COMPARED: Nike Kobe 8 What The OG vs. Protro

2013 was a year of ups and downs for the legend Kobe Bryant. As the 2012-13 NBA regular season was coming to a close and the Playoffs lurked in the shadows, Kobe's season ended abruptly. In one of the season's final games, versus the Golden State Warriors, Bryant ruptured his Achilles, ending any hope of a shot at another NBA championship. At the time, he wore his eighth signature sneaker with Nike, the Kobe 8.

The Nike Kobe 8 was initially released from 2012-13 and was the final low-top signature sneaker for Bryant that started with the Kobe 4. Designed by Eric Avar, the Kobe 8 System featured an interchangeable sockliner system, something its predecessor, the Kobe 7, featured. Another significant point of contention was using a full-length Lunarlon drop-in midsole instead of Zoom Air cushioning.

Nevertheless, fans and ballers appreciated the Nike Kobe 8 and found its design and comfort a step above the Kobe 7. Fast forward to 2023, and the Kobe 8 would get the Protro treatment with the release of the Halo edition. With Performance Retro (Protro) the main focus of all Kobe legacy sneakers that get the retro treatment, the Kobe 8 Protro featured upgrades for today's basketball standards, such as replacing Lunarlon with React cushioning.

Since the release of the Nike Kobe 8 Protro Halo, we saw the original Venice Beach colorway return, along with a handful of Team Bank (TB) colorways, a Mambacita edition, and a two-pair pack featuring Bryant's "8" and "24" numbers throughout the design. For 2025, Nike is bringing back one of, if not the most popular and coveted colorways of the Kobe 8, the What The edition.

Ahead of their limited release in mid-April, Sole Retriever returned to the vault to pull out the original Nike Kobe 8 System Premium What The edition from 2013. With the OG and the upcoming Protro safely in our hands, we decided to see how the pairs stack up to one another.

At first glance, both pairs look identical to one another. This is a good sign for fans, whether they have the original and are looking to get the re-release or for those who are looking to add these to their collection for the first time. The right pair is covered in an all-over graphic in orange, while the left is blue-based with a similar design.

Both pairs feature the same mashups of colors and designs taken from previous Kobe 8 releases, hence the What The theme. A gradient paint splatter covers the midsole, mismatched on each pair. As mentioned, the OG's Lunarlon cushioning has been upgraded to React in the Protro. As a result, the graphics seen on the insoles of the originals have been replaced by a standard all-white design with the Kobe sheath logo in the center.

The tongue-tag logos and graphics remain the same on the right shoe, while they are slightly different on the left. The left shoe's Kobe sheath logo is red, thin, and closer together on the OG than on the Proto, as the new edition incorporates the design into the logo and not just around it. The details on the tongue are also more detailed and pronounced on the OG.

On the tongue loop, "Kobe" remains on the right, with "KB24" on the left. The shade of burgundy on the left shoe is also lighter on the Protro. The laces remain identical on each version, as do the two extra sets of laces that come with them. The only difference is that the extra pairs are attached to different sides, i.e., the right shoe on the OG and the left on the Protro.

The outsole of the right shoe on the OGs is much darker than the Protro. Yes, age does play a factor here. However, it doesn't change much as the OG pair has been preserved deadstock with minimal color change. The logos on the bottom of the right are also different as the OG features a yellow logo surrounded by red while the Protro is a light volt with dark teal.

For the left shoe, the translucent look on the OG only featured a slight blue tint, while the Proto is a full icy blue. Unlike the right shoe, the logos here are identical, coming in red surrounded by purple. The inside tongues have also changed slightly. While the right shoes are identical, the left is not. Mambacurial has been added in black to the Protro, which also features a lighter shade in the design.

Regarding packaging, the OG came in the standard black Kobe 8 box with a yellow top, while the Protro comes in an all-black snakeskin box with a removable lid sporting Kobe's signature in gold. In terms of price, the original release initially retailed for $140 in 2013, while the 2025 re-release will come in at the standard Protro price of $180.

The Nike Kobe 8 Protro What The is set to release on April 13, 2025. They will be available via the Nike SNKRS app and select online and in-store retailers. In men's and gradeschool sizing, retail is $180 and $120, respectively. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on this and all future releases in the sneaker and streetwear world.

Steve Jaconetta

Steve Jaconetta is the Head of Content based out of Connecticut. An encyclopedia for sneaker releases, he's covered the industry for over fifteen years. His stops have included Sole Collector, Complex, and StockX, to name a few. He considers the Air Jordan 11 Concord the greatest sneaker of all time and has a strong affection for 80s pop culture. Email: steve@soleretriever.com