The Kobe 4 Protro ‘Girl Dad’ Celebrates Bryant’s Relationship With His Daughters
A spring full of Nike Kobe releases is set to continue with a pair celebrating the relationship Kobe Bryant had with his two daughters.
The Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Girl Dad” is a brand-new colorway arriving at the end of May. Nothing on the outside of the sneaker overtly screams “Girl Dad,” but the phrase appears in cursive on the tongue’s interior.
Suede replaces the Kobe 4 Protro’s usual construction of synthetic leather with FlyWire containment. The more lifestyle oriented material material is rendered in an emerald “Bicoastal Green” to match the mesh tongue, while a slightly different shade is used for the back half of the midsole. The Swoosh, laces and sockliner then appear in black, while a chrome heel stabilizer coordinates with a silver embroidered Kobe logo on the tongue. Rounding out the sneaker is a translucent outsole.
Bryant has routinely been referred to as a “Girl Dad” because of his close relationship with his four daughters. Prior to their passing, Gigi and Kobe received a lot of media attention for the former’s basketball prowess and the latter’s public encouragement of it.
The “Girl Dad” iteration of the Kobe 4 Protro will mark the second take on the model this year, following the “Philly” iteration releasing in April while maintaining its more performance-oriented construction. April will also see the release of a Kobe 6 “Protro” Camo” and Kobe 8 Protro “Venice Beach,” as Nike continues to ramp up releases after the line’s resumption last year. Another Kobe 4 Protro release ended 2023 in a “Gift of Mamba” colorway inspired by Bryant’s “Black Mamba” nickname.
The Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Girl Dad” is scheduled to release May 31 through the Snkrs app and select third-party retailers. Pricing is set at $190.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.