Kobe's new low-top shoe.

Bryant won't be the first current NBA player to wear a low. Washington forward Gilbert Arenas is a longtime proponent of the low-top, and Nike made a lower-type cut for Phoenix guard Steve Nash last year. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wore low-top shoes for much of his career, too. But Bryant is by far the biggest current star to take the plunge into the low-cut world. And he's doing so with his signature shoe. It's a gamble for him, a gamble for Nike and a gamble for the industry as a whole. "When you have the absolute best player in the world saying lows are safe, lows are actually helping me become a better player, that's a wrap," said Steve Mulholland, founder and publisher of Sole Collector, one of the leading consumer sneaker magazines. "The rules as we used to know are about to change." But not everyone believes this is a good thing. In choosing a low, Bryant will be swimming upstream against the long-held belief that a high-top protects the ankle and keeps it from rolling by providing extra support. Although a 1993 University of Oklahoma study that appeared in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found no relationship between shoe height and ankle injury, five years later a study in the Journal of Sport Sciences found that increased ankle support did reduce the likelihood of a sprained ankle. Whether a low-top shoe will be accepted by consumers will depend on breaking down myths. In testing for the Kobe IV, Nike found that its wear testers broke down into three categories: those who would never wear a low, those who were skeptical but curious, and those who were on board the instant they were handed a pair.groupon    purchase

Kobe Basketball Shoes -nike.

Kobe's new low-top shoe The end result is a shoe that weighs just 11.6 ounces, some 20 percent lighter than the average Nike basketball shoe. For a player such as Bryant, who Nike says runs an average of 2.5 miles per game, less weight on his feet means more energy on the court and the ability to move quicker, run faster and perhaps even jump higher. He is expected to debut the shoes Dec. 19 against Miami. That night, Bryant won't be the first current NBA player to wear a low. Washington forward Gilbert Arenas is a longtime proponent of the low-top, and Nike made a lower-type cut for Phoenix guard Steve Nash last year. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wore low-top shoes for much of his career, too. But Bryant is by far the biggest current star to take the plunge into the low-cut world. And he's doing so with his signature shoe. It's a gamble for him, a gamble for Nike and a gamble for the industry as a whole. When you have the absolute best player in the world saying lows are safe, lows are actually helping me become a better player, that's a wrap," said Steve Mulholland, founder and publisher of Sole Collector, one of the leading consumer sneaker magazines. "The rules as we used to know are about to change." But not everyone believes this is a good thing. In choosing a low, Bryant will be swimming upstream against the long-held belief that a high-top protects the ankle and keeps it from rolling by providing extra support. Although a 1993 University of Oklahoma study that appeared in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found no relationship between shoe height and ankle injury, five years later a study in the Journal of Sport Sciences found that increased ankle support did reduce the likelihood of a sprained ankle.groupon    purchase

Kobe's feet to feature new shoe

kobe`s feet to feature new shoe SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- They are the unwritten but widely accepted bylaws of sports footwear. Here, we hold these truths to be self-evident: Golf is to be played in spikes. Ice hockey is to be played on skates. Baseball and football are to be played in cleats. And basketball? Basketball is to be played in a pair of high-tops. So Kobe Bryant understands the backlash. He knows there will be doctors, trainers, coaches, fans and even some fellow NBA stars who will look at his latest signature shoe from Nike, see that it's -- gasp -- a low-top and believe the Los Angeles Lakers guard has completely lost his mind. But he asked for this. Eighteen months ago, when Bryant met with a Nike design team and began brainstorming ideas for the Kobe IV, his focus wasn't on following the precedent but rather on setting his own. An avid soccer buff, Bryant marveled at the stress soccer players put on their ankles while wearing a low-cut shoe and figured if they felt could they do that on the pitch, he could bring it on the hardwood. So that day in a Nike boardroom, he gave Eric Avar, Nike's performance footwear creative director, one specific instruction: Create the lowest, lightest basketball shoe ever. Avar loved the idea, but at the same time, he knew the ramifications of the words coming out of the mouth of the reigning NBA MVP. Kobe Bryant loves the big stage of playing at Madison Square Garden versus the Knicks. With the big win at Boston the night before many were wondering if Kobe and the Lakers were ready for the game physically and emotionally. 19 points in the first quarter proved any naysayers wrong quickly. Although the 33 points he scored was well short of the 61 he scored two years ago to set the MSG record, it was still a brilliant performance for the Black Mamba. Soon after the game was done and the Laker¡¯s got the W, Kobe kindly stopped by Footlocker¡¯s flagship store on 34th Street to show love to his fans. There he would introduce the the special Zoom Kobe VI ¡°Rice¡± HS edition to his fans. Our very own Dirty Sole was on-hand to check out the event firsthand and give us a great close-up view of the shoes and experience. Check out the pictures below from the event and congratulations to the lucky few who got their hands on the shoes as they aren¡¯t set to release officially for another month.groupon    purchase

about kobe

about kebe Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country. He decided to declare his eligibility for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.An abstract take on a classic Kobe Bryant image by artist Kim Min Suk that is 5 championship rings great. Kobe Bryant is set to make $28 million in off the court endorsements this year. He may lose out on $400K of that, according to SportingNews.com: Lakers star Kobe Bryant is among the largest creditors of Power Balance, the maker of what the company claims to be performance-enhancing wristbands that recently filed for bankruptcy protection in federal court, as he is owed $400,000 for his endorsement. Other athletes on the list of creditors include Clippers forward Blake Griffin ($20,000) and skateboarder Ryan Sheckler ($25,000). The L.A. Kings and Sacramento Kings are owed $250,000 and $100,000, respectively. Lakers Lamar Odom was also named as an investor/creditor, and was used on the companys website for marketing purposes. groupon    purchase

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On the other side of the kobe 1 Kobe Helps the Homeless Kobe Bryant has always been the type of person that will help out someone in need, whether it¡¯s on or off the court. This time around, he is helping those right outside the stadium. Bryant, who formed the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation back in June along with his wife, served as the honorary chairman of the United Way Homeless 5K Walk/Run at Exposition Park in Los Angeles. With the Black Mamba, the event drew in a record amount of participants with over 5,000 people who pledged to raise $100 at the very least per person. Kobe told the press during an interview, ¡°We have to do a better job of letting them know we care about them and letting them know we¡¯re here to support them.¡± He added, ¡°There are things we take for granted on daily basis, like getting up in the morning and eating breakfast and taking a shower that are inconsistencies for them on a day-to-day basis.¡± Kobe Bryant Makes A Cameo In UC Irvine Athletics¡¯s Horrendous "Love Shack" Video When Ray Lewis worried about the societal ramifications of an NFL lockout, he said evil would result. While he didn't say so, it's not much of a stretch to think it similarly applies to an NBA lockout. Case in point: Kobe Bryant's cameo in the video in which "UC Irvine Athletes kick off the academic year with their annual love song." Evil takes many forms, and this rendition of "Love Shack" complete with a Kobe's cross-country team cameo is nothing short of ear evil. This is not what Fred Schneider wanted. This is not what Fred Schneider needed. groupon    purchase