Kobe Bryant’s Following Footsteps of Michael Jordan’s Shoe Deal



Kobe Bryant’s impact on the game of basketball is undeniable. His twenty-year-long career for the Los Angeles Lakers has cemented his name into NBA history as one of the greats. Although his basketball career is over, Bryant looks to use his talents outside of basketball to further influence the sports culture of today. Since his retirement, Bryant has won an Academy Award, introduced his sports drink "Body Armor", and has continued his work with Nike on his performance basketball shoes.

It’s no secret Bryant was influenced by the footwork, technique, and play style of Michael Jordan. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that Bryant follows in the footsteps of Jordan’s famous footwear line, Jordan. Two players with a copious amount of popularity to their own, different generations. Bryant looks to capitalize on his influence in basketball by releasing retro-style shoes to sneakerheads, basketball fans, and basketball players in the same way Jordan did, but with a twist. 
The Nike Zoom Kobe 1 ’Proto’ is the first of the new line of retro-releases. The term ‘Proto’ stands for performance retro. The term is used in order to market his line of basketball shoes to real players who need the comfort and technology used in footwear today. The shoes are not one-to-one replicas of the shoes originally released back in 2006. They are updated to fit the standard of comfort, traction, and performance needed today.

It makes sense for Nike to follow the success of Jordan with Bryant. A new generation of basketball fans raised around Kobe Bryant game-winning shots are looking to purchase shoes that bring back the nostalgia of Kobe Bryant. Nike’s presence in the NBA is seen through the 64% of players selecting to wear Nike branded shoes. Bryant once again dominates in this category with his performance shoe, Nike Kobe AD, as the most-worn shoe in the NBA.

Two years removed from the league, Bryant’s popularity allows for many opportunities for his rebranded retro-style shoes. Different models and colorways that will allow Nike to continue the sale of Kobe merchandise for years to come.

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