And coming in at number 1 – my favorite Kobe model of all time…the Kobe VIII. This is definitely an understated shoe…most Kobes went under the radar for me, including this pair. The first colorway that caught my eye was the ‘Python’ colorway – Olive Green/Red/Black. Once I sat down and looked at it…put it on my feet…took a few drives to the lane…it was/still is a great basketball shoe. ⁣
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I was always into Kobe’s philosophy of a low top basketball shoe – as a small basketball player myself, the only real advantage I had over anyone was my switchback and cut game – and for that I always wanted a shoe that had low cut as my ankles were my only *true advantage. Sure, I’ve rolled them a few times, but I’ve rolled them in high tops just as often as in low tops. ⁣
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In case you didn’t know what Kobe’s philosophy on a low top basketball shoe was – he basically convinced Nike designers to give him a low top after he explained that all soccer players wear low tops. It was revelatory (for me) at the time. So obvious but so far from where things were at the time that it was actually quite a big deal for his signature model to be a low top.⁣
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And…IMO, none of the Kobe signature line was lower than the VIII. I loved the colorways, I loved the engineered mesh, I loved the insoles (super thick and microbial resistant), and the carbon fiber plate at the forefoot. Super light, comfortable and understated. ⁣
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What is YOUR favorite Kobe sneaker of all time?⁣