The sneaker industry keeps evolving and growing, and we’re glad we’re here to witness it. And one brand that we can always rely on to keep the interest going is Nike. Although their latest share value was subpar, there’s always new stuff cooking. But today, one of the most profitable lines going on for them is the Kobe line. But the question here is, will Mamba shoes saturate the market the way Dunks and others did? Well, let’s break it down together, shall we?
A Brief History of Kobe Mamba Shoes
Before we get into the latest news, we’d like to go down memory lane and remember Kobe’s epic collabs. It started with Adidas in 1996 and ended with Nike in 2021 and then picked back up. But what happened throughout all these years? Read on to find out!
Adidas Era (1996 – 2003)
We can’t argue that Kobe Bryant was a pretty influential athlete and person since day one. But his introduction to the sneaker industry happened through Adidas! And honestly, the kicks made history, and not because they looked good. Although one was cool, the others actually made it to sneaker lore because of how ugly they were. The kicks were Adidas Kobe Bryant KB8, KB8II, the KOBE, and KOBE TWO. KB8 was a pretty decent pair of sneakers. But KB8II is like this horrendous mix of Yeezy 500 and a bulky pair of kicks.
The design behind the KOBE was the Audi TT. And really, it wasn’t bad, it was even pretty to look at, from some angles. But the KOBE TWO? We can’t really explain that man, if it ain’t broke, why try to fix it? Even if you squint really hard, you just can’t see it. I mean, even Kobe himself hated this one and went back to the first model. On the other hand, the kicks were pretty influential in one way or another. After all, all publicity is good publicity, right? Oh, and we got some bomb commercials!
Nike: The Kobe Dynasty (2003 – 2021, 2023 – Present)
Right after buying out of the Adidas contract, Nike went on to sign Kobe Bryant. And when the Swoosh signs a deal with someone as influential as this, it can only mean success. After all, look what they did with Air Jordans. And throughout nearly 2 decades, we got 13 different and unforgettable silhouettes!
The Nike Mamba shoes are the top sneakers worn by players in the NBA, up till today. And the legend’s passing made the kicks even more desirable. That led to so much drama that Nike stopped the production of Kobes for a while. In 2021, the contract between Nike and Mamba shoes ended. However, the Kobe line came back even stronger in 2023 after Nike and Vanessa Bryant reconciled. You can read more about what went down right here.
Mamba Shoes – Will They Ever Saturate the Market?
Let’s talk facts and numbers because we all love some solid proof. So, when it comes to Nike Kobes, we cannot ignore how influential the line is. After all, between the Kobe 5 and 6 Protros, 56 players in total wear Kobes. That roughly translates to 10% of the total number of players (if the average number of players in the NBA is 550). In other words, that’s a pretty solid percentage! But what about the rest of the world?
Well, whether you’re a basketball player, a sneakerhead, or a reseller, the Nike Kobes are a must-have. And between 2023 and 2024, Nike certainly gave us a cool roster of colorways. And value-wise, the least profitable pair that they dropped can get you about $100 in profit. But with more Mamba shoes coming our way, could Nike risk saturating the market with the kicks? Well, only time will tell when it comes to that!
In the meantime, investing in the kicks is a smart choice if you wanna make some side cash. But if you don’t wanna put all your eggs in one basket, we got you. Our blog has all the latest news about the hottest drops coming your way. Who knows, you might find your next gem here. Godspeed!
