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There’s no slowing down the Nike Kobe brand now. After officially “relaunching” the Kobe line in August 2023 with the release of the Nike Kobe 8 Protro Halo, The Swoosh has blessed sneakerheads with a ton of different Kobe-branded releases. Continuing to Protro older models in his lineup, Nike will reintroduce Kobe’s last signature sneaker, the Kobe 11, in Protro form with a re-release of the Mamba Day colorway.
Designed by Eric Avar, the legendary Nike designer who had his hands in most of Kobe Bryant’s signature sneaker line and other classic designs in the brand’s catalog, the Nike Kobe 11 originally released during Bryant’s last season in the NBA. The pair is a low-cut build with Flyknit material on the upper, full-length Lunar cushioning, and Zoom Air in the heel. During the sneaker’s original run from 2016 to 2017, the Kobe 11 was released in dozens of colorways, but one of the pairs returning in 2026 will be the Mamba Day colorway.
During Kobe’s last game in the NBA, Nike offered a NikeiD (now called Nike By You) version of the Nike Kobe 11 that celebrated his legendary career using numbers. Plastered across the knit upper are numbers personal to Kobe, including his jersey numbers (24 and 8), the dates of his first and last games (11/01/1996 and 04/13/2016).
Other details nod to his five championships, four All-Star MVP awards, 18 All-Star appearances, 81-point game, and his 20 years in the league. Fans could customize the words inside the tongue, but the base design featured “Mamba” and “4.13” on the left and right tongue, respectively.
As for the 2026 retro of this colorway, sadly, they will not be available on Nike By You. Expect to see the same black and gold upper paired with a semi-translucent icy sole unit. Protro upgrades have also not been revealed at this time, but the original’s Lunar cushioning will be swapped for more modern technologies.
The Nike Kobe 11 Protro Mamba Day will release Summer 2026 through Nike and select retailers online and in-store. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is set at $220. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
2016 Images via Nike
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy watching films and discovering music. Follow me on Letterboxd @nickvlah For tips, reviews, or any shoes in a size 13, email nick@soleretriever.com
