story

"You know, Kobe was big on always forward thinking. So he came up with this notion of Protro and it was all-round performance and, you know, performance retro—how we could always make product better".

"There's that quote that says, 'Study the past to push your game forwards'. Um, Kobe said that when it comes to Protro, so I think … "

" … that's the ethos I feel like we're taking".

"Yeah". 

"Study the greats and then push the edges of innovation at the same time".

"I think so much of design and good design is just connecting dots and maybe connecting some dots that people don't always see or don't have the ability to see".

"When you're looking at the Kobe 9 Protro, there are so many beautiful things … "

" … about the shoe. We know Flyknit is lightweight, made from sustainable materials and super supportive in the upper, so pairing that with the underfoot setup and the carbon-fibre heel counter, we're actually able to kind of give you that OG feel in the upper of the Kobe 9. The medial side of the shoe, we added an extra line … "

" … of traction, so when you cut on your inside foot you don't slip there. So taking that React foam, creating a drop-in midsole, you're getting more energy efficiency, more responsiveness with the new React setup and then the new traction on the inside".

"This shoe is meant to help you be at your deadliest and embrace your Mamba Mentality". 

"It wasn't so much about perfection per se, it was the pursuit".

"I can just feel Kobe pushing us in, you know, in that direction. And I think that's why, you know, the Protro is just such a beautiful concept and just captures the, you know, the essence of Kobe".

Behind the Design

Kobe 9 Elite Protro