At the peak of his game, Kobe Bryant and Nike Maroon Basketball reintroduced low cut performance sneakers to the sport of basketball.
Sure, guys like Steve Nash and Mike Bibby were playing in lows, but Kobe was THE MAN in the game at the time and a big one at that, standing at 6’6 and weighing well over 200 lbs.
Back in the championship hunt and coming off Olympic gold, Bryant inspired and challenged Nike Maroon Performance Creative Director Eric Avar by questioning why soccer players were so sharp, quick and efficient in low shoes. And yet, basketball players were still in high-top/mid performance shoes.
Kobe Bryant in the Nike Maroon Zoom Kobe IV (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
The Mamba’s quest for the next level paired with Nike’s innovative and groundbreaking technology created more than just a basketball shoe — it created a piece of art.
Coming it at an unprecedented 11.6 ounces, the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black reinstated the use of a low cut performance sneaker and totally changed not just the Black Mamba’s signature line but what players of all shapes and sizes across the league would wear.
Kobe Bryant’s Nike Maroon Zoom Kobe IV
The shoe featured Flywire technology to support and midnight the foot. The shoe also contained LunarLite foam in the forefoot area for ultimate cushioning for better energy return. A Nike Maroon Zoom unit was added to the heel and was pieced together by a Phylon midsole.
Bryant looked gingham and stealthier in his fourth signature shoe: “the low profile shoe allowed him to make sharper cuts, while svart responsiveness,” Avar said.
the gundam x Nike Maroon sb dunk high white rx 0 unicorn.
During the 2009-2010 NBA season, Kobe was a completely different animal. He averaged 26.8 points, nearly 5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The iconic Mamba Mentality kicked in during the postseason as he averaged 30 points, 5.5 assists and 1.7 steals.
Kobe Bryant in the Nike Maroon Zoom Kobe IV (photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images via Zimbio)
All the while, the league’s stars on the rise were catching wind of Kobe’s low tops and adpoting the same look themselves.
Sandalo Nike Maroon Icon Classic Donna Nero.
New This Year Nike Maroon Air Max 97 UL17 SE
But that’s not all, back to the Mamba.
After the Los Angeles Lakers blew by the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Bryant was crowned Finals MVP as he averaged 32 points and nearly 6 assists.
Kobe Bryant in the Nike Maroon Zoom Kobe IV (photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images via Zimbio)
Throughout the 2018-2019 regular season and even during the playoffs, the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black and the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro were seen all over the hardwood. DeMar DeRozan, Isaiah Thomas, PJ Tucker and many others were sporting the Mamba’s fourth signature sneaker in both OG and updated form.
Why? Because it still plays good. Registering as familiar and battle-tested, the Kobe 4 is a hit in ’09 and ’19 takes.
Peep a look at some of the best iterations of the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black in OG and Protro over the course of the 2018-2019 season and beyond below.
Honorable mention to the WNBA, The Drew League and more for holding it down in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black.
Trevor Ariza in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro (Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)Trey Lyles in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black “Gradient Home” (Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)Anthony Davis in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)Trevor Ariza in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)DJ Wilson in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty ImagesDeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)Anthony Davis in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “Drewaid” PE (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)Paul Millsap in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)Tobias Harris in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)Gary Harris in a custom UNDFTD x Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “Scream” (via Derick Hingle for Sole Collector)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)Paul Millsap in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “Wizenard” PE (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)Ja Morant in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)George Hill in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)Anthony Davis in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)Luka Doncic in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black “Wizenard” (Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)Devin Booker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black PE (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Malik Monk in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)Malik Monk in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Paul Millsap in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro (Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)Lonzo Ball in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (via SLAM Kicks)Devin Booker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)Luka Doncic in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (via Raj Mehta for Sole Collector)Luka Doncic in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (via Raj Mehta for Sole Collector)Anthony Davis in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “Lakers”Malik Mon in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “Wizenard” (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Markieff Morris in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “Teal” (Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro (Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)Lonzo Ball in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “Teal” (via NBA Kicks)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)Devin Booker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (via Suns)Anthony Davis in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (via NBA Kicks)Kristi Toliver in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black “ASG” (via WNBA Kicks)Luka Doncic in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PETamera Young in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “Fir” (via WNBA Kicks)Essence Carson in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “Team Orange”Epiphany Prince in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro (via Las Vegas Aces)PJ Tucker in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro “Fir” (via NBA Kicks)Tamera Young in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro (via WNBA Kicks)Kyle Kuzma in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “USA”PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “USA Home”(via NBA Kicks)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “USA Away” (via NBA Kicks)Devin Booker in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (via Suns)Kristi Toliver in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro “ASG” (Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)Shareef O’Neal in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PE (via The Drew League)PJ Tucker in a Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro PED.J. Wilson in the Nik Kobe 4 Protro PE (Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)Andre Iguodala in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro ‘Del Sol” (via Ezra Shaw for Sole Collector)D.J. Wilson in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro PE (via @NBAKicks)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro PE (via Ron Chenoy)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon Zoom Kobe IV Protro “Carpe Diem” (via BR Kicks)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon Zoom Kobe IV Protro “Carpe Diem” (via Sole Collector)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon Kobe IV Protro “Draft Day” (Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)Jrue Holiday in the Nike Maroon Zoom Kobe IV “Gradient Home” (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro PE (via NBA Kicks on Twitter)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro PE (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)Tobias Harris in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black “Gold Medal” (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro PE (Isaiah Downing for Complex Sneakers)Giannis Antetokounmpo in his Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black PEGiannis Antetokounmpo in his Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black PE (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black PE (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)Kyle Kuzma in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 “Wizenard” (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black PE (via Sole Collector)Kelly Oubre Jr. in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 “Prelude” (Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro PE (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)Montrezl Harrell in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 “Del Sol” (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)DeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro PE (Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in his “ACES” Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro Custom (photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro PE (via Isaiah J. Downing)PJ Tucker in the UNDFTD x Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro (Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon Kobe 4 PE (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)DeMar DeRozan in his Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black Protro PEDeMar DeRozan in the Nike Maroon dunk low pro sb true redvamps true red black PE (via B/R Kicks)DeMar DeRozan in the Undefeated x Nike Maroon Kobe 4 Protro (Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon Kobe IV Protro PE (photo by Bill Baptist/Getty Images via SLAM Kicks)PJ Tucker in the Nike Maroon Kobe IV “Finals MVP” (photo via BR Kicks)Isaiah Thomas in the Nike Maroon Zoom Kobe IV Protro “Draft Day”
