Jalen Brunson rocked a "SSGSS" Nike Kobe 3 Low Protro PE, and the inspiration behind the shoe is Dragon Ball Z. Brunson has been vocal about being a fan of the anime series, and this player exclusive translates that directly into the colorway.
SSGSS stands for Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan, a transformation from Dragon Ball Super. The color palette on the shoe maps pretty cleanly onto that reference.
The upper transitions from a bright turquoise green toward a lighter mint, with a bright blue toe cap anchoring the front of the shoe. The heel features a metallic blue Swoosh and a tonal Kobe logo embossed on the back panel. The Zoom branding sits visible through the outsole window.
Brunson wore the shoes during a recent Knicks game, which is how they first caught attention on court. He then shared the detailed studio images on his Instagram, giving a closer look at the construction and colorway.
Player exclusives like this one don't make it to retail. They exist as one-of-one or very small batch productions made specifically for an athlete. The SSGSS Kobe 3 Low Protro is built for Brunson's game and his personal interests, which makes it more of a collector conversation piece than a release people can actually go buy.
It's a clean shoe regardless of whether you know the Dragon Ball Z reference or not.
Jalen Brunson's Nike Kobe 3 Low Protro
The Nike Kobe 3 Protro Low is a retooled version of Kobe Bryant's third signature shoe, originally released in 2007. The low-top construction was a notable choice at the time because most basketball shoes were still built high or mid.
Kobe pushed for the lower cut to allow for more ankle mobility and a closer-to-the-ground feel. The Protro version updates the cushioning and materials while keeping the original silhouette largely intact.
The shoe features a waffle-patterned upper, a full-length Zoom Air unit, and a low-profile outsole. It remains one of the more popular Kobe models among both players and collectors.
