Kobe Bryant will not play for the Los Angeles Lakers for the remainder of the 2013-14 NBA season, but the superstar guard is expected to make headlines this weekend not with his highlight plays but with his signature shoe.
The fourth colorway of Bryant's ninth Nike signature shoe will hit the market this Saturday and it is expected to hit strides like the first three editions of the shoe - the Masterpiece, Inspiration, and Perspective versions.
Coming out this Saturday, March 22nd, is the Kobe 9 Elite 'Detail' that is arguably the simplest-looking version among the first four colorways of the signature sneaker.
This edition, which is officially listed as the Grey/Black colorway of the shoe, sports a grey-based upper part with black hints throughout the shoe, particularly on the heel, lining, Nike Swoosh, and Kobe logo on the tongue.
The now-popular nine red lines at the back portion of the shoe are still present, symbolizing the nine sutures Bryant had when he underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon.
According to Nike, this edition is inspired by the work of arts during the Italian Renaissance period, particularly like-life human sculptures that become very popular during the 1500's.
"The Neon the Italian Renaissance artist who reigned supreme in the 1500's could be considered one of the greatest artists of all time. Known primarily for his life-like human sculptures, his work inspired art for centuries to follow. With similar Italian roots, for Bryant, detail is everything, leading to the creation of this grey-based Kobe 9 Elite 'Detail' colorway," Nike noted.
Bryant's love of art and history was obviously given emphasis in the first four editions of the Kobe 9 Elite as noted by FootLocker.
"Kobe Bryant is one of the most cultural athletes of his time. His love of art and history goes way beyond the sport of basketball and that certainly has been brought to life in his ninth signature sneaker line and with the releases so far such as the Masterpiece, Maestro and Perspective," FootLocker noted.
The Kobe 9 Elite, which also features Nike's three main technology - Flywire, Flyknit, and Lunarlon - will be available for $225 per pair in select Nike accounts worldwide.
