Kobe Bryant was in a league of his own. Beyond being one of the youngest players to enter the NBA and attaining a three-peat alongside four NBA Championship titles throughout his career, Bryant left a lasting impression on his teammates, opponents and fans. With the new Nike Kobe 6 Protro All-Star rumored to drop on March 15, we decided to take a look back at Kobe’s sneaker history and relive the milestone moments that coincided with the drop of some of these collabs.
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The Nike Kobe 6 Protro All-Star is rumored to drop on March 15.
Model: Adidas EQT Elevation
Year: 1996 – 1997
Own it: StockX
Choosing to skip college for the NBA, a fresh-faced 18-year-old Kobe Bryant joins the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th pick of the 1996 draft. He is later traded to the Lakers and became the youngest player in the NBA.
Model: Kobe Bryant x Adidas KB8
Year: 1997 – 1998
Bryant quickly earned his stripes (literally) with the Lakers and was selected for ’97-’98 season’s All-Star Game, becoming the youngest All-Star at the time.
Model: Kobe Bryant x Adidas KB8II
Year: 1998 – 1999
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Kobe Bryant continues to earn more praise, even being equated to Michael Jordan in a 1998 Rolling Stones article titled “Kobe Bryant: Teenager of the Year”.
Model: Kobe Bryant x Adidas KB8III
Year: 1999 – 2000
After a rough start with Shaquille O’Neal, the entrant of Phil Jackson as the new coach of the Lakers improved their dynamic and gameplay. They would go on to win an NBA championship, the first for Bryant.
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Model: Kobe Bryant x Adidas KOBE
Year: 2000 – 2001
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Kobe and the Lakers continue their winning streak with another NBA Championship win against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Model: Kobe Bryant x Adidas Kobe Two
Year: 2001 – 2002
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After beating the New Jersey Nets, Kobe earns a three-peat after winning his third NBA Championship at the age of 23.
Model: Nike Zoom Air Huarache 2K4
Year: 2003 – 2004
Own it: StockX | Stadium Goods
Kobe leaves Adidas and became a free agent, during which he rocked sneakers from Nike and Jordan brand. In that same year, Bryant misses out on a fourth consecutive NBA championship after losing to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs.
Model: Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2k5
Year: 2004 – 2005
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After the loss in 2004, Shaq was traded out of the Lakers and Bryant took over leadership. Bryant would lead the 2004 -2005 NBA season in scoring.
Model: Nike Kobe I
Year: 2005 – 2006
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
During the 2005 to 2006 season, Kobe would earn his first scoring title averaging 35.4 points per game and set the highest scoring output in NBA History by scoring 81 points against the Toronto Raptors.
Model: Nike Zoom Kobe II
Year: 2006 – 2007
Own it: StockX | Stadium Goods
On the sneaker front, the Nike Zoom Kobe II was the first sneaker Kobe had a hand in designing. This cause development of the sneaker to stretch over 18 months.
Model: Nike Zoom Kobe III
Year: 2007 – 2008
Own it: StockX | Stadium Goods
In 2008, Kobe earned his first MVP title and represented the USA at the Beijing Olympics, where he earned a gold medal.
Model: Nike Zoom Kobe IV
Year: 2008 – 2009
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Kobe clenched his fourth NBA title in 2009, was named the Finals MVP and averaged a 32.4 scoring average throughout the ’08 – ’09 season.
Model: Nike Zoom Kobe V
Year: 2009 – 2010
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Kobe would lead the Lakers to their third straight Western Conference Championship and earn the title of Finals MVP after defeating the Boston Celtics.
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Model: Nike Zoom Kobe VI
Year: 2010 – 2011
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Kobe and the Lakers scored the Pacific division title before losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the Playoffs.
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Model: Nike Zoom Kobe VII
Year: 2011 – 2012
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Kobe would lead the Lakers to earn their 33rd Pacific Division title but would lose to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs.
Model: Nike Zoom Kobe VIII
Year: 2012 – 2013
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Kobe and The Lakers qualified for the Playoffs for the ’12 -’13 season. Kobe’s season would end early after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in his 80th game of the season and miss the rest of the season.
Model: Nike Kobe IX
Year: 2013 – 2014
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Kobe returned to the NBA in 2013 only to fracture his knee cap after six games. Regrettably, he would once again miss the rest of the season.
Model: Nike Kobe X
Year: 2014 – 2015
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
The injury riddles Kobe returned early in the ’14 -’15 season, but quickly tore his rotator cuff. He was out of commission again.
Model: Nike Kobe 11
Year: 2015 – 2016
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Kobe Bryant finally makes a full return to the NBA and plays a full season, but it was clear his injuries took its toll. He would go on to announce his retirement from the NBA in 2016.
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Model: Nike Kobe AD
Year: 2016 – 2017
Own it: StockX | Stadium Goods
In 2017, an animated short film based on Kobe’s poem titled “Dear Basketball” wins the Academy Award for best short animated film.
Model: Nike Kobe NXT
Year: 2017
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Model: Nike Kobe NXT 360
Year: 2018
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Kobe Bryant published a book titled The Mamba Mentality: How I Play, which detailed “Mamba Mentality” – his approach to basketball and, in extension, life. That same year, Kobe and Nike would introduce the concept of a protro with a refreshed Kobe 1.
Model: Nike Kobe NXT FastFit FF
Year: 2019
Own it: StockX | Farfetch | Stadium Goods
Model: Nike Kobe NXT Mamba Fury
Year: 2020
Own it: Farfetch | Stadium Goods
On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant along with his 13-year-old daughter and a group of travelers perished in a helicopter crash.