Kobe Bryant never shied away from his Philadelphia roots and where he came for. After announcing that they will continue the Nike Kobe line with new releases, Nike keeps it coming with releases of past Kobe models and classic colorways. Now, the Nike Kobe 4 will receive a Protro in the “Philly” colorway from 2009.
The Nike Kobe 4 was released in 2009 and made waves as the new low-top basketball sneaker on the market. At the time, adidas had the most popular low-top sneaker, the Gil Zero. However, Kobe wanted to leave an impression with his upcoming sneaker and drew inspiration from the low-cut cleats soccer players wear. Thus, the Nike Kobe 4 was born, a sleek design built for traction and speed. It slowly became one of the best performing shoes in the league and continues to be a favorite among hoopers.
Kobe Bryant is originally from Wynnewood, Pennsylvania and attended Lower Merion High School where he first burst onto the basketball scene. While playing for the Lakers, Bryant often glowed of his affinity for Philly and it became apparent with the release of the “Philly” Nike Kobe 4. After almost 15 years, the pair will be rumored to drop in 2024 and receive it's own Protro edition.
The shoes feature a 76ers Philly blue throughout the uppers. White is seen on the midsole, swoosh, and Kobe logos. Red hits outline the white and are seen on the flywire technology of the upper. The sockliner is also deep-red and the laces are accented in red as well. The hallmark of the shoe is the star-spangled pattern around the heel, paying homage to Philadelphia's historical roots.
The initial drop was leaked by trusted sneaker sources Sneaker Files and zSneakerheadz. While not officially confirmed by Nike, the shoes are rumored to drop during Summer 2024. It's yet another addition to the Nike Kobe Protro line and should be a great item for Kobe collectors and sneakerheads everywhere.
Keep up with our Sneaker news to know when these are dropping and other upcoming releases!