Professional or casual basketball players have that one shoe they always gravitate back to. Everyone has a favorite: a beat-up Penny Hardaway or a mint-green Kobe Grinch. Tyrese Haliburton, Paul George, and Ja Morant all have two things in common.
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They are all NBA stars and share a love for Kobe. From its inception, the Kobe Bryant sneaker line has inspired many people to pick up a ball. He has had some of the most tech-savvy shoes while remaining incredibly well-designed.
Kobes have always had it down to the microns of the sole thickness. Excellent grip, superb padding, and the feeling of being hugged at your soles while always being protected from slipping (no Zion incidents here).
Just like a regular person who likes to play ball, the trio also heavily relied on their Kobes while they were growing up. Now two out of three have their own shoes, but they’ve not lost their love for their first crush.
Tyrese Haliburton, Ja Morant, and Paul George were asked what their favorite shoe to hoop in was – Here’s what they had to say
Their signature line, of course! Ja and PG have their own shoes, and disregarding the question (which clearly stated “other than your own”), they picked their lineups. But when the laughter subsided, they got down to brass tacks. Ja gave a shout-out to the Kyries, and George to his line, but Kobe was present across the board.
Tyrese was all smiles when he was answering the questions, with his three picks being dominated by the Black Mamba’s sneakers. He had his first two picks covered, and the other one? He went for someone who was inspired by KB24: Paul George!
PG has been doing wonderful things with his line because they are now Nike’s most affordable yet tech-packed sneakers. KDs, LeBrons, and Jas are all priced too high. The market used to be dominated by Kryies, but since that deal ended, it’s been rocky.
Ja definitely could have captured the market, were it not for his tepid first release, followed by his nonchalant attitude toward firearms. Nike has fumbled the bag, and not giving the fans Kobes would be a deeper grave dug.
Kobes will always be in demand – it’s not just because of the technology – it’s the ideology
Kobe has been the inspiration for modern basketball players; he truly shaped a generation and many more even today. Sure, he had his troubles off the court, but when he was on it, he played like Bruce Lee. “Fear not a man who practices a thousand kicks once, but fear a man who practices one kick a thousand times.” That was Bruce Lee’s motto.
What do you say to a man who practiced a thousand kicks a thousand times? Even Bruce Lee would have bowed down to the dedication the Black Mamba had for his craft. That’s why he even got a Bruce colorway on his sneakers.
It is the dream of many to be one of the few—to become an NBA superstar and have their sneaker lineup. Will Smith from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air dreamed of it, and Kobe Bryant from Philadelphia achieved it. Two Philly boys, both inspirations in their ways.
The Kobe line-up has always been in demand, and since his death, even more so. Nike should look to put the best basketball shoe (vouched for by actual professional players) back in production.
