Kobe Bryant’s Lakers Purple Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low ‘Moonwalker’ Is Coming Back in 2025
Following the releases of the Nike Kobe 9 Elite Protro “Halo” and Nike Kobe 9 Elite Protro “Christmas,” the streak of Kobe 9s will continue with the first-ever return of the “Moonwalker” edition.
The Nike Kobe 9 Elite Protro Low “Moonwalker” is named for the moon face graphic visible beneath the translucent outsole. That isn’t the only reason for the sneaker to appeal to fans, though, particularly those who favor the Los Angeles Lakers, as purple takes over the knit upper. Reflective silver is also used for the Swoosh and the tongue’s Kobe logo, the former of which takes on a more faint depiction of the moon’s surface.
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Kobe Bryant‘s “Moonwalker” sneaker originally released in 2014, and the Protro treatment will see it upgraded with more modern react cushioning. The days of Kobe 9 Protros are still quite young, as the aforementioned colorways are the only others released after the shoe’s original run in 2014 and 2015.
Made as both a high- and low-top, the Kobe 9 Elite is a bit of an outlier in the history of Bryant’s Nike line. Many assume Bryant’s achilles injury informed the decision to add a high-top to a franchise dominated by low-tops, but the development was already underway before Bryant was sidelined. What the injury did inform are the nine horizontal stitches on the heel.
Boxing was the true inspiration for the higher cut version of the Kobe 9 Elite, as Bryant had the idea after watching Manny Pacquiao and observing his shoes. The Kobe 9 Elite was also the first of his sneakers to feature the then-new Flyknit technology, and a drop-in Lunarlon midsole maintained a close-to-the-ground feeling on both cuts. And because Bryant wouldn’t return to the court until late in 2014, his teammate Nick Young, aka “Swaggy P,” was chosen to debut the model in the NBA.
A firm release date has yet to be set for the Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low “Moonwalker,” but you can expect it to release some time in 2025 through the Snkrs app and select third-party retailers. Pricing has not yet been confirmed either.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
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