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The Best Kobe Shoes — From Air Force 1 Lows to Recovery Slides — Worth Shopping at Nike

Even after Kobe Bryant's untimely death, Nike continues to update its iconic Kobe line. Here are the styles to shop in 2026.

By Stacia Datskovska Plus Icon

Stacia Datskovska

Senior Commerce Writer for WWD

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June 11, 2026, 10:26am

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Best Nike Kobe Shoes (and Accompanying Apparel) of 2026

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Legends never die: a sentiment that directly applies to the late Kobe Bryant, who passed away in January 2020 but continues to be regarded, and remembered, as one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. One way the 18-time All-Star, putting in two decades with the Los Angeles Lakers, lives on in the present day? Through none other than his circa-2003 Nike partnership, after Bryant’s wife Vanessa decided to extend his contract posthumously in 2022. (Following the announcement of the two-time Olympic gold medalist’s death, all in-stock Nike Kobe shoes promptly sold out.)

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After concluding his sneaker free agency, Bryant signed with Nike in 2003. Their collaboration kicked off with a Nike Zoom Kobe I shoe, a high-top style. Courtesy Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images

Since then, key releases have included the “Mambacita” line — a tribute to the Bryants’ daughter, Gigi, who was also killed in the helicopter crash that took the basketball icon’s life — the Kobe “Halo” series, and multiple Protro rollouts. Short for “Performance Retro,” the latter collection updates archival Kobe designs with new-and-improved tech. Nike’s current Kobe footwear styles are varied, spanning from sleek basketball shoes to recovery slides, but they’re all unified by a single concept: the “Mamba Mentality,” a term coined by Bryant to encapsulate his relentless pursuit of perfection and self-mastery.

“If you see me in a fight with a bear, pray for the bear,” the Academy Award winner once said (yes, Bryant also clinched an Oscar for his short film “Dear Basketball,” proving that there wasn’t much the star athlete couldn’t do). Each Kobe shoe, in turn, captures that fearlessness and helps wearers feel more equipped to take on anything life — or the game — throws at them.

No detail is left unconsidered in Nike’s Kobe assortment, with continuous allusions made to Bryant’s career and upbringing — right down to his high school alma mater (Bryant played ball for the Lower Merion High School Aces). Courtesy Nike

Below, the best Kobe sneakers and other shoes to shop now, while waiting for much-anticipated arrivals like the Nike Kobe 5 Protro Dodgers and Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Draft Day.” Both are set to drop in the coming months; in petty fashion, “Draft Day” reps the 13 teams that passed on Bryant before he joined the Lakers in the 1996 NBA Draft.

Call it fate.

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Nike Kobe 9 Low Protro Shoe

$190

Buy Now at nike

Within this shoe’s online product copy, Nike mentions Bryant’s unfortunate Achilles tendon tear back in 2013 (you remember the one) and ability to recover — both mentally and physically — with impressive speed after the incident. Responsible for that rebound was the “Mamba Mentality,” of course, and you can subscribe to it via the Kobe 9 Low Protro silhouette, swathed in an all-new “Fierce Purple/White/Blue Lagoon” colorway. Fittingly enough, it’s a revival of the Nike stepper Bryant wore when he returned to his biggest passion a little under eight months post-injury… and you better believe the careful engineering here will save you from any game-day mishaps.

The overachiever is pleasant to look at, sure, but it’s also a beast performance-wise — chock-full of bells and whistles like a removable React foam insert for maximized impact absorption and responsiveness; an outsole that aligns with the natural contours of the foot and its pressure points; plus a knit mesh composition that leaves sweatiness in the past.

As Bryant once said, “you have to keep moving.” This shoe will be there for you every springy step of the way, whether you’re busy practicing your turnaround fadeaway or walking to and from practice.

Price upon publish date of this article: $190

Nike Kobe Offcourt Slide

$27.97 $44 36% off

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Newsflash: There are off days with the “Mamba Mentality,” since thorough recovery generates the very energy you need to fake out opponents and stun refs with your footwork. Nike’s Offcourt Slide — selling for close to 40 percent off its regular price in some shades — is an apt choice for giving your fatigued feet the care they deserve after a particularly intense hoops session (or workout). Nike’s Kobe-specific, samurai-inspired Sheath logo showcases front and center, representing the interplay between talent and pure, hard work. It’s complemented by an attractive snakeskin finish that’s sure to make a style statement.

Contoured, foam-powered, plush, and ground-gripping, the slip-on is something you’ll find yourself donning from the gym to the sauna to the hangout with the bros and back again: thinking of the “Black Mamba” each time you do.

Price upon publish date of this article: $27.97

Nike Kobe Air Force 1 Low Shoe

$120

Buy Now at nike

Looking for a less technical and more lifestyle entry point into the Mamba universe? This Kobe Air Force 1 Low is your answer. Like the slide above, it’s wrapped in subtle snakeskin — an allusion to the fact that a black mamba is actually a type of highly venomous snake — and flaunts embroidery that honors the two jersey numbers in Bryant’s career (he wore the number “8” for the first half of his legendary NBA stint and then switched over to “24” during the 2006–07 season).

All the components you’ve come to adore in AF1 low-tops (perforated toe box; padded collar; foam midsole) are found here once more, while being taken to new heights with Kobe-exclusive inclusions like those “Mamba Forever” lace dubraes: veritable status symbols, if you ask us.

With this Air Force 1 Low, “nothing but net” will suddenly become more achievable. Sizes are selling out fast — as fast as Bryant’s first step was, dare we suggest.

Price upon publish date of this article: $120

Nike Air Force 1 Low Protro “Siempre Mio” Shoe

$150

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“Siempre mio” translates to “always mine,” which is not only the relationship we hope you foster with your new Air Force 1 Low Protro kicks but also a direct nod to the name of the Thoroughbred horse Bryant purchased with former Lakers power forward Pau Gasol. The joint investment’s byproduct? “An unbreakable brotherhood,” as Nike puts it, that extended beyond the professional sphere.

The sneaker’s equine references, similarly, extend beyond its title. Western-style embroidery, a pony hair–coated Swoosh logo, a horse-printed insole, and horseshoe dubraes (with the phrase “Siempre Hermanos” engraved on them) come together to immortalize this significant chapter in Bryant’s story.

When the Air Force 1 was rolled out in the ’80s, it became the first Nike basketball shoe to contain Nike Air cushioning — now bare minimum for the brand. You’ll be happy to know that Nike Air makes its home in this special-edition model yet again, augmented by ReactX foam for unparalleled, all-day comfort.

Because when you’re training as hard as Bryant used to, you need every bit of support you can get.

Price upon publish date of this article: $150

Nike Kobe Merch to Wear Your New Shoes With

Nike Kobe Men’s Dri-Fit Fleece Pullover Basketball Hoodie

$105

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A pullover that doesn’t beat around the bush, instead keeping you comfortable and ready to take on every challenge — courtesy of upgraded sweat evaporation features, a stretchy yet shape-retaining pique-knit fabric, and an elastic hem for a more optimized fit.

Price upon publish date of this article: $105

Nike Kobe Men’s Dri-Fit Basketball T-Shirt

$60

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Pay respect to Bryant’s legacy by grabbing this men’s tee: all dropped shoulders, longer-than-average sleeves, and Nike’s signature moisture-wicking technology at play.

Price upon publish date of this article: $60

Nike Kobe Dri-Fit Wristbands

$14

Buy Now at nike

January 22, 2006. Bryant’s epoch-making game of 81 points: now the third-most ever scored in the history of the NBA. Let the stats speak for themselves when you wear this set of soft, secure, and absorbent wristbands — keeping you at peak performance even on the hottest of summer days.

Price upon publish date of this article: $14

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Meet the Author

Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, wrote about tentpole sales, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on trending footwear worth investing in — including basketball sneakers and Nike’s Kobe line in particular.

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The Best Kobe Shoes — From Air Force 1 Lows to Recovery Slides — Worth Shopping at Nike

Recent Articles by Stacia Datskovska

Best Nike Kobe Shoes (and Accompanying Apparel) of 2026

Nike Kobe 9 Low Protro Shoe

Nike Kobe Offcourt Slide

Nike Kobe Air Force 1 Low Shoe

Nike Air Force 1 Low Protro “Siempre Mio” Shoe

Nike Kobe Men’s Dri-Fit Fleece Pullover Basketball Hoodie

Nike Kobe Men’s Dri-Fit Basketball T-Shirt

Nike Kobe Dri-Fit Wristbands

Related Articles

Nike Kobe 9 Low Protro Shoe

Nike Kobe Offcourt Slide

Nike Kobe Air Force 1 Low Shoe

Nike Air Force 1 Low Protro “Siempre Mio” Shoe

Nike Kobe Merch to Wear Your New Shoes With

Nike Kobe Men’s Dri-Fit Fleece Pullover Basketball Hoodie

Nike Kobe Men’s Dri-Fit Basketball T-Shirt

Nike Kobe Dri-Fit Wristbands

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Why Trust WWD

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