Nike Kobe 4 Protro Draft Day Collection Release Date

Kobe Bryant‘s Nike line is getting extra petty for the 30th anniversary of the 1996 NBA Draft, as a collection of sneakers will release just to call out all 13 teams that allowed him to wind up on the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Draft Day” collection will release with 13 colorways employing the color schemes of the teams that didn’t enlist Bryant’s services. Twelve teams directly passed on him to let him become the number 13 overall pick, and the New Orleans Hornets subsequently traded Bryant to the Lakers.

So far, just one of the sneakers has leaked: a white shoe with purple and red accents for the Toronto Raptors, who chose Marcus Camby with the number two pick. Each of the logos is rendered in red, while Bryant’s signature and the mismatched numbers eight and 24 on the heels arrive in purple. The left inner-tongue tag reads “1996 NBA Draft,” while the right replicates the draft board with Bryant’s spot at number 13.

The remaining teams that’ll get a colorway will consist of the Philadelphia 76ers, Vancouver Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, New Jersey Nets, Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Despite hindsight affirming Bryant should have been selected earlier, the 1996 draft remains legendary for its surplus of talent. Among those selected ahead of Bryant were Hall-of-Famers Allen Iverson and Ray Allen, as well as All-Stars Shareef Abdur-Raheem, Stephon Marbury and Antoine Walker.

Steve Nash, another Hall-of-Fame player, was chosen at number 15 by the Phoenix Suns, while All-Stars Peja Stojakovic and Jermaine O’Neal were selected at numbers 14 and 17, respectively.

The Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Draft Day” collection will release June 26, the precise day 30 years after the 1996 draft, likely through the Snkrs app and select third-party retailers. Pricing for all 13 sneakers is set at $190.