Kobe 4

When it comes to innovation, Bryant was known to have direct input and was as meticulous with designing his footwear as he was honing his craft on the court. At a time when fully functional basketball shoes were “only” high-tops, Bryant and Avar drew inspiration from soccer players’ cleats to birth Bryant’s fourth shoe as strictly a low-top. The sneaker went right over the ankle and featured Flywire. The 4 was the first model Bryant won an NBA Championship in after defeating the Orlando Magic in 2009. It started a trend in not only future Kobe and Nike’s basketball models but set the bar for future basketball sneakers.