Following a slew of Protro rumors scheduled for 2026, Vanessa Bryant recently took to Instagram to showcase a never-before-seen pair of her late husband's Nike Kobe 9 Elite.
Unlike the impending "What the Kobe 9" launch, the newly-surfaced style features a much more refined, tonal ensemble across its performance-oriented design. A wine-reminiscent tone covers the bulk of the upper, which replaces its traditional FlyKnit construction with premium textured leather and what seems like velvet. Profile swooshes and sword-in-sheath emblems on the top-of-the-tongue indulge in a shimmering golden finish, further elevating the Nike Basketball silhouette. Underfoot, tooling abandons its visible carbon fiber components in favor of a two-tone presentation that positions the sneaker as a wearable luxury item instead of hoops-ready product.
Bryant has yet to disclose the inspiration behind the new Kobe 9 Elite, or whether or not the shoes will release via Nike.com at some point. In the meantime, enjoy an early-look at the pair ahead.
For more from the Swoosh conglomerate, check out all remaining Air Max releases in the year.
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