Not only does Kobe Bryant‘s sneaker legacy date back to 1997, but it encompasses two sneaker giants.
Bryant’s first signature sneaker came from Adidas during his second year in the NBA. He had signed with Adidas prior to entering the NBA Draft in 1996 as a high schooler and was recruited by none other than Sonny Vaccaro, the same man who helped bring Michael Jordan to Nike. Adidas’ six-year, $48 million deal for then-teenager was unprecedented at the time — and it would set the precedent for the 7-year, $87 million contract LeBron James inked with Nike before entering the NBA in 2003.
A year into their six-year relationship, Adidas gave Bryant his signature shoe debut with the KB8 (now known as the Crazy 8). They’d then release four more sneakers together before Bryant paid $8 million to get out his contract in 2002 and eventually shift over to Nike in 2003 in what would become one of the most significant decisions in the history of basketball sneakers.
Below, Footwear News takes you through everything you need to know about Kobe’s first sneaker from Adidas — as well as his Nike debut nine years later.
After spending his rookie season playing in Adidas shoes including the Top Ten 2000, Top Ten 2010 and EQT Elevation, Bryant was received his signature sneaker debut with the Adidas KB8 in 1997.
Like the aforementioned models, the KB8 featured Feet You Wear technology. Adidas didn’t actually come up with Feet You Wear but instead licensed the midsole tech from inventor Frampton Ellis. When the license expired, Adidas could no longer use Feet You Wear even on the sneakers that originally featured it, which is why you no longer see it for retro releases of the KB8, now known as the Crazy 8.
Feet You Wear mimics the shape of the foot with organic curves on the outsole and midsole in a bid for better stability through lateral movements. The rounded shapes continue well up onto the synthetic leather and mesh upper of the KB8 in a zig-zagging motion overlaid against Adidas’ signature three stripes motif. Within the EVA midsole is a Torsion System plate facilitating the transition from heel to toe.
Original versions of the KB8 hosted Bryant’s embroidered no. 8 at the bottom of the toe, but that mark has now been replaced by Adidas’ Feet You Wear face logo (which it does still own the rights to).
Adidas brought back the KB8 as a retro for the first time 2007 as the Crazy 8, with the name change necessitated by Bryant decamping for Nike. The shoe would return in 2018 and then again in 2023, and it’s remained in Adidas’ lineup since.
Bryant received four more signature sneakers with Adidas before he switched allegiances to Nike. The KB8 2 (now known as the Crazy 98) maintained much of the same design language as its predecessor while adding an even bigger midsole for better stability and support, and the KB8 3 featured a more streamlined look on its upper and a Feet You Wear shape that would help inspired Kanye West’s Adidas Yeezy 500.
The Adidas Kobe line changed naming conventions and moved on from Feet You Wear technology with the launch of the Kobe 1 (now known as the Crazy 1) in 2000. The famously sleek but boxy look was inspired by the Audi TT Roadster and remains one of the most unusual basketball sneakers ever made. Bryant’s last Adidas sneaker, the Kobe 2, retained some of the same DNA but was universally panned.
After signing with Nike in 2003, Bryant’s first signature sneaker from the Swoosh wouldn’t come out until 2005. In the intervening years, he’d play in models including the Air Huarache 2K4 and Air Huarache 2K5. There was even a brief period of sneaker free agency after Bryant had bought his way out of his Adidas deal in which he wore a number of Air Jordans, in addition to shoes from Reebok, And1 and Converse.
The Nike Zoom Kobe 1 released in 2006 and was designed by Ken Link. Bryant’s first Nike signature model borrowed from the Air Huarache models he’d played in with Free technology in the sole, as well as the pronounced outrigger shape and high ankle collar. Zoom Air units sit at the forefoot and heel, and a full-length carbon fiber plate is placed underfoot for stability. A cut-out in the snug collar allowed for a greater range of motion, and Bryant specifically asked for his shoe to go without a strap.
Bryant debuted the Zoom Kobe 1 a black and yellow “Maize” colorway during the 2005 Christmas Day matchup pitting the Lakers against the Miami Heat and Kobe against his teammate-turned-rival Shaquille O’Neal.
As the Nike Kobe line grew to include 11 models, retro releases for the Zoom Kobe 1 would occasionally pop up until it was reissued in 2018 as the first “Protro,” short for “performance retro,” with modernized technology.
Ian Servantes is a Senior 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.
