While Nike Kobe sneakers were easily attainable and often sitting in outlets, Kobe Bryant's unfortunate passing changed the perception of his signature line with Nike. Since agreeing to continue the sneaker line, Vanessa Bryant and Nike have slowly been reintroducing Kobes consistently with multiple releases, including the Kobe 5 Protro later in October. Following up on the X-Ray pair and the Team Bank Pack of the Kobe 8 Protro, the Kobe 5 will return in a new Lunar New Year (LNY) inspired colorway come Spring 2025.
This all-new University Red colorway of the Kobe 5 Protro will be launched as part of Nike's celebration of the Year of the Snake. Following a similar design to the Eggplant iteration, this red version sees the base layer of the upper come coated in red shades, while black hits are found on the lace set, sockliner, collar, and heel. More black lands on the Swoosh, which is outlined in gold and is surrounded by a golden snake, playing into the LNY theme. Underfoot sits a black midsole paired with a clear outsole.
The Nike Kobe 5 Protro LNY University Red will release on January 16, 2025, through Nike and select retailers online and in-store. Coming in men’s and GS sizing, the sneaker will retail for $190 and $120, respectively. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app for the latest updates on releases, raffles, and more in the sneaker and streetwear scenes.
Nike Kobe 5 Protro LNY University Red
Images via Chris Colgan
Image via prm.cotd
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Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com