Nike Basketball unveils the Zoom Kobe 1 "Protro"

Even if his retirement is way behind us (sigh), Kobe Bryant keeps being a central figure in the modern basketball world, and it’s just rightly so. He’s central particularly for Nike Basketball, that after celebrating him in every way for the retirement of his two jerseys, is ready to release a new version of his first signature sneaker, the Nike Zoom Kobe 1. The Black Mamba announced it on his Instagram profile with a caption that says it all: “Kobe 1 Protro. 2005 design. Modern day technology. Drops Feb. 17. #YoureWelcome".

This model, called Protro as an abbreviation for “Performance Retro”, wants to combine the nostalgic feeling (retro) with the best technology available at Nike (performance). If the design has to remind you of the shoes that Bryant wore during that amazing night in Toronto when he dropped 81 points, its composition is absolutely updated, with every technology that can reflect the modern athletes’ needs. All the exceeding materials have been removed, reducing the overall weight, enlightening the shoe during the performance. The foam has been removed while the carbon fiber shank’s size has been decreased to provide a better feel.

The Nike Zoom 1 “Protro” will be available from February 17 at nike.com at selected Nike retailers for $175.