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2. Kobe Bryant
photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images via ZimbioWhen it comes to pushing the envelope, Kobe Bryant is that guy. There have been many stories about the two-time NBA scoring champion pushing Eric Avar and other Nike designers to create unparalleled Nike Basketball shoes for him, and it’s evident by his Nike Kobe signature line. No other signature line in the history of shoes matches the design cues and aesthetics of Kobe’s shoes. Now Avar gets a lot of the credit and then some for this, but Kobe’s desire to be the best and different from everyone has a lot to do with it as well.
The fact that he came to Nike and stressed the fact that he wanted a low-top shoe was game-changing. Low-top basketball shoes weren’t accepted on court six years ago, but now they’re everywhere. Years from now (if you don’t already), we will appreciate the Black Mamba’s involvement in the design of his own shoes.
-George Kiel III
