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words & images // Nick DePaula:
By the time The Kobe Three was set to release in the fall of 2002, there were a few issues.
For starters, Kobe no longer wore the fro that had inspired his “Frobe” silhouette logo. The dude simply cut his hair earlier that spring.
More importantly, Kobe no longer wore adidas. He cut ties with the brand earlier that year too.
So, as you can imagine, the adidas The Kobe Three, a bold yet still clunky Audi-inspired sneaker, never actually released.
Enjoy a rare and detailed look at an early size 14 pair made for Kobe himself, featuring a black textured synthetic upper with striking grill-cued molded insets along the toe and engulfing the heel. You’ll find the Frobe logo still featured prominently at the heel, as well as the “Kobe” wordmark atop the tongue’s shrouded closure.
Considering The Kobe and the subsequent The Kobe Two were only moderately received, would you have wanted this third edition to the series to have been released?
Be sure to check out more of our #KobeWeek features, and stay tuned tomorrow for a final chapter look at Kobe’s Nike signature series.
