Kobe Bryant will always be remembered as one of the best to ever play the game. Many of us watched him grow from the high school phenomenon who sought to make his mark in the league at a young age to the grizzled vet who ended his career in the same celebrated fashion with which he’d always experienced. It’s not just the 81-point game or the multiple championships that we will look back on. Kobe’s lasting legacy also includes what he wore on his feet.
When it came to kicks, Bryant always wanted to be at the forefront of technology and designs. He looked forward to working with designers to create footwear that supported his always-evolving style of play. If new tech became available, he wanted it embedded in his kicks. If it meant going against the grain and choosing substance over style, Kobe was with it, although he rarely had to sacrifice style since brands were always inclined to give him the best of everything.
When he came out of high school in 1996, the then 18-year-old Bryant signed with adidas to start his career and he remained with the German-based company until 2002. As a result, he spent the better part of his early career lacing up kicks in the Three Stripes created just for him.
Let’s look back at five of the most memorable adidas kicks created just for Kobe.
adidas KB8 (later renamed the Crazy 8)
Almost 20 years later, the KB8, now called the Crazy 8s, still stands as one of Bryant’s most widely recognized signature shoes. He started rocking them in his second season and the aggressive looking model sported adidas Feet You Wear technology which kept them sitting low to the court. This was a characteristic Kobe tended to favor in his footwear, and this version had one wild-looking sole that climbed up the side of the foot.
From 1997 to now, these have been reissued several times and came out in variety of colorways, which helped them translate to good success off the court as well. They were a sign of the times as guard play started to become a premium and smaller, quicker guys needed shoes to match instead of the high ankle models the sport had grown used to for decades.
adidas KB8 2 (later renamed the Crazy II)
Released in 1998, the KB8 2 followed the angular look on the sole very similar to its predecessor and utilized the Feet You Wear technology, which was designed “so it performs like the player’s foot,” making them quicker in the process. The second model also incorporated the AdiPRENE heel fusion system, the tech meant to give extra support in the heel and reduce stress there and on the arch for Kobe )and for backyard ballers too).
The biggest misfortune associated with these is they came during the league’s lockout season, which ultimately limited their time on the court and thus television screens across the country. These came back to store shelves in 2014 as the Crazy II.
adidas KB8 3 (later renamed the EQT Responsive)
The KB8 3 wasn’t as celebrated as its peers, yet it still stands out as Kobe and the adidas team continued to expand on the look associated with his signature series. These still incorporated the Feet You Wear tech and used a bibulous sole maximized for traction. The 3 also prominently displayed the Three Stripes logo, so there was no question which brand Kobe or the average wearer was rocking.
These are one of two shoes in Bryant’s line of adidas signatures that hasn’t seen a retro since the original release. The decision makes sense because these weren’t much of a break from the more popular Kobe 2, which re-released previously.
adidas The Kobe (later renamed the Crazy 1)
Simply named The Kobe, this model was a design shift from previous models and actually served as a harbinger of what would come with the Kobe Two. They were built with a synthetic upper and a double foam collar to provide extra ankle support for the wearer. The Kobe also incorporated adidas tried and true Torsion system for midfoot stability. This was an all-around, structurally sound shoe by all accounts. The most memorable color way for these was the blaring ‘Sunshine’ version with its all-over attack of yellow that was as attention-grabbing a color as we’ve ever seen on a basketball shoe.
When these released in 2000, Bryant had solidified himself as a household name having arrived by winning his first of five rings with the Lakers. On court performances create memories for fans, which in turn generates a sentimental attachment greater than any marketing campaign can achieve a lot of times. That attachment exists with The Kobe, and it’s the reason why his diehard fans will always share a sweet spot for this particular model.
adidas The Kobe Two (later renamed the Crazy 2)
Of all of Kobe’s adidas kicks, The Kobe Two is the one that will always generate the most conversation given the peculiar look of the model. The inspiration for the shoe comes from the Audi TT Roadster and these things were like nothing before them. They took the car inspiration pretty seriously, going so far as to create a “hood” that covered the laces. They also released a few colorways — ‘USA’-themed pairs for example — that broke the mold as well.
To date, this model hasn’t been retroed yet. If they were to bring them back, there’s no real clue as to whether they’d perform well at retail. The Two was so far ahead of the game back then, and it still exists in some other orbit (or galaxy) alone now years later.
These were definitely one of the more curious shoes we’ve seen constructed for the court, but when we look back at Bryant’s overall sneaker history, they were one of the first indicators that he was not afraid to eschew the norm in exchange for being a footwear exhibitionist, something he continued to do throughout his career up to the end – and even now in his post retirement days.
