words // Nick Engvall

Considering that today, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant turns 33 years old, we figured we’d celebrate with a preview of upcoming colorways of the Nike Zoom Kobe VI. Although we’ve seen quite a few colorways of the Kobe VI, there are both more Lakers-inspired colorways as well as team bank colorways that will arrive in the coming weeks.

Kobe shoes have come a long way in the six versions since he joined the Swoosh. Each seems to get lighter and faster, and Nike Basketball pushes the envelope with unique material choices and textures year after year. The VI has pushed the boundaries of texture with a snakeskin finish that has become the first material to have a 3D finish. The combination of phylon and Zoom Air has become the cushioning of choice for the Black Mamba, and for countless basketball players who choose to rock the low-cut Kobes on court. With rumors of Kobe departing to play overseas and showing up at amateur leagues, the team colorways below seem to have a different appeal if you consider the possibilities.

Available now: Nike Zoom Kobe VI