NBA Kicks Retro: Kobe Bryant’s Amazing 2002-03 NBA Season As A Sneaker Free Agent

Prior to signing with Nike in 2003, Kobe Bryant took a year off the signature sneaker game. Despite being a three-time NBA champion and one of the league’s most popular players at that point, Bryant was a man without a shoe deal. His departure with adidas was not without controversy (some legit, some made up by the internet, some based on the awfulness of the KOBETWO), but that did not stop brands from chasing Mamba. Instead of jumping on board with another brand right away, Kobe spent the entire 2002-03 NBA season wearing whatever the hell he damn well pleased. And it was a glorious time.

Unlike other prominent sneaker free agents that have come after Kobe and those of lesser stature but with killer sneaker game, Mamba did not stick to one brand. He was the proverbial kid in the candy store who had to try everything and the candy store had no problem giving him everything. It didn’t matter if it was Nike or Brand Jordan (yeah, Brand Jordan) or Reebok or classics like Converse or upstarts like AND1, Bryant rocked them all and he rocked everything from customs to exclusives to obscure releases. If sneaker blogs were around during that time, it would have been a royal pain in the ass to get new pics after every game because those services just weren’t easily accessible at the time. But damn if sneakerheads wouldn’t be tuning in just to catch a glimpse of what Kobe was wearing every night.

Alas, the fun would only last for one season as Bryant would sign with Nike the following year alongside another big name in LeBron James. But here’s a look back at Kobe Bryant’s Amazing 2002-03 NBA Season As A Sneaker Free Agent and don’t forget to check out our thoughts on Kobe’s latest signature shoe (or takedown because it’s not confirmed yet) Nike Kobe 11.

Photos and info courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, USA Today, Sole Collector, hupu, AND1 Philippines, Kicks On Cards, Nice Kicks, The Shoe Game, Complex.

Nike Air Force 1

Nike Air Max Elite (Battlegrounds Edition)

Nike Air Zoom Flight Turbine

AND1 Desire and AND1 Mad Game

Converse Weapon

Air Jordan 3 PE

Air Jordan 3 “True Blue”

Air Jordan 6 Low

 Air Jordan 7 Home and Away PEs

Air Jordan 8

Air Jordan 11 “Concord”

Air Jordan 17+

Air Jordan 17

 Reebok Question

 Reebok Answer 4

Reebok Answer 6

The post NBA Kicks Retro: Kobe Bryant’s Amazing 2002-03 NBA Season As A Sneaker Free Agent appeared first on KicksOnFire.com.

NBA Kicks of the Night

After announcing he would be retiring after this season, Kobe Bryant took to the court against the Indiana Pacers in a PE colorway of his Nike Kobe X Elite. Though the spotlight of the sporting world was on Bryant, the Pacers’ Monta Ellis managed to steal the sneaker spotlight as he brought a pair of the Air Jordan XIII Retro Premio “Bin 23.” In New York, James Harden came to visit in a fresh new colorway of the adidas Crazylight Boost 2015 while Kristaps Porzingis played once again in the Nike Kobe X Elite.

Make sure to get your daily fix of NBA kicks with our latest gallery above.

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAMonline.

adidas Ultra Boost Meets the Yeezy Boost Sole

adidas' Boost Technology has surely been one of the brands newest innovations that has kept them in line with its competition. Along with the support and endorsements of Kanye West, the three stripes has taken a unique route in footwear with both the Ultra and Yeezy Boosts models and MBROIDERED has joined the two forces together for an interesting hybrid concept design. Mashing the upper of the Ultra Boost silhouette with the sole of the Yeezy Boost 350, you can see inspiration from previous Yeezy models from Nike and current Ultra Boost models in the mix. Peep the imagery above and let us know if this is the next move that adidas should think about making. You can find more concept designs from MBROIDERED here.

Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast.com

The adidas Originals Superstar Gives Us More Metal Toe Offerings

If you were a fan of the adidas Originals Superstar rocking the metal toe, there’s more of the same good stuff coming your way. This time around we will see the adidas Originals Superstar in a tonal white upper pair up with a bronze colored metal toe.

The adidas Originals Superstar is done up in a tonal cream suede upper sitting on top of an all-white sole unit. A set of cream laces, lining, tongue and heel keep the monochromatic look on the upper in full effect. Contrasting the look of the upper is the shelltoe which happens to come in a bronze metal offering that definitely gives the adidas Originals Superstar a premium look and feel. If you’re looking for an adidas Originals Superstar with some added flair, look no more as this version of the classic sneaker has all that and then some. Available overseas, we will let you know once these drop in the states.

via: suppa

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Author’s Take

The metal toe look is a bit strange to me. There is no doubt that the shoe has an original look, but it just seems to me like something is missing. Perhaps adding more metal on the shoe such as a dubrae or on the heel will balance out the look of the shoe a bit more.

 

The post The adidas Originals Superstar Gives Us More Metal Toe Offerings appeared first on KicksOnFire.com.

Ibn Jasper Thinks The adidas Yeezy Boost 750 Black Floating Around Are Fake

Get this, the above picture of the adidas Yeezy Boost 750 Black that we’ve all seen recently, may actually be a picture fake Yeezys, at least that’s what Ibn Jasper thinks. With Ibn Jasper being one of Kanye’s close friends, this statement should not be taken lightly. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s true or that the shoe won’t release at all, it simply means that Ibn Jasper thinks that the shoe on those set of pictures aren’t authentic Yeezys.

Ibn Jasper was actually the man who unveiled the first colorway of the 750, so for him to say that an all-black pair does not exist, should be a statement that we should all be taking seriously. He mentions on his IG comments that he knows those aren’t real because there are no official adidas images of the shoe yet, Kanye has never been seen wearing them, and neither has any of his family or close friends. Jasper also went on to say that if there are any all-black 750 pairs out there, there’s a good chance that they’re fake. What do you think about what Ibn Jasper had to say? Do you still think the adidas Yeezy Boost 750 will release next month? Sound off in the comments below.

Be sure to check out our adidas Yeezy Boost 750 main page to stay up to date regarding all information about this future release.

 

via: Ibj Jasper
h/t: SC

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Author’s Take

It does make you think whether these will end up releasing or not next month, huh!? i guess we will wait and see.

The post Ibn Jasper Thinks The adidas Yeezy Boost 750 Black Floating Around Are Fake appeared first on KicksOnFire.com.

This adidas Ultra Boost Comes In A Teal And Red Outfit

More colorways of the adidas Ultra Boost are on the way. If you’re looking for a colorway with some added pop to it, take a look at this brand new version that comes with a teal upper nicely contrasted by the hits of red seen on the Primeknit upper of the Ultra Boost.

The adidas Ultra Boost comes in a teal upper, which also happens to use additional shades of blue placed on the Primeknit upper, sort of like a layered effect . In addition to the light-to-dark look, the Ultra Boost will also rock hits of red placed on the laces, tongue branding and lining. Rounding out the look is the all-white Boost midsole and black rubber outsole. If you like what you see, you can now get this new colorway of the adidas Ultra Boost at select adidas retailers.

via: Proper

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Author’s Take

I’m not sure if I’m down with the light-to-dark look on te toebox of the shoe. I’m all for more color on the shoe, but perhaps not in this style. For now, I’d rather get tonal offerings of the Ultra Boost.

The post This adidas Ultra Boost Comes In A Teal And Red Outfit appeared first on KicksOnFire.com.

What adidas Ultra Boosts Look Like with Yeezy Soles

The best of both worlds.