Kobe Bryant loves football. And it pops up every now and then in his signature shoe line with Nike. First seen on the Nike Kobe 8, the Nike Kobe X takes design inspiration once again from the Nike Mercurial - a range of football boots ideal for speedy, attack minded players. Hence, the "Mambacurial" nickname. Whether you're down with the beautiful game or not, you gotta admit it's a pretty beautiful shoe. Look for it at Nike Basketball retailers like Titan starting this weekend.
As the NBA season winds down and the playoff picture islowly takes shape, Nike Basketball unveils this year's Elite footwear series for three of the brand's signature athletes. While the omission of a Kyrie 1 Elite is a mystery at this point, the latest signature models of Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James will be reworked to handle the grind of the postseason.
When your signature shoe line goes ten shoes deep, that's a huge accomplishment. Kobe Bryant Nike signature line hits the double digit range as the Kobe X will be dropping this weekend. Check out this in-depth feature that breaks The Black Mamba's latest silo down.
Superior functionality is often driven by a less-is-more design philosophy where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The KOBE X blends three essential performance elements crafted into a clean, minimalist form.
Kobe Bryant's comeback season may have ended prematurely thanks to surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, but that hasn't stopped Nike from unveiling The Black Mamba's latest signature shoe. Going ten shoes deep with a brand is a pretty big deal. But instead of doing things big, Eric Avar and his team cooked up a simple, understated design that deceptively packs some big tech upgrades.
The Kobe X sports a new textile upper inspired by sharkskin. It promises light weight, ventilation as well as more strength and durability than traditional mesh. In terms of cushioning, Zoom Air makes a return to the Kobe line, much to the delight of older Kobe she collectors. This time around, it combines with modified Lunarlon to form a hybrid system that espouses stability, comfort, and enhanced natural motion. And in terms of traction, the translucent outsole features an intricate framework of tiny nodules geared to grip court surfaces at high speeds, much like the tires used by race cars.
Pictured here is the "5AM Flight" colorway which serves as the launch color for the Kobe X. It takes inspiration from Kobe Bryant leaping off a high dive shortly after having a procedure to repair his torn achilles. The jump is symbolic of his drive to face fears and his determination to amaze even with the odds finally stacked against him. Expect many of the succeeding colorways to go that route when it comes to storytelling.
The Kobe X will hit select Nike retailers as well as Nike.com this weekend, Feb 7.
