Anthony Davis (Anthony Davis) firmly grasps a piece of history with the Los Angeles Lakers every time he stepped on the court this season.
Davis only wore the sneakers Nike Kobe4, which was originally released in 2009. In recent seasons, several high-top Air Max uppers from Nike (Nike) have appeared, some with custom unibrow logos and "Fear the Brow" and Davis chose to use Kobe's sneakers
in his first season in Los Angeles and he is far from the only one.
players in all positions (102 to be exact) are making a retro version of Kobe 4, making it one of the most popular personal sneakers for NBA. Almost 67% of NBA players wear Nike sneakers , among which even stars LeBron James , Kyrie Irving and Giannis Antetu Quinpo all wear nike sneakers, and more.
Davis was a sophomore in high school at the time when Nike initially released the low-gross Kobe model, but he insisted on taking turns using player-only doubles in purple and yellow color schemes. Meanwhile, one of the players traded by Davis also replaced his old ball with Kobe 4.
"I like them very much," said Lonzo Ball, the New Orleans Pelicans guard who only wore the Kobe 4 this season after he severed ties with Big Baller Brand. "They are lightweight, but they're also sturdy. In my opinion, Kobe is the best basketball shoes. ... 4 players are at the top. Some others in the league may think of this, too."
October’s design was re-released in Hornets during the Charlotte All-Star Weekend in February, an interesting greeting to the team that originally drafted Kobe. Since then, Nike has released only five other colors in the retail market, with the latest model – according to Kobe’s “Wyginard” children’s book series – released Friday. "Some products are more radical than others," said Eric Avar, vice president of Nike innovation. "Some are more traditional. The 4 is a little underdeveloped in the sweet spot. It's classic enough, modern enough to stand the test of time."
Following the blueprint for Michael Jordan and his $3 billion Jordan Brand, the company hopes to re-release its most popular style of retro sneakers at a monthly pace, even after players retire. Demand for signature sneakers for Hall of Fame, as well as former league logos such as Alan Iverson, Charles Barkley, Scotty Pippen and Penny Hardaway.
When Kobe retired in 2016, he developed a five-year plan to continue his Nike sneaker line. The annual "Kobe Advertising" will adopt all the brand's latest innovations and materials as a variety of concept cars. When it comes to reissuing the earliest sneakers, Kobe and the company took a different approach than the industry standards.
Bryant coined the term “protro”, designed to represent professional-level retro sneakers that can be worn not only by consumers on the field, but also in today’s NBA games. Compared to today's manufacturing technology, the brand has made some improvements under the hood, making it better suited for NBA players than traditional retro sneakers that have continued to be used for 20 years.
"Protro is about evolving and improving things from the past," Kobe said. "The business I want to build is not just based on past work. It's important that the brand represents performance, everything we do is innovative. Even if we release shoes from the past, they still have to be based on performance."
From a design perspective, Kobe 4 is different from his first three Nike pairs, and Kobe draws inspiration from football cleats.
At the time he said, "In football, you can still wear low-top tops." "So, I think you need confidence to push the boundaries."
Avar remembers Bryant's brief statement more straightforward.
He smiled and said, "Bryant is determined: 'I need a low top.I don't need all the other junk around my ankles. '
Some players - mainly point guards - fell to the lowest point, namely Gilbert Arenas (Gilbert Arenas), Steve Nash (Steve Nash) and Tony Parker (Tony Parker), but no one in the sneaker community has the same strength. When Kobe first introduced the shoes in the 2008-09 season, he was a three-time NBA champion, winning his only MVP and the first Olympic gold medal.
"Besides the athletes wear it, I think kids know the depth and authenticity of how Kobe is involved in the product," Aval said.
In the decade since Kobe 4's first fall, the stigma around the low end of the hardwood has almost disappeared. Now, more than half of the league is in a low point. Currently, 10 of the 16 iconic basketball shoes on the market are also low-top shoes. But none of them are more popular than the Kobe 4 Protro.
Even Houston Rockets forward PJ Tucker, who is the NBA reigning sneaker champion, often swapped him for Kobe 4 at halftime after starting the game with his latest exclusive or rare pickup.
Tucker said of Kobe 4: "I almost always finish the game at the end of the game. The best basketball shoes ever!"
Rockets wore Kobe 4 in 15 of the first 20 games of the season. Although he has tested his own free sneaker agency over the past month and discussed deals with various brands, his love for models has made his decision to return to Nike easier. He has some unique colors, including the No. 17 jersey number he designed with the brand.
Another sneaker free agent, Suns scorer Devin Booker resigned with Nike for five years this fall. He wore his own Kobe 4 custom colors for every game of the season. "It was one of my favorite Kobes before they even modified it," said Booker. "To have my own players enjoy [colorway], this is the first time Kobe has done it for a retro player. It's amazing - to be a part of history and add your own taste and feel to it." The
shoe could also play a role in potential MVP candidate Luka Doncic's next sneaker deal. The current sneaker free agent has played two Under Armour and Jordan Brand every season this season, but he has been back to his trusted Kobes.
"That's the logo of a good design," Aval said. "Things that look so simple in the end."
he added, "It's always the goal you're pursuing." "Doing something that actually makes a difference and has a more profound purpose - Kobe 4 falls into this category."
