Kobe Bryant’s famous sneaker free agency period after he left adidas in 2002 saw the Black Mamba lace up a slew of Nikes, Jordans, and Reeboks, ultimately signing with The Swoosh in 2003. Before his actual signature sneaker line kicked off in 2005, Bryant was the face of the then-all-new Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4. Fans of the model will be pleased to hear that the Zoom Huarache 2K4 in the All-Star colorway will be returning in Spring 2026.
Some extra context for the Air Zoom Huarache 2K4. The model was designed by the legendary Eric Avar, who is responsible for some of the most iconic Nike Basketball models like the Air Flight Huarache, Air Flightposite, Zoom Flight 95, and every single Nike Kobe sneaker from the Kobe 3 onwards. He and Kobe Bryant’s relationship essentially began with the Zoom Huarache 2K4, which became Kobe’s go-to sneaker in the 2003-04 season before switching to the 2K5 and eventually his sneaker line in 2006.
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
