It seems as though another classic Kobe Bryant Nike sneaker will be coming back in 2023, just in time for the December holiday season.

After 20 years in the NBA, Bryant earned the eternal nickname of “Black Mamba” for his killer style of play and assassin-like mental fortitude. Now, Nike will be honoring him by releasing the Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Black Mamba.” Check out our Sneakers news for upcoming releases and breaking content!

The Nike Kobe 4 originally released in 2009 and was one of the first low-top basketball sneakers made by Nike at the time. Adidas was one of the leaders in player-worn shoes, so the Kobe 4 expanded Nike's reach with a versatile silhouette and gave players more options with the Nike Zoom technology. To this day, it's one of Kobe's most popular sneakers from a performance standpoint.

Several iterations of Kobe 4's have received the Protro treatment (when a sneaker is re-released), but none quite like this pair rumored to drop around Christmas. Dubbed the ‘Black Mamba' this Kobe 4 Protro dons an all-black colorway with snakeskin detailing.

The leaked images were originally provided by account @zsneakerheadz, a notable source when it comes to information on releases. In-hand images show an all-black Kobe 4 with what seems to be a smooth suede upper. Snakeskin material is seen along the swoosh, ankle padding, and toe box, with a small Kobe Bryant signature etched in gold on the heel plate. These certainly stay true to their “Black Mamba” theme and it's becoming clear that these will be a must-have pair for Kobe Bryant fans.

While there's no confirmed released by Nike, the pair is rumored by multiple outlets to drop on December 26, 2023 with the standard $180 retail price tag. Expect these to be available on places like Nike SNKRS App, KicksCrew, and other Nike retailers.

What do you think of these – will you be adding these to your Kobe collection?