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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 09: Los Angeles Lakers Guard Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa Bryant pose for a photo during a game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Washington Capitals at STAPLES Center on March 09, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NHLI via Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 09: Los Angeles Lakers Guard Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa Bryant pose for a photo during a game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Washington Capitals at STAPLES Center on March 09, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NHLI via Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant was an icon in all senses. The NBA legend is widely recognized as one of the greatest players of all time. Moreover, his influence on the game is more than legendary.
Bryant was a style icon as well. His sneakers are best sellers to date with large stocks of sneakers being sold out in a short span of time. Interestingly enough, Vanessa Bryant once gifted Kobe’s sneakers during Christmas.
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LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Kobe Bryant and his family, his wife Vanessa Laine Bryant, left, and daughters Gianna Maria Onore Bryant, right, and Natalia Diamante Bryant, far right, at the City Council Chambers, in Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug. 24, 2016. (Photo by Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, and other eminent celebrities received a special gift from Vanessa. These celebrities had the privilege of having a Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Grinch” sneakers before the shoe officially hit the stores. Later, Kim Kardashian shared an unboxing video of the sneaker on an Instagram story.
The retail price of the shoe is reported to be between $130 to $180. However, given the popularity of the shoe, numerous outlets had listed the price of the shoe at around $1700!
Kobe Bryant and his shoe history
Although NBA legends might have numerous differences, one thing unites them. It is their iconic sneakers. Whether it is Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James, all of them have iconic sneakers.
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Although Kobe’s sneakers are associated with Nike, he began his sneaker story with Adidas. This goes all the way back to 1997 when a young Bryant rocked the Adidas EQT Elevation. Bryant averaged 7.6 points, 1.3 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in his rookie season wearing Adidas shoes mainly.
He got his first signature shoe in just his second season in the NBA. Adidas launched the Adidas Kobe Bryant: KB8. This was an instant hit with the fans despite the brand facing major backlash for offering a player a signature shoe in just his second season.
Safe to say, Kobe proved his doubters wrong. His tie-up with Adidas gave us iconic shoes like the Adidas Kobe Bryant: KB II and the Adidas Kobe Bryant: The KOBE.
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However, Bryant joined forces with Adidas’ rival, Nike. Nike launched one of the most iconic sneaker lines in the NBA, the Zoom Kobe. Since then, Nike and Kobe’s team have built a sneaker empire.
Written by
Edited by
Bagavathi Eswaran