career just yet, everyone knew time was catching up to the Black Mamba. He had won championships in the Kobe 4 and 5, but shoe #7 from Nike and Kobe didn’t quite capture audiences as his previous models did. I wrote it off as an off year for Kobe and the Swoosh. But then came the “Invisibility Cloak” color way.
Have you ever seen a shoe for the first time and immediately thought, “I NEED this in my collection”? That was what I was thinking when I initially saw the “Invisibility Cloak” Kobe 7. This version featured a one-of-a-kind color changing upper that stopped us in our tracks, quickly adopted the “Invisibility Cloak” moniker. The horizontal lines on the upper shell that had previously turned me off were now enhanced and blended perfectly into the theme of the sneaker. The color shifting capability perfectly displayed the reptilian aesthetic of Black Mamba and his sneakers. The vivid pink accents, the 3M swoosh, the icy sole; it all came together in a perfect storm to create one of the best Kobes in years. I’m happy to say that I own a pair. Even if you weren’t a fan of the Kobe 7, you can’t be mad at the “Kobe System” marketing campaign that featured Kanye West asking Kobe Bryant. “What the fuck does that mean, Kobe Bryant?”
