The Nike Kobe 8 "Court Purple" & "Aqua" Release on Thursday

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The last four years have been a long and exhausting road for fans of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. Since Bryant's tragic passing in January 2020, his iconic Nike sneakers have largely been unobtainable for the average fan, which has added insult to injury. However, that might be changing soon.

On Thursday, Nike is honoring Bryant with a special dual release of his eighth signature sneaker. The Nike Kobe 8 Protro will be released in two new colorways that highlight Bryant's career and jersey numbers. Below is a detailed look at the highly anticipated hoop shoes and instructions on how to buy them.

Nike Kobe 8 Protro

The Nike Kobe 8 Protro "Court Purple" & "Aqua" will be released at 10:00 a.m. EST on Thursday, February 8, 2024. Online shoppers can purchase the shoes on the Nike SNKRS website and app.

The "Court Purple" colorway is an obvious tribute to the one team Bryant played for in the NBA, while the "Aqua" colorway is a nod to the team that drafted him (the Charlotte Hornets).

Bryant's two jersey numbers (8 and 24) appear all over the upper, coinciding with the 2-8-24 release date. Of course, we would be remiss if we did not mention that Bryant's daughter Gigi wore the jersey number 2 on her AAU team.

Since Nike relaunched the "Kobe Brand" in August, the supply has been unable to meet the demand. However, Nike is slowly starting to push out more colorways. We at Men's Journal Sneakers are cautiously optimistic that more fans will finally be able to get their hands on Kobe's Nike sneakers again.

Related: Kobe Bryant's Retro Adidas Sneakers Are On Sale Now