Best Kobe Bryant Basketball Shoes

334 Shoes available
released Nov. 2024
Jordan Tatum 3
from$124.99
Buy from 4 Shops
  • 7.7
    rating based on 8 expert reviews
  • The Jordan Tatum 3 makes minor improvements to the cushioning and is the best shoe in the lineup so far.
  • The Tatum 3 is best for players who move a lot on their forefoot.
released Nov. 2024
Nike Lebron 22
from$179.99
Buy from 4 Shops
  • 8.6
    rating based on 7 expert reviews
  • The recent LeBron signatures are some of the best shoes for traction and cushioning, and the Nike LeBron 22 is no exception.
  • This shoe is best for anyone looking for a comfortable, responsive, and bouncy cushioning setup.
released Oct. 2024
Nike Ja 2
from$119.99
Buy from 5 Shops
  • 8.1
    rating based on 9 expert reviews
  • The Nike Ja 2 makes minor changes but delivers a similar experience to its predecessor.
  • The Ja 2 is best for players who enjoy light, speedy shoes with a bit of pop.
released Oct. 2024
Puma MB.04
from$125.00
Buy from 2 Shops
  • 7.9
    rating based on 5 expert reviews
  • Puma's MB.04 is a solid performance shoe featuring a soft Nitrofoam midsole.
  • The shoe is best for those who enjoy the comfortable midsole and upper materials from previous Puma MB shoes.
Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low Protro
from$124.00
Buy from StockX
  • 8.6
    rating based on 5 expert reviews
  • The Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low Protro makes minimal changes from the original and is still an outstanding performer.
  • This shoe is best for players looking for elite traction performance.
released Oct. 2024
ANTA Shock Wave 6
  • 8.6
    rating based on 4 expert reviews
  • The Shock Wave 6 is a snappy, lightweight shoe. The traction and cushioning are ideal for quicker players.
  • This shoe is best suited for guards and other quick players.
released Sep. 2024
New Balance Hesi Low V2
$110$81.97
Buy from DICK's
  • 8.4
    rating based on 4 expert reviews
  • The New Balance Hesi Low V2 is a definite improvement compared to the V1 because of the traction and cushioning.
  • This shoe is best for lighter, nimbler players.
released Sep. 2024
Adidas Dame 9
$120$72.00
Buy from 4 Shops
  • 8.4
    rating based on 8 expert reviews
  • The Adidas Dame 9 is an excellent performance shoe. It features impressive traction and support.
  • The Dame 9 is best for players looking for soft cushioning and containment.
released Sep. 2024
Nike Giannis Immortality 4
$100$63.97
Buy from 5 Shops
  • 8.1
    rating based on 6 expert reviews
  • The Immortality 4 is a solid performer that provides improved support at a manageable price.
  • The Nike Giannis Immortality 4 is best for players looking for a budget shoe with a durable outsole and supportive upper.
released Sep. 2024
New Balance TWO WXY V5
from$119.99
Buy from DICK's
  • 8.7
    rating based on 4 expert reviews
  • The New Balance TWO WXY V5 does everything well.
  • The shoe plays well for all positions. It does it all.
released Sep. 2024
ANTA KAI 1 Speed
from$124.99
Buy from 2 Shops
  • 8.9
    rating based on 4 expert reviews
  • The Anta KAI 1 Speed is a worthy option with impressive traction and an accommodating fit.
  • This shoe is a good pick for players who want a more responsive version of the KAI 1.
released Aug. 2024
Jordan Luka 3
$140$110.00
Buy from 5 Shops
  • 8.2
    rating based on 7 expert reviews
  • The Jordan Luka 3 is a bulky-looking shoe that plays more balanced than it looks thanks to its tacky traction.
  • The Luka 3 is best for shifty, balanced players who mainly play on clean courts.
released Aug. 2024
Air Jordan 39
from$199.99
Buy from 3 Shops
  • 8.2
    rating based on 8 expert reviews
  • The Air Jordan 39 is a great performance shoe with many positive features and a few negative ones.
  • This is the perfect shoe for players who love explosive cushioning setups.
released Aug. 2024
Adidas A.E. 1 Low
from$110.00
Buy from 2 Shops
  • 8.0
    rating based on 6 expert reviews
  • The Adidas AE 1 Low is a mixed bag with decent performance but the fit may bother some.
  • The shoe is best for shifty players who like to feel low to the ground.
released Aug. 2024
Nike Zoom Freak 6
$150$75.00
Buy from 3 Shops
  • 8.0
    rating based on 6 expert reviews
  • The Nike Zoom Freak 6 is another decent performer with reliable traction performance.
  • The shoe's responsiveness and light weight are better suited for lighter guards.
released Aug. 2024
Under Armour Curry 12
$150$139.99
Buy from 3 Shops
  • 8.5
    rating based on 5 expert reviews
  • The Curry 12 is the best performer in the Curry line thanks to the revamped cushioning and continued excellence of Flow foam.
  • The Curry 12 is the perfect shoe for players who need elite traction on clean courts.
  • 8.9
    rating based on 6 expert reviews
  • The Way of Wade All City 12 Encore is a fantastic, balanced performance shoe. Traction and cushioning, in particular, are outstanding.
  • This shoe has something for everyone. All players will enjoy the All City 12 Encore.
released Aug. 2024
  • 8.0
    rating based on 5 expert reviews
  • The Wade Ice Blood 2 offers a lightweight, low-profile setup with springy cushioning.
  • The shoe is best for guards who play low to the ground.
released Jul. 2024
  • 8.9
    rating based on 8 expert reviews
  • Li-Ning's Way of Wade 11 is an outstanding performance hoop shoe with grippy traction and bouncy cushioning.
  • The lightweight, well-cushioned Way of Wade 11 is recommended for players who like to get up and down the court and vertical.
released Jul. 2024
Adidas D.O.N. Issue 6
$120$107.00
Buy from 3 Shops
  • 8.5
    rating based on 5 expert reviews
  • The Adidas D.O.N. Issue 6 is a great performer. The shoe is lightweight and reliable.
  • The D.O.N. Issue 6 is best for quicker players looking for a bottom-light shoe.
Shoes 1 to 20 of 334

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was drafted with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Lower Merion High School by the Charlotte Hornets. He was drafted to the Los Angeles Lakers on draft night and spent all of his 20 seasons there. He was a member of the All-Rookie team, a two-time scoring champion, 18-time All Star, 15-time All-NBA team member, 12-time All-Defensive team inductee, 2008 Regular Season MVP, four-time All-Star Game MVP, five-time NBA Champion, and two-time NBA Finals MVP. He tragically passed away on January 26, 2020 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in the same year.

Playing Style

Kobe Bryant is listed at 6’6” and was one of the most relentless competitors the game has ever seen – defensively and offensively.

Kobe Bryant Logo

Kobe Bryant’s most recognizable logo was designed by Eric Avar. According to Kobe, it is a sword in a sheath, where the weapon represents raw talent while the case represents the hard work one puts in to harness and refine that talent. The designer said that he used Japanese warriors as an inspiration, saying that the warriors exhibited Bryant’s same balance. It is officially known as the “Sheath.”

Kobe also had a logo with his earlier short run with Adidas which was basically his silhouette, which then included an afro.

What Shoe Size Did Kobe Bryant Wear?

Kobe Bryant wore a size 14.

History of Kobe Signature Shoes

As a 17-year-old rookie, Kobe Bryant initially signed a contract with Adidas that would run for six years and was worth $48 million. He completed the years but he still had to pay $8 million to the company when he voluntarily left after some disappointing sneaker releases. He then spent the 2002-2003 season as a sneaker free agent, wearing everything from Jordans to And1s. In 2004, he signed a five-year, $40 to $45 million deal with Nike. He did not have a signature shoe per se, but he was made the face of one of the most iconic basketball sneakers ever – the Nike Huarache 2K4. He donned the next iteration of that, the 2K5, before finally debuting his first signature shoe with the Swoosh. The deal has since expanded in length and worth.

The Nike Zoom Kobe 1 was released in January 2006.

Release Dates of Kobe Bryant Signature Shoes*
* includes only shoes released in 2017 or later

Characteristics of Kobe Shoes

The first three models of the Kobe line were similar in that they all featured a leather-built upper, full-length foam cushion with Zoom Air, and high-rising collars. With the Kobe 4, however, came a huge change. Kobe wanted the freedom of movement of soccer players’ feet and so released his first low-top basketball sneaker. Since then, the line has mainly kept with that format, with a few exceptions with certain versions.

Cushioning for the line has always been just right for the average player. It didn’t dwell on giving people what they didn’t need and so cushion, Zoom Air to be specific, was placed strategically so it and force exerted could be maximized. Materials, however, moved with the times as it transitioned from leather to fuse to mesh to knit to ripstop. Naming became interesting after he retired, utilizing “A.D.” It has, in order, released the following so far: “regular,” NXT, Mid, 360, Exodus, and FastFit.

Kobe has had more than a few budget models. His first was a series named the “Venomenon” and released six versions. Then came the “Mentality” ones which only released two, and that was followed by the “attributes” series: Rage, Instinct, Focus, and Fury. These usually retailed around $100 while the main releases averaged about $160.

Two of the most iconic colorways of the Kobe line would have to be the Kobe 5 “Bruce Lee,” paying homage to the martial arts legend, and the Kobe 6 “Grinch,” which Kobe wore during a 2010 Christmas game versus the Miami Heat. He has also had the first, fourth, fifth, and sixth iterations of his signatures recently receive performance-updated versions, known as “Protros.”

Special Colorways

Nike Kobe 1 Protro “Undefeated Flight Jacket”

With an average sale price of about $6,000, the Nike Kobe 1 Protro “Undefeated Flight Jacket” is the most expensive of the line’s releases on StockX. It features a musty green suede upper with orange hints and the Undefeated logo on the lateral sides. The heel collar, swoosh, and outsole are black, while the midsole is partially off-white.