Kobe Bryant’s contributions to performance basketball sneakers can’t be understated. Working with designer Eric Avar, the late Los Angeles Lakers legend helped popularize low-top sneakers in the NBA, a movement which prevails to this day. Before his untimely death, Bryant also introduced another concept which changed the way Nike reissued sneakers. Instead of retro, he envisioned Protro: a portmanteau for performance retro which upgraded his classic sneakers with Nike’s newest technologies. Later this year, the Kobe Protro legacy will continue with the first-ever Kobe 3 Protro release.

Images shared Saturday by @prm.cotd show the upcoming Nike Kobe 3 Protro in its debut “Halo” colorway. The triple-white Halo theme was introduced in August 2023 and was created in partnership with Kobe’s wife, Vanessa, to honor Kobe on his birthday. The first Halo release was the Kobe 8 Protro followed by 2024’s Kobe 9 Elite Protro. This year, Bryant’s third model will receive the angelic all-white treatment. 

The early images include a hangtag which outlines the tech specs of the Kobe 3 Protro. The sneaker features an updated upper with new tongue padding and what’s described as a more breathable mesh. The upgrade that will likely appease Kobe fans the most is the addition of a full-length Zoom Air strobel unit paired with Nike’s Cushlon 2.0 foam. And even the rubber outsole’s traction pattern has been tweaked with added blades.

Beyond the Halo pair, early information has also surfaced regarding a low-top version of the Nike Kobe 3 Protro expected to be released during NBA All-Star Weekend 2026. 

In a first for the Protro line, Nike featured the concept on a model outside of Bryant’s signature line on June’s Kobe Air Force 1 Protro release. The iconic sneaker was given numerous upgrades including the addition of a drop-in ReactX insole. 

The Nike Kobe 3 Protro Halo is scheduled to be released Aug. 23 with an expected retail price of $210. The pair has a full colorway of White/White/White and its style code is HM4351-100.