If you’re not well-versed in Kobe Bryant’s sneaker history, we have some news to break — he wasn’t always a Nike athlete. The phenom out of Lower Merion Heights entered the NBA at the age of 18 with an adidas contract, eventually landing his first signature sneaker, the KB8 (now known as the adidas Crazy 8), in 1997. While his following two signature models, the KB8 II (Crazy 2) and the KB8 III, retained a contemporary design language, his following signature sneakers, The Kobe (Crazy 1) and the Kobe Two (Crazy 2), came out of left field. The outer space-inspired Crazy 2 is finally poised for a comeback.
There is some extra backstory on the sneaker; Kobe hated it when it came out. While he did rock the pair on the court during the 2001-2002 NBA season, even wearing the now-iconic American flag theme after the 9/11 attacks, he stopped wearing the sneaker in the playoffs in favor of the Crazy 1. The design was so polarizing for fans and Bryant that this sneaker led the Lakers superstar to leave adidas, entering him into his sneaker free agency.
For its comeback, adidas will be reviving OG colorways galore, starting here with the Silver Metallic colorway. We see the entire upper coated in silver metallic, beginning with the rubber toecap and moving across the “lace-less” tongue that hides the lacing setup, smooth midfoot, and perforated collar. The black mesh appears inside the sneaker, nestled between the tongue and the metallic silver synthetic tongue.
Inside, adidas has upgraded the tooling of the 20-plus-year-old sneaker, combining Lightstrike and Lightstrike Pro cushioning for added comfort. Aside from this, the appearance of the midsole and outsole is identical to the OG, featuring a herringbone traction pattern that incorporates adidas branding in the center and Three Stripes on the midfoot. Another OG feature from the original release is the packaging, which features a metallic silver box.
The adidas Crazy 2 Silver Metallic will release in April 2025 through adidas and select retailers online and in-store. Available in men’s sizing, retail is $160. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Images via adidas
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy attending concerts and catching the latest movies. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
