Kobe Bryant has always been about details in his approach to perfecting his craft, and his obsession with his kicks are no different. Nike has just unveiled the Kobe 11, the Black Mamba’s last on-court shoe set to release in January, which features a familiar silhouette but with new, subtle innovations. The shoe incorporates a Flyknit upper with the introduction of TPU threads, for the first time ever, integrated into specific zones for superior strength where needed. A drop-in midsole features zoom air on the heel and lunarlon in the forefoot, while a translucent outsole with pioneering thread and traction pattern provides excellent court feel and grip, another one of Kobe’s obsessions with his on-court sneakers. The Kobe 11 is set to drop in January with the first colorway ‘Achilles Heel’ featured here. Stay tuned for more details on the local release and pricing soon and read more about the story behind the Kobe 11 design with the detailed photos below.
“Throughout my time with Nike, I’ve obsessed the details of my shoes. For the KOBE 11, we worked to perfect Flyknit for basketball,” said 17-time All-Star Kobe Bryant.
At first glance, the low-top and simplified silhouette appears familiar. One could be fooled into believing that they’ve seen this before. Wrong. Look closer. See those pearlescent fibers? Those are thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) threads, an indication of progression; and, despite their subtlety, an announcement of the arrival of an evolution, a stronger iteration of Nike Flyknit.
Fittingly, this progressive technology debuts on the KOBE 11, underscoring the dedication to innovation that has cemented Kobe Bryant’s design legacy, one that rivals, if not extends, the champion’s on-court perfectionism.
Beginning in 2004 with the Nike Huarache 2K4, Bryant’s signature line – a partnership between the legendary athlete and Nike designer Eric Avar – has repeatedly introduced technical breakthroughs to basketball, including Flywire, Nike Free-inspired natural motion, advanced proprioception and Flyknit. At the same time, it has consistently championed a less-is-more philosophy. The union of these values has radically altered expectations for performance basketball footwear, a practice that continues with the KOBE 11, Bryant’s final on-court shoe.
The KOBE 11 is a progressive low-top that distills Bryant’s signature legacy to its essence: high performance, lightweight, responsive and sophisticated design. “The KOBE 11 design represents the whole being greater than the sum of the parts,” says Avar.
The KOBE 11 features an advanced version of Flyknit technology that integrates thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) yarn for superior strength. The TPU reinforces zones in the upper precisely where needed, thus reducing the shoe’s weight without compromising strength.
The KOBE 11 features a drop-in midsole that includes the responsive benefits of Nike Zoom Air in the heel with the comfort of Nike Lunarlon in the forefoot. The lightweight midsole also incorporates siping grooves, allowing the foot to move and flex naturally.
The Flyknit upper attaches directly to the shoe’s outsole shell, which features a pioneering tread and traction pattern – the result of Avar and Bryant’s longstanding obsession with the nuances of court feel and grip.
Over 11 silhouettes, Bryant and Avar have set a high bar for personal narratives embedded in signature lines. The launch colorway of the KOBE 11, Achilles Heel, is no different. The deep red and black shoe features subtle nods to the Greek hero Achilles, and Bryant’s own career arch.
Known to be invulnerable in all of his body except for his heel, Achilles’ ultimate demise resulted from an arrow to his weak point during the Trojan War. Consequently, the term “Achilles heel,” was born. The KOBE 11 Achilles Heel features a graphic representation of the hero on the right heel, while the left features four-stitch marks representing the four feet of thread used in Bryant’s 2013 Achilles surgery.
LAUNCH EVENT
Bryant and @nikebasketball went live on Periscope today to reveal the story behind the KOBE 11.
