Quick Facts
- Nike will celebrate the WNBA with a new Nike Kobe 9 Protro
- The sneaker will use a variety of orange hues to pay homage to The W
- The Nike Kobe 9 EM Protro WNBA will be released May 8, 2026
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It’s no secret that Kobe Bryant was a booster for women’s basketball. From his dedication to his daughter, GiGi’s love for the sport, to his vocal insistence that stars from the WNBA could hold their own on an NBA court, and his frequent choice to wear a bright orange WNBA logo hoodie, The Mamba was one of the biggest proponents of the women’s game from inside the NBA.
Keeping up a tradition of celebrating The W through the Kobe signature line, Nike is adding the same orange from the league’s logo onto a new pair of Nike Kobe 9 EM Protros. The colorway starts in a light orange hue and transitions into a darker shade as you move back toward the heel. A vibrant orange shade darker than the rest sits on the Swoosh, while more tonal hues land on the lace set, tongue, Kobe sheath logo, and sockliner. Finishing the design is the white and peach midsole.
Nike has always brought top-tier storytelling to the Kobe line, especially when it comes to colorways connected to Bryant’s life, family, and passions. The upcoming WNBA Kobe 9 is the second orange colorway inspired by the W, following a Kobe 6 Protro WNBA colorway in a full upper of bright orange that dropped over the summer.
The Nike Kobe 9 EM Protro WNBA will be released May 8, 2026 through Nike and select retailers in-store and online. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is set at $190. To keep up with every new Nike Kobe drop, download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com
