Since his passing, Kobe’s wife, family and Nike have done a lot to keep his legacy alive. This August 23, Nike is dropping the latest tribute sneaker to celebrate what would have been the Black Mamba’s 47th birthday. After the all-white “Halo” editions on the Kobe 8 and Kobe 9 in the past two years, this time it’s the Nike Kobe 3 Protro’s turn. And they’ve chosen it because it’s the Nike shoe Kobe wore when he snagged his only NBA MVP award.
The Protro line, a mashup of the words “performance” and “retro,” aims to reinvent Kobe’s classic kicks without messing with their original look. So, expect the same silhouette but with a few changes here and there. Thankfully, this year’s Kobe 3 “Halo” stays true to the all-white theme, except for a black midfoot plate and grey insole to add subtle contrast.
Still, Nike has made some improvements to the actual Kobe Bryant sneaker. The Nike Kobe 3 Protro “Halo” mesh upper is now more breathable, cushioning gets a boost thanks to a full-length Zoom Strobel unit wrapped in Cushlon 3.0 foam, and the outsole features an upgraded traction pattern with extra blades. They even padded the tongue better for comfort, too.
But all these tweaks aren’t an accident. Bronson Yim, a former Kobe footwear product manager at Nike who now handles Jordan basketball marketing has said, “[Kobe] was always trying to figure out what he could do to be that one percent better than everybody else and have that competitive advantage… we want to make sure that we’re replicating that and honoring that change.”
The Nike Kobe 3 Protro “Halo” arrives August 23 with a $210 price tag for adult sizes, and smaller grade school options will drop at $130.
RELATED: 16 Best Kobe Bryant Sneakers Still Releasing In 2025
