Take a Look Behind the Design of Nike's Kobe 1 "Protro"

Shortly after Nike revealed the return of Kobe Bryant’s inaugural sneaker, we’re now provided with a look into the recent upgrade of the sneaker. The shoe known for assisting Kobe in scoring 81 points will now feature a full-length Zoom bag in addition to removing excess foam which results in reduced weight by approximately five ounces.

The overall idea came from Bryant’s experience at an amusement park as he paid attention to the movement of animatronic figures. Kobe found a connection between their functions and sneaker technology. When discussing Kobe’s knack for footwear design, Tony Grosso (Senior Product Line Manager for Nike Basketball) stated:

“Kobe always pushes us. For him, it’s all about performance and whether today’s players will want to wear it on the court. He’s super intentional and thoughtful about everything he does. He always has a plan, and for retros, the plan was always to stick to performance-based innovation.”

Nike’s Kobe 1 “Protro” is slated to retail for $175 USD with a launch on February 17 via select Nike Basketball retailers and Nike SNKRS.