Kobe Bryant’s career as an active player has come to an end. The impressive 60-point performance in his last game versus the Jazz was nothing less than impressive. And even without this kind of last game we were sure that his legacy would continue long after he stepped down. We already predicted that Kobe might become the first player to achieve similar status to Michael Jordan – not only as a basketball player but also concerning his impact on sneaker culture. The “Fade to Black” collection was an indicator of what might come in the future. The “Muse Pack” is another one, designed and inspired by 3 heads behind Nike’s unprecedented success.
Growing up Kobe Bryant, like many many other kids, was a huge fan of Air Jordans. The Air Jordan III was, and still is, his absolute favorite. For the second installment of the Nike Kobe 11 Muse Pack he got the chance to work with the creative mind behind MJ’s signature line: Tinker Hatfield. Since joining Nike in 2003, the Black Mamba’s signature kicks are designed by Eric Avar, one of Hatfield’s protégés, whose ascent to elite designer has paralleled Kobe’s rise to basketball legend. So you could say there’s always been a bit of Tinker in the Kobes.
(via Nike.com)
But this time around Kobe really got the chance to sit down with the mastermind behind some of the most popular sneakers in history. It might not come as a surprise that Kobe and Tinker’s collaborative effort is inspired by the Air Jordan III. The Flyknit upper of the Nike Kobe 11 “Tinker” mimics the “Black Cement” colorway of Jordan’s third signature shoe. Additionally, perforations of the lower tongue are also a nod to the classic sneaker in which Jordan played a career defining season 1987/88. While he wasn’t yet able to crown himself NBA champion, he managed to score almost every other award there was, including NBA Slam Dunk Champion, Scoring and Steal Champion, Defensive Player of the Year, All-Star and All-Star Game MVP, and, of course, MVP.
Additional details on the Nike Kobe XI “Tinker Hatfield” include a custom sharkskin-inspired heel-counter as a tribute to Bryant’s fearlessness. A big Nike logo is embroidered on the right heel while on the left one there remains the 4 red lines symbolizing Kobe’s achilles heel injury. Finally, a very special detail can be found on the inside of the tongue: signatures by Kobe and Tinker.
Nike Kobe XI Elite Low by Tinker Hatfield “Muse”
Cool Grey/University Red/Black
822675-060
May 5, 9 AM CET
Buy the Nike Kobe 11 Tinker Hatfield at KICKZ.COM
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