The tragic helicopter crash that claimed the life of legendary NBA player Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others has left a lasting impression on people around the world. The grief is still fresh and tributes have been coming in and out of the air in honor of the famous Lakers basketball player for more than 6 months. NIKE, the official equipment manufacturer of Mamba, wants to give all its support to Kobe Bryant’s family and pamper his millions of fans by launching a special project. On August 23rd, 2020, the day the late basketball player should have celebrated his 42nd birthday, the « Mamba Week » will start, modelled on the « Mamba Day ». After suspending sales of Kobe line products out of respect for his memory, Nike will release a signature collection of Kobe 5 Protro shoes and a jersey, as well as a pack « What If » designed in collaboration with local store Undefeated.
The goal of Mamba Week is to pay tribute to basketball player Kobe Bryant, who left his mark on generations through his talent and mentality, but also to defend the legacy of the big-hearted man who was committed to noble causes, such as helping underprivileged children through sport. The Swoosh’s brand is making the most of this special week by donating $1 million to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, the academy co-created by Kobe Bryant. It also announces that it will continue to produce Mamba signature sneakers and work with the NBA to release the legendary basketball jersey in limited quantities.
In total, 5 colorways of Nike Kobe 5 Protro are presented : 2 are part of the pack « What If » with the partners Undefeated, and 3 are independent.
In order of announced release, we first discover the Nike Kobe 5 Protro « Big Stage Parade ».
The shoe features a mix between the colors worn during the 2010 NBA finals and the patterns of the PE silhouettes of the parade following the last Lakers title. The upper white is divided into two parts, one side has the black graphic print from the Nike Kobe 5 Protro PE « Parade » and the other side is white like the Nike Kobe 5 « Big Stage Home ». To complete the design, the gold color is applied to the side swoosh, heel and tongue branding. The laces and tongues are mismatched, white or black. The whole is based on a white and black sole with a gold accent.
The Nike Kobe 5 Protro « 5x Champ » aka « Lakers » (article available HERE) will then be available on Mamba Day, August 24th. The shoe consists of a patent leather upper made of synthetic materials in the famous Los Angeles Lakers Court Purple colorway. We find black accents highlighted with University Gold contours and a snakeskin pattern on the heel counter, a nod to the late player’s nickname. The Lakers city-themed graphic insole and the signature Metallic Silver branding on the tongue finalize the design. The whole is based on a white midsole and a translucent icy outsole.
August 27th will mark the launch of the pack,Undefeated x Nike Kobe 5 Protro “What If”.
This capsule includes two pairs of shoes. One is a multi-colored shoe combining the colors of the 12 teams that entered Kobe Bryant in the June 1996 draft and the other features the colors of the franchise that swapped him, the Charlotte Hornets, symbolizing the « What If ? », motivation that Kobe had to redouble his efforts to outperform his opponents.
Both shoes feature an upper blending materials and textures.
For the multicoloured pair, the toe box is duck blue, one side red with the golden side Swoosh and the other grey. These inserts give the impression of being sewn rather coarsely on a black base with relief patterns. Yellow and green accents complete the design. The Undefeated logo adorns the heel and appears embroidered on the tongue. The inner lining and lower part of the tongue in white color add cachet to the pair.
The other all-white iteration features a patent toe box and gold side swoosh. The Undefeated logo can be seen in blue on the tongue and the back of the heel. To unify the design, the tongue, inner lining and laces are also white. The gold accents on both iterations are reminiscent of the championships during Mamba’s career. Both pairs are based on the same white midsole combined with a translucent icy outsole, under which the Kobe Bryant logo is revealed.
The Nike Kobe 5 Protro « EYBL Forest Green » will be released on August 29th to conclude this week dedicated to the iconic Lakers player.
This shoe is intended to commemorate the Elite Youth Basketball League, which was cancelled this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The forest-green upper features silver inserts and light tan-gold accents to define the lateral Swoosh and tongue branding. A nice touch of contrast is provided by the chick yellow inner lining and peach-colored heel top. To complete the design, the mismatched insoles feature a graphic print. The whole is based on a forest green midsole and a white outsole with a touch of yellow.
The Nike Kobe 5 Kobe Protro « Mamba Week » collection including the pack Undefeated x Nike Kobe 5 Protro « What If » will be released throughout Kobe Bryant’s « Mamba Week » tribute week, August 23 to August 29, 2020. The price for each pair is 180€. The LA Lakers City Edition « Black Mamba » jersey should be available on Mamba Day, 24th August 2020. Good cop.
