Nike Kobe 9 (IX) – First Look

Here’s a first look at what looks to be Kobe Bryant’s newest basketball sneaker, the Nike Kobe 9. As you can see, Nike has ditched the old lowtop Kobe design to return to its high top roots. This model sports an Engineered Mesh upper as well as carbon fiber on the midsole. The overall design is somewhat reminiscent of the Air Jordan XX8. This change is most likely to support Kobe’s Achilles injury at the end of last season. With the Mamba’s recent return to practice, we should be seeing the Kobe 9 on the court any day now.