Nike just announced the Kobe 4 Protro "Draft Pack," and it drops globally on June 26th. The pack includes 14 colorways, each one representing a team that passed on Kobe in the 1996 NBA Draft. The timing of the announcement lines up with NBA Draft lottery day, which was a deliberate move.
The concept behind the pack is straightforward but effective. Kobe fell to the 13th pick in 1996, passed over by 12 teams before the Charlotte Hornets selected him and immediately traded him to the Lakers. Nike is putting that draft night story onto a sneaker pack, with each colorway pulling from the colors of a team that didn't take him.
Most of the colorways use a clean white base with team-colored Swooshes and Kobe's signature on the heel. His number 24 also appears on several pairs. The standout piece is a full Lakers gold version, which is the most visually distinct shoe in the lineup and represents where Kobe ultimately landed.
Each shoe features a numbered tongue tab that corresponds to the pick number of that team's selection. That detail rewards people who know the draft history well enough to connect the numbers to the teams.
No retail price has been confirmed yet. With 14 colorways dropping at once, availability across the full pack should be broader than a typical limited Kobe release.
Nike Kobe 4 Protro "Draft Pack"
Kobe Bryant entered the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania. He was widely considered one of the most talented prospects in that class but his age and the risk of drafting a younger player caused several teams to pass.
The Charlotte Hornets selected Kobe 13th overall and traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers the same night in exchange for Vlade Divac. He went on to spend his entire 20-year NBA career with the Lakers, winning five championships.
The teams that passed on him in that draft include franchises that went on to struggle for years without a player of his caliber.
