Fans of the late Los Angeles Lakers legend have plenty to look forward to in the coming months, with the latest early leak pointing to the return of the “What the Kobe” Nike Kobe 9 Elite. Set to release in Protro form — a “performance retro” conceptualized by Bryant which updates his past sneakers with modern technologies — the “What the Kobe” Nike Kobe 9 Elite will be rereleasing for the first time ever.
Originally released in January 2015, the Nike Kobe 9 Elite “What the Kobe” was Bryant’s third signature shoe to make use of the mash-up concept following the Kobe 7 and Kobe 8, the latter of which is also expected to be rereleased in 2025 .
A slightly more subdued approach was taken with the Nike Kobe 9 Elite, which featured (almost) matching left and right shoes, unlike previous “What the Kobe” styles. Despite the coordination between the left and right shoe, the erratic theme was evident by the multicolor knit panels with shades of blue, green and red woven throughout the white-based sneakers. Distinction between the two shoes was subtle, with differing gray graphics printed on their synthetic panels.
The Nike Kobe 9 Elite model was a drastic departure from Bryant’s previous signature sneakers. After he and designer Eric Avar had popularized low-cut basketball shoes beginning on the Nike Kobe 4, Bryant was in need of added support following a 2013 Achilles injury. Taking cues from Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, Bryant and Avar decided to go with the ultra-high-top construction of the Kobe 9 Elite. It was later launched in low-top form, including a series of coveted “HTM” colorways created by former Nike CEO Mark Parker, longtime Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, and Japanese streetwear designer Hiroshi Fujiwara.
In addition to this Kobe 9 Elite rerelease, both the low and high-top iterations of the shoe are set to receive all-white “Halo” renditions this year.
As of publishing, the Nike Kobe 9 Elite “What the Kobe” is set to release April 13, the same day as the Nike Kobe 8 “What the Kobe.” Retail pricing has not been confirmed, but the Kobe 9 Elite’s original price was set at $275. For now, readers can find a detailed look at the 2015 version below.
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