As Kobe Bryant’s NBA career comes to a close, we reminisce with our top 10 models from the Kobe signature series.
The Kobe signature line is one of the best signature series we have ever seen. Constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation and design with every signature model, there is no denying the impact Kobe has had on the sneaker world. Now that the latest model, the Kobe 11, has been with us for sometime now, we take a look back at every signature model of Kobe’s and rank them from one to ten.
Be sure to leave your rankings in the comments section below or on social media with the #WearTesters.
Part 1: Ranks 6-10
Part 2: Ranks 1-5
I thought the Ankle Insurance campaign was for the 4.
On the note of the Adidas One, totally agree about the aesthetic appeal respective to…society. I’m a 90’s guy, and the I guess early 00’s are still too soon to reminisce on, but it was it’s own era. I personally felt like everyone tried really hard to claim stake on influencing the designs of the era. It wasn’t the mark of a decade, but millennium. I bet the in back of most people’s minds, they wanted to really start pushing “futuristic” fashion. Ridiculous pop videos, NOW CD’s, spinners, and everything.
Great countdown btw. Wish I had the chance to try as many pairs as both of you did.
I loved the performance and look of the kobe 1s. It played similiar to the huarache 2k4s, bulky but with a really nice, thick zoom air midsole and great traction. They looked great too, with some very nice leather before nike started getting stingy with leather. I still wear them around casually, wore down bald with the outsole getting holes, but I still like em.
Again, ZK2 Ultimate is the best Kobe model so far performance-wise.
Adidas KB8 3 would be the runner-up.
The third place would be ZK4/5/6/9, all very close in my opinion
kobe 6 performance review was the first video I ever watched from Nightwing, I think i was only in middle school back in the day, and I really just started to be aware of basketball shoes. Those scales were absolutely crazy. The previous basketball shoes I had offered absolutely zero ventilation and i couldn’t stand it, so when it came time to buy new shoes i passed on the 6 and asked for the hyperfuse as I thought the open mesh would be better ventilation wise. I ended up really liking the hyperfuse, but looking back I kind of regret that decision, as the kobe 6 remains my favorite sneaker of all time, visually.
Great videos, both lists are very nice. My Top 10 Kobe signature models are:
1. Nike Zoom Kobe VI (black og clw)
2. Nike Kobe 8 (gradient puprle clw)
3. Adidas Kobe 1 (yellow clw)
4. Nike Zoom Kobe IV (og clw)
5. Adidas Crazy 8 (black og clw)
6. Nike Kobe III (all white clw)
7. Nike Kobe IX Low Elite (every clw)
8. Adidas EQT Elevation (i know it’s not official Kobe shoe but…)
9. Nike Kobe X (every clw)
10. Nike Kobe XI (Achilleas)
A www yeah – as we proceed – to get you what you need! Get up get get down, 911 is a joke in yo town! – back in the day when I was a teenager before I had status and before I had a PAGER
1. Adidas Top Ten 2010 (Antoine walker and Kobe repped that shoe) needs a retro 4real
2. Kobe V
3. Kobe IX
4. Kobe icon
5. Kobe 1
6. Kobe X ext (red leather)
7. Kobe mentality 2 (laker cw)
8. Jordan 3 (laker cw) hahahh
Yo, need to call out the 2k4 strap was one of the most Anoying straps of all time – straps can’t go 1 way. They need a loop and go back to perform any type of lockdown, that’s why that shoe gets no love.
1. Kobe vi (by far)
2. Kobe ix (traction)
3. Kobe iii (guys u don’t know what ur missing on this)
4&5 the adidas are great looking shoes
but the ultimate 90s shoes for me are the pippens and the kamikazes
1. Kobe 8 (original sulfur)
2. Kobe 5 (original away lakers)
3. Kobe 9 elite high (BHM)
4. Kobe 9 EM low (bruce lee)
5. Kobe 6 (grinch)
6. Kobe 7 (poison dart frogs)
7. Kobe X elite high (Coda)
8. Kobe XI (ID DeRozan ASG)
9. Crazy 8’s (black white)
10. Kobe X elite low (beethoven)
Disclaimer: Kobe 5’s were the first Kobes I bought and played in….now Kobe’s are my go to.
Hey guys,
Was this list based on performance? If not, which one of the group would you argue is the best performer? And out the of the more recent models that are still somewhat easier to obtain (in both availability and price) which would you argue is a better performer. I guess the second question pertains to the models Kobe 9, Kobe 11 EM, Kobe AD NXT, and the Kobe AD Mid’s?
Hello again,
Sorry if this seems a bit redundant. As an add-on to the two previous questions on performance, which of the group would you argue has the most forgiving/responsive cushion? I only ask because I had a recent back injury that is pushing me towards the direction of better cushion rather than court feel and was curious to see if forefoot and heel zoom/a thicker more responsive cushion are available on any of these models? Thanks again!