Last July, a source familiar with Adidas’ upcoming releases told Complex that the brand planned to release two of the sneakers Kobe Bryant wore while he was signed to the label through the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. Today, Adidas confirmed the report with official imagery of the Kobe 1, Bryant’s first signature shoe with the brand.
Essentially a replica of the original 2001 model — donned by Black Mamba himself at that year’s NBA All-Star Game — the sneaker features a predominantly yellow upper, black bootie, and recognizable shell toe. To any fan, it's clear the retro shoes are Kobe’s, but without the approval of the Bryant estate, Adidas has to market the kicks without the late basketball player’s name. Accordingly, the Kobe 1 is now known as the Crazy 1 — symbolic of how sneakerheads will act once the shoe drops.
