Nike Kobe 9 Lows are on the way

Not my hand. Photos taken from http://bit.ly/1gp2cWX

The Nike Kobe IX Elite is certainly a game changer in terms of basketball sneaker design. Aside from the return to a high-cut design, Kobe's latest signature shoe holds the distinction of being the first basketball sneaker to incorporate Nike's Flyknit technology. While it may be pretty cool to look at, a number of folks have been turned off by the shoe's height.

To delight the fans that have gotten used to low tops, the Kobe IX low is on the way. The colorway above (which fans have dubbed the "Bruce Lee) was the first one to hit the net and it's looking pretty good if you ask me. Aside from keeping the anatomical traction pattern and the Lunarlon insole, I like how they managed the keep the suture details on the achilles even with the reduced height. However, the one key difference between the lows and highs is that the former will employ Engineered Mesh on the upper just like the Kobe 8. That's not too big a step back, but had the lows been done with Flyknit, response would be crazier for sure.

No release details have been confirmed yet, but the  info that's been floating around the internet points to a March 29 release. Will you be copping these and other Kobe IX lows that are sure to come, or are you feeling the high tops more? Let me know in the comments section!