Throwback Thursday - Adidas KB8 II Black/Imperial/Silver
Posted by Matt Halfhill | Jun 5, 2008|
Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals is only hours away. Once again a major sporting event has been an influencer on which shoe to pick for Throwback Thursday. For this week, let’s rewind a decade to 1998 which in the fall saw the release of the Adidas KB8 II, Kobe’s second signature shoe. Kobe wore the KB8 II in his third season in the NBA in the 1998-99 season that started late due to the NBA lockout. In the shoe Kobe displayed his growth as a player averaging 19.9 points, 5.3 boards, and 3.8 assists per game. Like the Adidas KB8, the shoe featured the Feet You Wear technology giving the wearer better stability, flexibility, and control on the court. Feet You Wear was the cushioning system of choice for Adidas Equipment shoes for the last half of the 1990’s, but unfortunately Adidas stopped producing shoes with the technology since shortly after the turn of the century. Inventor Frampton Ellis came up with the idea and earned his first patent for an athletic shoe designed to limit ankle injuries by mimicking the bare foot. He licensed the technology to Adidas in 1994 and only 2 years later it was on the feet of Steffi Graf when she won the 1996 US Open. In 2001, Frampton Ellis claimed that he was not being paid proper royalties and chose to sue Adidas. A settlement was reached between the two sides and unfortunately Feet You Wear is something of the past. Adidas has been bringing back many of the shoes Kobe wore while with Adidas slightly having to change the name from KB to “Crazy” and removing any images of him as well. So far we have seen the Crazy 8 (KB8), Crazy 1 (Kobe 1), and this summer Adidas is releasing many special colorways of the Top Ten 2000, the shoe Kobe wore in his rookie year. Check out a throwback photo of Kobe guarding Garnett while wearing these shoes as well as many more photos and throwback commercials after the jump. |
Kobe Bryant wearing Adidas KB8 II guarding Kevin Garnett (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Adidas KB8 II Black/Imperial/Silver
Adidas KB8 II Black/Imperial/Silver
Adidas KB8 II Black/Imperial/Silver
Adidas KB8 II Black/Imperial/Silver
Adidas KB8 II Black/Imperial/Silver
Adidas KB8 II Black/Imperial/Silver
Adidas KB8 II Black/Imperial/Silver
Sep 15, 2009 at 1:27 pm
The best shoes I ever owned!!! Would love to see the original make a comeback. would buy 2-3 pairs just for my self if they were made available
Feb 4, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Sorry to go off topic, but does anyone know if and where I can find the old audi TT ad with kobe from adidas? This would’ve been back like in 2001. It was more of a flash ad/site and not really a video so I guess it would be quite difficult to find unless somebody was able to grab a flash copy.
Jan 14, 2009 at 6:11 am
this shoes is the first ever that i bought with my own money back in 1998. And the color that i pick at that time was Purple Black, treasure it big time for a shoes at roughly $50 *that time* Still looking all over the place for this pair though, but i can`t seem to find one. While fakes is available if you purchase it in China, or the internet. Cause for all i know, Adidas never sold these shoes !!
Jan 3, 2009 at 8:18 am
Huh…i had these shoes many years ago…and i LOVE them!!!I would Pay for These shoes again too!!!I don t know, what is with these B shoes thesedays?!
Dec 29, 2008 at 3:16 pm
these were the best basketball shoes ever made. I have yet to put on any pair of shoes that had the comfort and the bounce of these shoes. Never saw this sole on any other adiaI have been checking the internet at least 2 times a years for over 5 years trying to get these shoes back on my feet. I have never even seen the sole again (with the raised balls) on any of adidas shoe. amazing shoe bring it back
Sep 30, 2008 at 6:44 am
these were second best bball shoes made by 3 stripes, plus the sole design was mad freaky, and sexy. i’d buy these and the predecessor if you could find them in a 15. my word.
Aug 28, 2008 at 5:07 am
Crazy Quicks are tweaked KB8 EQT III’s.
Jul 9, 2008 at 3:16 am
Hey Everyone, These shoes were da bomb back in the day. They had the excellent Feet You Wear technology and the greatankle support (I also like the Air Pippen 2, with the inner bootie). I like that when you took out the sole it was like an Inch thick which made them comfortable to wear. the major con of it was the outer sole. The bottom rubber were grooved and was thin and the cardboard was so thin that after a couple of months you would be wearing these shoes but you would see that cardboard, man!
Listen Adidas!!, I Would Pay for These shoes again, just make these two things thicker by, reducing the thick insole or something. I realize that all consumer goods are disposable, but make these shoes have a longer life by improving the design.
I got the adidas Men’s Crazy Quicks and they are good, but what retro style are these. Little help.
Jun 17, 2008 at 8:25 am
Some one is selling it on Ebay now.
Jun 11, 2008 at 9:17 am
Man F Kobe I respect his game, but on another note them sneaker are pretty Ima copp em if I find them.O yea Boston baby allday.
Jun 10, 2008 at 12:04 am
these are fresh but can’t cop look to heavy on feet but are fresh.
Jun 8, 2008 at 6:25 pm
i got these in all purple. deadstock.
Jun 7, 2008 at 6:22 am
my how times change..its now kobe rocking the swoosh and garnett wearing 3 stripes
Jun 6, 2008 at 8:43 pm
these look hot
Jun 6, 2008 at 5:17 pm
SHREWD03, NICEKICKS,
I have a pair of size 11, same colorway as shown above for sale. Get at me for pics. Pretty good condition. Let me know
slai_21@yahoo.com
Jun 6, 2008 at 4:29 pm
^
forgot 2 mention: CELTICS ALL DA WAY!
Jun 6, 2008 at 4:28 pm
not a Lakers or Kobe fan n even if they werent Kobe’s i still wouldnt like em. U G L Y!
Jun 6, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I honestly didnt like the look of these when they came out. Quite frankly it wasn’t until the Hurache 2k4 that Kobe has a good looking shoe! Yes, i’m an Adidas dude & yes, the retro Crazy 8’s are cool but the Hyperdunk will be the Kobe’s of Kobe’s!
Big Dix
Jun 6, 2008 at 11:32 am
Lakers not winning the championship no way but the kicks is hot i probably wont be coppin them though
Jun 6, 2008 at 10:43 am
^ damn kid did your space bar stop workin or something?!
These are one of the best Throwbacks picked so far. This is a shoe that is overlooked by so many because it doesn’t have a swoosh on it. I really hope Adidas brings these kicks back - especially with all the Kobe hype once they take the championship!!!
(Game 1 was a bad day for Kob’s)
Jun 6, 2008 at 10:28 am
PLEASE PLEASE ADIDAS, BRING THESE BACK? IN ALL 3 COLORWAYS!!! THANKS kb.lakerfanforlifeuntilthewheelsfalloff!!!
Jun 6, 2008 at 4:22 am
Damn man, I still have a pair of these exact color way but in size 9 and they’re brand new! I never wore them cuz they were to narrow and they hurt my feet.
Jun 6, 2008 at 2:23 am
tha nike garnetts would be a nice choice for T.T.,or even G.P.’s son of glove kicks?
Jun 5, 2008 at 11:05 pm
is it me, or does it look like they took a lot of cues on this shoe’s design from the jason kidd zoom flight five. just thought about that lookin at it
Jun 5, 2008 at 8:41 pm
“Kobe must have some messed up feet cause all his shoes be the most funky shapes.” - fly greg
The Top Ten 2000’s and the KB8 line has funky, non-traditional shapes because the sole is shaped like a human foot. The shoes have alot of curves and contours on the sole because that is how human feet flex when in motion.
Jun 5, 2008 at 8:23 pm
If Jordan Farmar continues to develop, he could have something of his own from Adidas in a signature.
Jun 5, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Kobe must have some messed up feet cause all his shoes be the most funky shapes. Nike to Addidas
Jun 5, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Aawww man!!! I LOVE THESE t-shoe’s? I still have the White/Purple and the All Purple/White and they STILL LOOK NEW!!! but what a shame, that they could not expand on that technology? These are 1 of my FAVORITE T-Shoe’s of ALL TIME, next to my J-Kidd’s 95′ Flights by Nike? I REALLY WISH that they would some how come out with these again???
Jun 5, 2008 at 6:08 pm
The ones photographed are a size 10. I have been looking for those, the white/purples, and the uber limited white/golds in size 11 for years.
Jun 5, 2008 at 5:59 pm
anyone of u guy selling this? im size 11.
let me kno.
Jun 5, 2008 at 5:57 pm
when will this shoe ever be available again?
i had these when i was on my 4th grade.
i love this shoe and i want to have it again!
Jun 5, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I copped the NB Worthy mid for 19.99 from Foot Locker in 05.
Matt, How about the D.Fish Uptempos for next week?
Jun 5, 2008 at 5:04 pm
oh forget it, the garnetts i was talking about apparently was the garnett 3’s, so the ones pictured must me the 1’s
Jun 5, 2008 at 5:03 pm
those air garnetts, did they come out again years ago? like 02 or so? i remember seeing people with them. kg had some classics with nike, the air bakin, the flightposites.
Jun 5, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I knew that you would know which shoe it was Matt. Good call. I remember he wore both the white and black 11’s and also the all white with the Carolina sole as well. Do you remember that he also wore a pair of the jumpmans as well (white and navy and black and blue)?
Jun 5, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Yes, that is the Air Garnett in the photo and it would make a good Throwback.
This pair has alluded me forever so it’s going to take a miracle to get it here in time for next week, but I promise that I will get a shoe relevant to the people on the court for the Finals for next week.
Jun 5, 2008 at 4:38 pm
^ Air Jordan XI
Jun 5, 2008 at 4:18 pm
The shoe that Garnett is wearing is the air Garnett’s. They came out in 1998. They also released a black/white/royal pair as well (They look way cleaner in black). The black pair were the ones that he wore on the road. Here s a flashback question for you all what were one of the pair of Nikes Garnett wore in his rookie season 1995-1996?
Jun 5, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Matt!!!!
sum thursday down the line u gotta get tha joints on KG feet in that pic!!!
Jun 5, 2008 at 3:46 pm
i would love to s these retroed
Jun 5, 2008 at 3:34 pm
memories…
Jun 5, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I think the Kobe 1’s where better. I still got the white/yellow/purple joints. They were wide for a basketball shoe but very comfy for casual wear. Kinda like wearing AUDI designed slippers…lol LET’S GO LAKERS !!
Jun 5, 2008 at 2:32 pm
these are fresh to death. when all is said and done people will finally give kobe his respect. Jordan has 6 rings, how many you think kobe will have by the time he’s done? btw kobe is 29 years old.
Jun 5, 2008 at 1:13 pm
soloflight22,
I think that the NB Worthys or Magic’s weapons are the best Lakers kicks. Don’t forget about Kareems though. The Lakers def were stacked in the 80’s with awesome sneakers.
Jun 5, 2008 at 1:13 pm
A bunch of dudes on my HS basketball team had these my senior year (I had J’s) but when you take a picture of these with a flash the shoe is just a white light. I got a bunch of pictures of my team ballin’ and there is a white flash. All of the “Feet You Wear” were nice and I wish adidas would bring them back. These are the best adidas basketball shoes in the last 15 years. This was their peak. Their stuff now is pretty lame.
Matt-What was the name of the shoes KG is wearing in that picture? I know it was one of his signature shoes around the time of the “Fun Police” commercials. I smell next week’s Throwback Thursday.
Jun 5, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I agree with Brave. i want to see more of KG’s kicks
Jun 5, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Nicekicks-New Balance “Worthy’s”…Best shoes ever worn by a Laker….any opinions?
Jun 5, 2008 at 12:36 pm
“These were amazing back in the day comfort wise” - Flatsole
AGREED!
My parents weren’t up on paying $65 for the KB8’s but I was able to get the white/purple ones for $50 at Just For Feet as a Confirmation Present.
Still to this day they are one of my favorite pairs of kicks of all time. I really regret parting ways with my pair
Jun 5, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I slept on these in 98. I selpt on them when retailers had them on sale a couple of years after…
Jun 5, 2008 at 12:19 pm
These were amazing back in the day comfort wise
Jun 5, 2008 at 12:16 pm
F*** them whats up with them nikes on KG Feet
Jun 5, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Wow Kobe is da best his shoes go hard like his game. But i wish i was able to buy these shoes but ill just have to wait for the HYPERDUNKS!!!
Jun 5, 2008 at 10:39 am
oh my god this brings back memories!
I would def grab these if they bring them back! I had the white and purples but never grabbed the black ones.
Jun 5, 2008 at 10:19 am
wow those puppies are hot dey remind me of da pennys…and is dat 3m on da side cuz if so den these are by far da toughest kobes ever
Jun 5, 2008 at 10:18 am
Love Kobe never liked his shoes maybe the his hyper’s coming out next will be my first Kobe shoe LAKERS in 5 or 6 baby…