Nike Shoes That Improved Kobe Bryant's Performance To Be Reintroduced On 'Mamba Day'

Roughly 10 years after its official release, the Nike Kobe 4 Protro will be reintroduced to honor one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Globally renowned footwear boutique “Undefeated” just presented an official preview of their upcoming reintroduction of Nike Kobe 4 Protro collection. The said move is apparently part of their ongoing collaborative partnership with Nike.

The collection includes four variations of the remastered Kobe Bryant signature shoes. Undefeated dressed the classic shoes in team colorways representing the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, and the Milwaukee Bucks, Sneaker News reported.

“Patent leather finishes add an attractive gleam to this 2009 classic, while the branding is both subtle and strong with the shop bar logo lightly laid on the heel and the famed five-strike logo proudly positioned on the left tongue of each shoe,” Sneaker News wrote.

The redesigned collection was first revealed on Undefeated’s Eric Peng Cheng’s Instagram account, where he announced that all four colorways would be released on “Mamba Day 2019.” The said Mamba Day is on Aug. 24 to honor Bryant’s jersey numbers “8” and “24” while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Prior to the official release, the Nike Kobe 4 Protros were handed to the nation’s top-ranked High School players who participated in last weekend’s Skills Challenge Game at the Drew League.

The Nike Kobe 4 Protro is reprtedly the Swoosh’s latest in a series of remastered Kobe signature shoes, Highs Nobiety noted.

During Bryant’s championship hunt and Olympic days, the Lakers icon inspired and challenged Nike Performance Creative Director Eric Avar by questioning why soccer players were so sharp, quick and efficient in low shoes. While basketball players were still in high-top/mid performance shoes.

As a result, Bryant’s consistent desire to go the next level paired with Nike’s innovative and groundbreaking technology created more than just a basketball shoe but a piece of art, the Nike Kobe 4 Protro.

The Protro featured flywire technology to support and secure the foot. It also contained LunarLite foam in the forefoot area for ultimate cushioning for better energy return

According to the Avar, the shoes improved Bryant’s performance as it allowed him to do more things inside the basketball court, Nice Kicks reported.

“Bryant looked quicker and stealthier in his fourth signature shoe. The low profile shoe allowed him to make sharper cuts, while increasing responsiveness,” Avar pointed.

Bryant’s former NBA Finals rival Allen Iverson also had his signature shoe reintroduced.

Reebok and street designer Eric Emanuel collaborated to redesign limited edition of Iverson's “Answer 5” signature sneakers which was promoted at ComplexCon Chicago last month.