Photos: New leak gives details about Nike's Kobe Bryant-themed Air Force 1s

Nike and Kobe Bryant created many iconic shoes together. Another one is apparently on the way.

Nike will release a Lakers colorway of its iconic Air Force 1 shoe in honor of the late, great Bryant. The shoe may feature Bryant’s logo and purple and yellow panels on a white upper. The tongue may also feature Bryant’s jersey number.

Bryant has a long history with Air Force 1s. He was frequently seen wearing different colorways and PE versions of the classic shoe both on and off the court.

The shoe reportedly will drop in the summer of 2024. There is no confirmed report when they will be made available for retail or the sticker price. They will likely be in high demand.

The shoes will reportedly be similar to a 2009 Bryant-inspired Air Force 1 that was only released in children’s sizes.

What happened between Nike and Bryant’s estate?

The release will be a part of Nike’s relaunch of Bryant’s shoe line and brand. Two years ago, it was announced that the Bryant estate was parting ways with Nike after the player’s death. The two sides could not reach a deal on a new contract.

However, Vanessa Bryant and Nike recently announced a new agreement, making it possible to reignite the Bryant shoe line. The partnership is scheduled to continue long term.

The shoes are more selective now. Nike will only release limited amounts of shoes. So far it has limited releases just of Kobe 4 and 6 retros. The designs were inspired by Bryant’s late daughter Gianna.

A new release of Kobe-branded shoes and apparel may be dropping on Aug. 24. That of course is the now-celebrated Mamba Day (8/24). The date represented by Bryant’s two jersey numbers.

Who wears Kobes in the NBA today?

Nike’s signature shoe for Bryant continues to be one of the most popular shoes for NBA athletes. Many Nike-signed players don Kobes during games. A total of 67,181 points have been scored by NBA players wearing Kobe 6s alone.

Devin Booker has long worn PE editions of various Kobe’s on the court as a member of the Suns. He frequently wore purple versions of Kobe 6s. He will now reportedly get his own signature shoe with Nike. He once scored 58 points in a retro pair of Kobe Vs.

Boston Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum played multiple NBA games in Kobes. Tatum now has his own signature shoe with Jordan. Tatum frequently credits Bryant as an inspiration.

DeMar DeRozan is another big fan of the shoe line. He has played in 15 different versions of Kobes during his career. DeRozan grew up in Los Angeles watching Bryant.

Anthony Davis also wears Kobes. He famously wore the all-green “Grinch'' Kobe 6 Protros during games. The “Grinch” colorway resells for more than $700.