While Kobe may be better known for his edgy Nike sneaker collabs, his early loyalty was to adidas. The Kobe by adidas, which would later become known as the "Kobe One," was one of the first "it shoes" in basketball, with an original release in the year 2000.
The Kobe's sculpted, molded shell takes direct inspo from the Audi TT, mirroring the sports car’s aerodynamic curves and smooth, polished finish. The glossy, minimalist design of this sneaker introduced the world to a new kind of athlete who wasn't afraid to flex their future-forward style on the streets and on the court. For Kobe, this design was the epitome of the 2000s aesthetic: clean, bold and future-focused.
But the Kobe wasn't welcomed without controversy. While some athletes praised the sneaker as a bold new type of art, others saw it as a sales gimmick, being too flashy for the actual court. That tension perfectly summarized the era’s aesthetic experiment, with sneaker companies vying to offer the latest, greatest tech while keeping their core audiences. While Kobe eventually left adidas, his legendary Nike drops (like the Zoom Huarache 2K4) continued to capture his “futuristic athlete” archetype, with gear that looks more engineered than designed.
