It’s been a year since the loss of a basketball legend. January 26, 2020, was a fateful day for every basketball fan. Although he’s gone, the fans never forgot him one bit. 2020 wasn’t the year for so many people out there, and Kobe Bryant’s loss hit everyone hard. However, we always like to see the silver lining in things! And this time it’s the fact that we can have a piece of the Mamba legacy with us. Luckily, we got a fair share of Mamba kicks! So let’s take a look at 2020’s best Kobe sneakers, and maybe you’ll find your calling in here.
How many of these did you cop? These kicks are pretty priceless if you manage to get them. However, as with all sneakers, you can flip the extra pairs you cop with a sneaker bot. Now, let’s drop the talk and go straight to business. Which kicks really did shine in 2020?
Disclaimer: We ranked the best Kobe sneakers based on the average resale value.
The first pair on our list is an Elite Youth Basketball League exclusive. The summer 2020 season was canceled, but the young hoopers got a pleasant surprise. The exclusive EYBL Kobe 5s were the first pairs to “drop” after Kobe’s passing. So everyone was happy to see the kicks back in the industry. The EYBL exclusives featured a tie-dye upper in addition to the blue tongue, laces, and heel. The whole look is finally complete with a black midsole and orange outsoles! Today, the kicks resell for around $813!
So back in August, Nike and UNDFTD joined hands and dropped the Mamba project, the Kobe 5 “What If” pack. The pack included two different pairs, but our favorite is definitely the “Dirty Dozen”. You could say it’s a petty move, but we love the sass! This pair is a nod to the 12 different teams that didn’t pick Kobe in their draft. They definitely regretted that decision, especially after this pair. The upper is made up of all the colors of the 12 teams along with gold detailing. These are honestly some of the best Kobe sneakers to date. They dropped on August 27, 2020, for $190 (the full pack costs $390). You can currently find the kicks on the aftermarket for about $502.
A pair to celebrate Christmas with, the right way. With the popping green colorway and the awesome silhouette, the pair is a must-have. It was also an instant favorite among holiday lovers! But even if you didn’t celebrate, the Grinch 6s should be in your rotation. Why? Because we don’t get a revamp of 2011 kicks every day! They conveniently dropped on December 14, 2020, for $190. That way, the grinch really did steal Christmas, in a good way! You can get the kicks today for an average of $412.
This is maybe the biggest tribute among the 5 sneakers we’re discussing today. Why? Because the kicks feature the colors of the LA Lakers, the team Kobe played for, for 20 years. It’s natural for Kobe 5 Lakers to make it to the list of the best Kobe sneakers! Add the sentimental value to the awesome purple and yellow colorway, and you’ve got a winner. The sneakers dropped on August 24, 2020, for $180, and they resell for $405 on average.
Last, but definitely not least, this pair is probably one of the fanciest out there. The design is pretty amazing since it’s a celebration of all of Kobe’s achievements during the 2009-10 season. That’s also the season in which Kobe won his 5th NBA ring! The tattoo-like design documents all that on half of the upper in black. The other half features stark white engravings! So all in all, it’s a shame to not have it among the best Kobe sneakers. The pair dropped on August 23, 2020, for $200, and NSB killed that drop! That’s a bit more than usual but definitely worth it. Today, you can flip these for about $387!
Although the kicks are pretty amazing, we still want more! Luckily, the upcoming Kobe 5 “All-Star” will give us satisfaction as part of the All-Star 2021 lineup. So make sure you stay tuned to sneaker news so that you and NSB rule the next Kobe release. After all, who knows? We might get some of the best Kobe sneakers this year!
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