subject: The Distinctiveness Of Kobe Bryant Basketball Shoes [print this page] Kobe Bryant basketball shoes are a popular shoe model made by Nike. In December of 2010, the sixth incarnation of the Zoom Kobe series was released. Shoes from Bryant are always popular and the Kobe VI is expected to be the same.
Zoom Kobe sneakers are sold in a wide array of regular colorways. Frequently, however, they drop in unique versions with a connection to Bryant. Adidas was the original manufacturer of the official Bryant shoe, but with Nike, the popularity of his kicks took off.
The first affiliation for Bryant with Nike was the Air Zoom Huarache 2K4. It was followed the next year with the 2K5. This 2K5 was the first to feature his new Nike logo. It is alleged to symbolize a samurai warrior.
The Air Zoom Kobe I was the first Nike shoe bearing his name. It debuted on Christmas Day, 2005. Less than a month later, while wearing them against the Toronto Raptors, he poured in 81 points in a game.
Zoom Kobe II and Zoom Kobe III came next. Each offered better cushioning, stability, and support. Because Bryant wore a different shoe for most of the season the ZKII was released, however, it has always been rumored that Bryant did not care for the ZKII.
Though Bryant had an affiliation with the Hyperdunk shoes during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, his fourth shoe, Zoom Kobe IV, turned heads and created a sensation. Not only one of the lightest shoes Nike had made to that point, it was a low-top. Not even a mid-top shoe, it was like a regular shoe.
They were comfortable and were featured in a variety of colorways. The colorways had their own names, such as Del Sol, All-Star Game, and Carpe Diem. Other special collections included the Draft Day Hornets Edition, the Minneapolis Lakers edition, the 2009 NBA Finals editions, and more.
Nike released the Zoom Kobe V for general sale in late 2009. It eventually became available in at least twenty colors. A low-top, as well, the ZKV was lighter and offered more stability than the previous Zoom Kobe. At its release, the ZKV held the distinction of being the lowest and lightest hoops kicks in Nike history.
The low style of the shoe took its design from a soccer shoe. Bryant, who played soccer as a youngster, wanted a shoe for basketball that allowed him to cut and slash like he could in soccer shoes. And the finished product weighed 10.6 ounces.
As mentioned above, the ZKV came in a multitude of colorways. Some of them were related to the Los Angeles Lakers team he plays for, such as Home and Away editions, an Inline Home edition, and a Playoff Pack. Editions revised from the Zoom Kobe IV included Chaos, All-Star Game, Del Sol, Draft Day Hornets, and more.
New colorways not officially introduced for ZK IV included one each for Duke University and the University of Southern California. There was also a Lower Merion High School Edition and a Team USA edition. Three unique color schemes included a Martin Luther King, Jr., edition, a Dark Knight edition, and a Bruce Lee version.
