The ninth signature shoe of Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was one of the hottest, if not the hottest, sneakers on the sneaker market this month.
Next month, the Nike Kobe 9 Elite is expected to make waves once again as it is scheduled to be released in several colorways in March, which are all expected to get a lot of attention from sneaker fans.
Nike will release the second colorway of the Kobe 9 Elite on March 1 in select Nike accounts worldwide. This edition will be available starting 8 a.m. on Saturday and will retail at $225 per pair. It will also be released in grade school sizes for $125 each.
Dubbed as the "Inspiration" edition, this colorway features a multi-colored Flyknit upper part with gold hints along with a white Nike swoosh logo.
Still visible at the back portion of the shoe are the nine red lines symbolizing Bryant's sutures when he underwent surgery after sustaining a torn Achilles tendon.
According to Nike, this shoe commemorates Bryant's 18-year-career with the Lakers as shown by the gold hints on the upper part. This shoe was reportedly inspired by Bryant's storied career with the Lakers - the team that he led to five championships.
Nike also noted that this shoe will be worn by Bryant when he returns to the hardcourt again once he recovers from his knee injury.
"Since first arriving to Los Angeles for his 1996 rookie season, Bryant has bled purple and gold. Five championships during his illustrious career in Los Angeles reflect his commitment. Bryant will wear the Kobe 9 Elite Inspiration colorway upon his return to the court," Nike said on the shoe.
This edition of the shoe is expected to be a hot item on the sneaker market based on how sneaker lovers accepted the first colorway of the shoe - the "Masterpiece" edition that was released last February 9 worldwide.
The Kobe 9 Elite is one of the best shoes from Nike as of late as it features three key technologies - Flyknit, Flywire, and Lunarlon - leading to the creation of a super lightweight sneaker that provides strength, speed, and durability, while maintaining the foot's natural movement.
