Nike Kobe 3 'Pink Quartz' Drops
Nike's Kobe 3 Low Protro 'Pink Quartz' drops this week, celebrating Kobe's first three Lakers seasons. The release joins other major drops including Nike Kobe 3 Low "Mamba Magic," Air Jordan 13 "Chicago," and New Balance 1890. Nike is also releasing the Book 2 "Oregon Ducks" PE as a nod to Devin Booker and the University of Oregon.
The "Pink Quartz" colorway is a direct homage to the iconic pink exterior lighting of The Forum in Inglewood, where Kobe Bryant played his first three seasons. This release marks only the second low-top version of the Kobe 3 Protro, following the highly limited "All-Star Warning Label" edition that dropped in February. The Protro series updates classic Kobe models with modern performance technology, like full-length Zoom Air and Cushlon 3.0 foam, making them suitable for today's game. The original Nike Zoom Kobe 3, designed by Eric Avar, was released in 2008 and was a significant departure from its predecessors with its unique web-like upper. Bryant won his only MVP award during the 2007-2008 season while wearing the Kobe 3. The "Pink Quartz" is not the only colorway dropping; the "Mamba Magic" iteration, inspired by the purple lights of The Forum at night, is also slated for a March 13th release. The Air Jordan 13 "Chicago" is a retro of the original 1998 colorway that Michael Jordan wore during his "Last Dance" championship season with the Chicago Bulls. This will be the fourth release of this iconic colorway, with previous retros in 2010 and 2017. The design of the Air Jordan 13 was famously inspired by a panther, which aligned with Jordan's "Black Cat" nickname. New Balance's new 1890 silhouette is a hybrid model that combines the upper of the classic 890 running shoe with the sole unit of the original 2002 model. The brand has been rolling out new colorways of the 1890 after initially debuting the model through a collaboration with Action Bronson. The Nike Book 2 "Oregon Ducks" PE is a player-exclusive colorway for Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker and is not expected to be released to the public. This sneaker is part of a series of college-themed PEs, even though Booker himself played for the University of Kentucky. The University of Oregon holds a special significance for Nike, as it is the alma mater of co-founder Phil Knight.
