Nike Kobe Bryant 9 Sneakers

Kobe Bryant obsessed about detail, so it was no surprise that the Flyknit technology Nike introduced in running shoes made its basketball debut in the Kobe signature line. Modelled after the height of Manny Pacquiao's boxing boots, the Flyknit upper allowed for form-fitting precision while offering comfort and lightweight materials. The technology allowed the design to go high–the first since the Kobe 3–giving the support of a mid-top and the feel of a low-top.

The shoe, which Kobe said, "will touch a nerve on the court in the same way I do," is loaded with performance and comfort features:

• Flyknit upper is flexible, durable and allows for limitless colour patterns
• Lunarlon foam cushioning increases response and absorbs shock
• Carbon fibre heel counter provides lateral security
• Flywire cables create a lockdown fit and eliminate foot slippage
• Traction pattern on the outsole mimics the natural contours of the foot

Note on care: Do not put your Flyknit running shoes in the washing machine as the heat may cause the shoes' glue to loosen. Apply a water-repellent spray before use.

In reference to Kobe's Achilles injury, the Kobe 9 Elite includes nine red embroidered marks on the heel. As the year went on, Nike offered up a mix of Kobe 9 styles, releasing a Kobe 9 Elite in a low and a Kobe 9 EM, replacing the Flyknit with engineered mesh, also in a low version. There was also a Nike Kobe 9 NSW from Nike Sportswear, a stripped-down lifestyle version without the performance elements.

The initial colourway of the Kobe 9 Elite was Masterpiece, which highlighted the precision colouring capabilities of Flyknit, something Nike had already used in the running world but hadn't brought to the hardwood. The Masterpiece was meant to "create a piece of art on the upper" and set the stage for the design nimbleness the line would enjoy moving forward. Nearly a year after the release of Masterpiece, the Kobe 9 Elite came out with What The Kobe. This colourway uses multiple colours across the Flyknit upper while bringing in reflective tonal graphics and speckling in the midsole.

The Kobe 9 enjoyed plenty of other colourful moments:

Nike also released a series of design collaborations between designer Hiroshi Fujiwara, Nike visionary Tinker Hatfield and then-Nike CEO Mark Parker, also referred to as the HTM Collection.