Kobe Bryant Almost Released This “Snakeskin” Kobe 1 Protro Before He Retired

The greater Nike Basketball archive is rife with samples that never saw the light of day, uber-elusive grails and 1-of-1s priced only for the Fat... © Sneaker News, 2026. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us The post Kobe Bryant Almost Released This “Snakeskin” Kobe 1 Protro Before He Retired appeared first on Sneaker News. The post Kobe Bryant Almost Released This “Snakeskin” Kobe 1 Protro Before He Retired appeared first on Sneaker News.

The greater Nike Basketball archive is rife with samples that never saw the light of day, uber-elusive grails and 1-of-1s priced only for the Fat Joes and DJ Khaleds of the world. Just as the Nike Kobe 1 has re-entered the mix through an “81 Points” Protro and upcoming “City Of Champions” edition, detailed pics of a pre-retirement looksee sample are reminding us of the Swoosh’s treasure trove once more.

Sneaker resellers @bnsk_nyc and @mrplug.nyc have gone live with a 1-of-1 Nike Kobe 1 Protro “Lux Snakeskin,” reportedly created in 2015 just prior to Kobe’s retirement. Premium black and gold snakeskin courses through the upper, complemented by black suede hits on the tongue, Swoosh, and toe. Underfoot we have a grey carbon fiber plate, black midsole, and golden yellow outsole.

If interested, the aforementioned sources are selling this 1-of-1 size 9 for $10,000 USD shipped. See detailed pics below.