Kobe Bryant Influenced These Air Force 1 Premium “Black Mamba” Sneakers
Although I’ve never really been in love with any of his signature sneakers—except maybe the old Adidas Crazy 8 that he wore when he first came into the league—there’s no denying that Kobe Bryant has had a big impact on the sneaker culture. So even though I’m not necessarily into them, I’ve gotta give him his props when it comes to sneakers.
Kobe has had a big impact of sneakers outside of the basketball arena, too. Last year, a pair of “Eggplant” Nike Air Force 1 Foamposite “Kobe Bryant” sneakers made a lot of waves. Then, the Air Force 1 Low “Kobe Bryant” hit stores and put a fresh spin on the classic Nike silhouette. And now, Nike is planning to release these—a Nike Air Force 1 Premium “Black Mamba” sneaker that is obviously influenced by Kobe. It features an anthracite upper that’s designed to look like snakeskin. It has a sparkling white sole. And it has purple leather lining and a purple Nike Air logo that are nods to the Los Angeles Lakers colorway. All of them are nice touches and make this a solid Air Force 1.
With the NBA Playoffs right around the corner, these might be must-haves if you’re a Lakers fan—or a big Kobe stan. They’ll be available at select Nike retailers on April 28 and you can expect to pay $135 for them if you can find a pair in your size. Love him or hate him, it’s clear Kobe’s done it again. And while I won’t be getting a pair—I tend to lean towards the “hate” side—I’ve gotta give KB24 a slow clap for influencing another pair of quality kicks. Keep ‘em coming, Kobe.












