6. Nike Zoom Kobe 1
The Good: With Kobe hitting the weights hard and bulking up, and also coming off of a knee injury, he specifically requested more cushioning and padding than he wore in the Huarache 2K series, making for a debut signature model that focused on impact protection and a plush ride. The shoe’s TPU heel counter and forefoot midsole wedge offered great support and lockdown, and the multi-directional traction pattern was a major hit on-court as well.
The Bad: With a mostly leather upper, the shoe just didn’t hug the foot the way many mesh-based composite materials would later on, and fit a little more sloppy and wide than his ensuing models would. The heel notch silhouette was also a bit awkward, and a more traditional mid-cut would’ve been preferred.
