Nike announced Tuesday that a bright green Kobe 6 Protro sneaker is set to hit retail on Dec. 24. It’s an updated version of an eye-catching pair of kicks that Kobe Bryant wore when the Lakers hit the hardwood for a Christmas Day game against the Miami Heat in 2010. (The Lakers lost that game to the LeBron-helmed Heat 96-80.)
Officially, the details of the sneaker — the scaly texture of the upper and venom-green hue — reference the serpentine inspiration of Bryant’s Black Mamba persona, though the Christmas-time debut of the shoe as well as the accent pops of red on the tongue, heel and sole quickly earned it the Grinch nickname on sneakerhead blogs in reference to Dr. Seuss’ small-hearted yuletide antagonist.
It is scheduled to hit retail just a month after the Kobe 5 Protro Bruce Lee sneakers dropped — and quickly sold out.
Nike, which had suspended the sale of Bryant’s signature sneakers in the aftermath of the Jan. 29 helicopter crash that killed the Laker legend, his daughter Gianna and seven others, stepped back into the Kobe-themed footwear and apparel game in a big way over the summer, dubbing the week of Aug. 23-29 Mamba Week.
The Nike Kobe 6 Protro Green Apple ($180) will be available via Nike’s SNKRS app starting 7 a.m. Pacific Dec. 24.
