UNDEFEATED and Nike Honor Kobe Bryant's Accomplishments with the Kobe 5 Protro "Hall of Fame"
Ahead of the Lakers’ legend’s posthumous induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
UNDEFEATED and Nike are honoring Kobe Bryant‘s laundry list of career accomplishments and impending posthumous induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with an aptly-titled Kobe 5 Protro “Hall of Fame.” With its gold-based color scheme and richly-detailed build, the “Hall of Fame” is more than just a special shoe for a special moment: it’s an encapsulation of Bryant’s greatness that’s also impeccable fan service for his legions of admirers.
Save for the black throat and top of the heel, the upper is coated entirely in a metallic gold hue. Quarters, heels and toeboxes use a tightly-woven ballistic mesh while the toe cap, forefoot and eyestays take on a slick synthetic material — the latter two pieces of which also present a snakeskin print. On the lateral side, the large Swoosh features a red-to-purple gradient fade and thick red trim with gold “24” “10” and “8” graphics for a nod to Kobe’s two jersey numbers with the Los Angeles Lakers and his #10 kit as part of USA Basketball. The medial side keeps things simple by comparison, bolstering its metallic purple Swoosh with a purple outline.
There’s a heavy dose of split detailing to be had on tongues, heel clips and insoles alike. The left shoe features UNDEFEATED’s Five Strike logo on the tongue and a hybrid “AIR” logo that replaces its I with Kobe and Nike Basketball‘s Kill Bill-inspired sheath logo. Meanwhile, the right shoe brings the sheath logo to its tongue, puts an UNDEFEATED Five Strike on the heel and lists Kobe’s most notable accomplishments on the insole. Down below, Zoom Air-equipped midsoles with a purple-to-gold gradient fade and purple outsoles complete the look.
At the time of writing, the UNDEFEATED x Nike Kobe 5 Protro has not yet received an official release date or price, but it’s speculated to arrive on Nike SNKRS before the end of the year and retail for $190 USD.
For more footwear news, check out official images of the Air Jordan 1 CO.JP “Metallic Navy.”