Nike Previews Unseen Kobe Silhouette at the Mamba Invitational

The Story

Nike has teased an upcoming Kobe signature model during the Mamba Invitational in Los Angeles

An artwork installation by Troy TYP Murray featured molded casts of 13 classic Kobe outsoles alongside an unseen sole unit

Kobe Brand leadership confirmed Nike is actively revisiting unfinished prototypes originally developed with Kobe Bryant

Nike has offered a subtle preview of a new Kobe Bryant signature model during this year’s Mamba Invitational event in Los Angeles. The teaser surfaced within a dedicated retrospective installation highlighting the performance design behind Kobe’s signature line.

The display centered on “Sole Obsession,” a mixed-media installation created by artist Troy “TYP” Murray for the event. The artwork features molded casts of 13 historical Kobe outsoles, spanning the Kobe 1 through the Kobe 11 alongside the Kobe AD. Positioned directly beside the established designs is a previously unseen outsole, signaling an ongoing performance project within the division.

The installation illustrates the evolution of Bryant’s footwear series, demonstrating how traction and tooling shifted across models while maintaining performance at the core. Providing further context, Kobe Brand VP and GM Dan Sunwoo confirmed that Nike has been revisiting unfinished prototypes originally developed with Bryant, indicating that unreleased concepts may make their way into upcoming drops.

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