As Nike gears up for the World Cup with a variety of new and familiar releases, one of Kobe Bryant’s fan-favorite signature styles will be included in the launches.
For the first time since its 2013 debut, Bryant’s Nike Kobe 8 “Mambacurial” sneakers will be reissued in their (almost) original form. The sneaker will receive a Protro upgrade which includes a modernized React drop-in midsole instead of the Lunarlon used in the ’13 original.
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Thanks to @prm.cotd, FN got a full look at the updated style, which is due at retail later this year. The pair is faithful to its original Red Plum/Electric Green/Pink Flash colorway with a pink-to-purple gradient fade across the engineered mesh upper and a large bright green Swoosh at the toe with white Nike branding in bold Futura text on the medial side. The colorful look is borrowed from Nike’s Mercurial Vapor 9, which was also released in ’13 and worn by Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Bryant’s love for soccer didn’t only influence the aesthetic of his sneakers. The late basketball legend’s fourth signature sneaker, the Nike Kobe 4, shifted the market by popularizing low-top sneakers. The lower-cut ankle support was inspired by soccer cleats after Bryant observed how freely players were able to maneuver on the field. Alongside designer Eric Avar, Bryant used this concept on his sneakers, starting with the Kobe 4, and had an impact on basketball footwear design that can be seen to this day.
The Mambacurial coloway was later revisited on the Kobe 10 Elite, Kobe 11 and Kobe A.D. NXT, but it’s the Kobe 8 that has had the most lasting legacy of the bunch.
The Nike Kobe 8 Protro Mambacurial will be released this summer from Nike’s Snkrs app and select Nike Basketball retailers for $200. The style code for this sneaker is IO6253-500.