Paying tribute to the basketball legend, Kobe Bryant… Nike has introduced the newest silhouette in the Protro lineup: the Kobe 8 Protro Halo.
Partnering with Nike Basketball, Vanessa Bryant imagined and created the Halo shoe concept and launch as a way to honor Kobe’s birthday each year. The Halo concept will be an annual release that will honor and celebrate this special date.
Like the existing Protros, the Kobe 8 Protro has the same iconic look but features new updates in design and performance innovation. One of the more noticeable design updates include the embroidered Swoosh on the upper, paired with an embroidered Mamba logo on the tongue. In a key innovation update, designers replaced the Lunarlon midsole with Nike React foam, for comfort and responsiveness and to help create a durable design overall. The team also updated the herringbone traction pattern for strong grip and performance.
The Nike Kobe 8 first launched in 2012. The shoe was featured in the Prelude Pack (2014) and Fade To Black Collection (2016) prior to this year’s Protro. At the time of its release, the silhouette was the lightest in the Kobe line, following Kobe’s desire for a shoe that was like an extension of his foot. The graphics on the upper played further into Kobe’s “Black Mamba” identity.
Timed with Kobe Bryant’s birthday on August 23, Nike is celebrating the icon’s competitive legacy through an elite two-day youth basketball tournament in front of Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Mamba League Invitational invites eight teams of the most talented high school players in L.A. to compete, both men and women, and concludes with the championship game on Mamba Day – August 24.
The new Nike Kobe 8 Protro Halo releases August 23 on SNKRS and at select global retailers.
