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Being a Kicksologists here in the U.S. compared to Asia is quite easier. Whether you have trouble buying the latest Jordan retros on Nikestore.com, doing raffles at local retailers, or perhaps just doing it old school by waiting outside at boutiques, it will always be easier purchasing shoes than overseas. However, living in Asia has its benefits as many of the latest signature models release first prior to its official stateside release, such as the upcoming Nike KB Mentality. Some folks have already picked up the shoe and have uploaded detailed photos of the next Kobe model. Don’t confuse these with the upcoming “signature” model, the Kobe X, as these are a team model of the Kobe line.
First off, the Nike KB Mentality has a strong resemblance with the Nike Zoom Kobe 5. To a lot of Kobe enthusiasts, the Kobe 5 is the peak of the Kobe line as the Mamba had it on foot as he won his fifth NBA championship. It delivered a true low-top feel with great ankle support, lockdown, and exceptional cushion. It would be no shock for Nike to relive those glory days with the KB Mentality and possibly bring out similar colorways like the Chaos and Bruce Lees. Aesthetic wise, we have similar colorblocking and silhouette. For those who do not know what colorblocking is, it is how colors are dstributed on the a given sneaker. If you have done Nike iD before, you should be familiar with process as you choose a segment of the shoe and what color you want placed there. Moving on we have a look at the box and packaging. The Kobe shozoku logo appears on the top of the box and also the tissue paper inside.
[button color=”red” size=”big” alignment=”center” rel=”follow” openin=”newwindow” url=”https://kicksologists.com/2014/12/29/top-100-kobe-bryant-shoes-colorways-ever-made/?utm_campaign=Kix100BestKobe&utm_source=KBMentality&utm_medium=BigButton”]100 Best Kobe Sneaker Colorways[/button]
Nike Basketball is emphasizing three key performance aspects on the KB Mentality. Natural Motion, Lunarlon, and an Adaptive Outsole. Seen on the inside of the box is a label that says:
“Designed for the player who wants to harness the mental attitude of one of the game’s most competitive, uncompromising and calculating basketball players, Kobe Bryant.”
There’s no doubt that Kobe Bryant has the toughest mental capacity in the game today. Nike did a splended job by incorporating the Mamba’s mentality and transforming it into this sneaker. From the many photos above, we have a look at the drop-in Lunarlon insert that showcases a new pattern and looks a tad bit thinner than the Kobe 9. Given a $100.00 price point, this is a huge plus since we’ve only had Lunarlon in the signature Kobe 8 and 9 models. Natural motion is also a selling point for these as Kobe was involved with the design process. He wants a shoe that naturally moves with the foot as he’s demanded since the Kobe 4. Lastly, the aggressive outsole is said to adapt to any court condition. Reports have said that this would be a main outdoor sneaker with an XDR sole. I would love to use these indoor so hopefully the rubber is soft and pliable enough.
The Nike KB Mentality will release next year with the first colorway, “4AM” on New Years day at $100.00 USD. A plethora of colors will soon be released afterwards. If you wanted to grab a pair now, you can head over to the Taobao and Alzado Sport… that is if you can read it. As always, keep it locked here for the latest updates on release info.
Via Taobao and Alzado Sport
