Nike is poised for a huge year in 2025 and their plan to expand Kobe Bryant's Nike Kobe signature line will continue to be a huge part of their mission moving forward. 2024 has already seen a huge year in terms of Nike Kobe releases and from the return of retro models to brand-new creations, the presence of Kobe Bryant in the NBA and in sneaker culture is greater than ever. Come next year, we'll see a classic Kobe 8 return for the first time since its release.

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The Nike Kobe 8 was first released in 2012 and was a massive leap for Kobe Bryant's sneaker line in terms of performance and innovation. The snake-inspired sneakers we a favorite for Bryant and hoopers at home took an immediate liking to them. Released later in 2013 was the “What The” Nike Kobe 8 – a sneaker mash-up of previous colorways released in the silhouette. The trend was pioneered by the “What the Dunk” Nike SB Dunks and later applied to popular Nike sneakers as an homage.

Official images of the Nike Kobe 8 Protro “What The” have not officially been released by Nike, but the initial report came from sneaker source @brandon1an on X that the sneakers will be back for their 12-year anniversary in 2025.

Again, we're still not sure whether Nike will bring back the original colorway in a Protro version or if they decide to give these a makeover and take them in a different direction. Either way, this will be a much anticipated release for Kobe Bryant fans everywhere and these continue to be one of the rarer Nike Kobes released.

Both shoes are mismatched, with the right sneaker featuring a Red/Green collage and the left sneaker featuring a cooler-toned Blue/Purple scheme. Both shoes also have multi-colored mismatch laces and the shoes feature contrasting icy outsoles as well. For players like Grizzlies' Ja Morant, these are a sure head-turner when worn on the court.

The Nike Kobe 8 “What The” is set to drop Summer 2025 for a retail tag of $190. The shoes will likely be released on Nike SNKRS app and in very limited quantities. We're still waiting for more information on these, so be sure to keep up with our Sneakers news on updates on when we can expect these. Regardless, this will be a frantic release and anyone lucky to get their hands on them will have a piece of Nike Kobe history.

What do you think of the Nike Kobe 8 “What The?” Do you still have your pair from 2013?