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There aren't many moments in NBA history that can top Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. The game lives forever in league lore and serves as a massive point for Bryant when thrown into the G.O.A.T. discussion. In continuing to keep the Nike Kobe collection active with new releases, Nike will pay homage to Kobe's 81-point game in releasing the Nike Kobe 1 sneakers he wore while making history.
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The Nike Kobe 1 was Bryant's debut silhouette with Nike following his departure from Adidas in 2002. By 2006, Kobe Bryant has launched his first signature Nike sneaker, eventually growing into an 11-shoe signature collection that remains the most popular option for hoopers in the game today.
En route to notching the second-highest scoring total in a single game, Kobe Bryant scored on 28 of his 46 attempted field goals while going 7-13 from beyond the arc. Walking off the court holding a “number one” in the air, the performance lives on as the greatest scoring effort we've seen in this generation. Doing so in his Nike Kobe 1 White/Purple, the original sneaker will return once more.
Nike Kobe 1 Protro “81 points”
The Nike Kobe 1 Protro “81 Points” shoes are expected to return January 22nd, on the 20th anniversary of Mamba’s legendary game 🐍 pic.twitter.com/wVANxLiuex
— NBA Trends (@NBATrendsOnly) July 18, 2025
The Nike Kobe 1 Protro “81 Points” returns next year.
💰 $210
🗓️ January 2026 pic.twitter.com/gBW5D1wa0C— SiteSupply (@TheSiteSupply) July 19, 2025
The “81 points” colorway later became known as such, but arrives in a very standard White/Black-Varsity Purple color ensemble. The shoes feature an all-white leather upper with purple contrast stitching throughout. The midsole is done in black with purple piping to accent the purple stability plate at the forefoot. The Nike Swoosh arrives in black while the inner sockliner and “boot” are done in purple. The Nike “Uptempo” logo is seen on the back heel in gold.
While this particular Nike Kobe 1 colorway was last released in 2019, fans will have another chance to own the iconic pair when they return for their 20-year anniversary. There hasn't been a clear confirmation just yet, but we can expect the drop to happen on or around January 22, 2026, the exact 20-year anniversary of Kobe's 81-point game. For a retail tag of $210, you can't miss an opportunity to own a piece of sneaker history.
