After Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's shoe deal with Nike came to an end, his wife Vanessa Bryant and the shoe brand announced that they would part ways last spring. This immediately led to a shortage in supply of Kobe sneakers as production on them slowed down drastically.

In the basketball community, Bryant's sneakers are one of the most popular shoes worn by professionals. In the 2019-2020 NBA season alone, more than 100 players wore the Kobe 4 Protro, a retro release of the shoe Bryant wore in 2008. In the NBA Bubble last year, about a third of roughly 330 players were wearing some model of Kobes.

With Nike endorsed athletes Devin Booker and DeMar DeRozan getting their own custom player exclusives, Kobe shoes received a lot of attention on and off the court due to their distinct features. Various models became highly coveted, as the color selection of the shoes were unique, while also providing major comfort when playing.

The combination of comfort, stylishness, and detail incorporated into a shoe by a Lakers legend makes Kobe shoes the most desired sneakers to play in as of now. NBA players with no extra access to Kobes have no choice but to pay way over market price on general release pairs. Most likely, however, the size availability for these athletes are slim.

Players have expressed the desire for Nike and the Bryant family to come together and negotiate a new deal, yet nothing is official as of now.