Nike Kobe 5 Protro ‘Year of the Mamba Eggplant’ Release D…

There’s another Nike Kobe Protro on the way, and it might be one of the most Kobe Kobes of all time. Today we get a look at an upcoming serpentine Nike Kobe 5 Protro, and the tie in is pretty clever on the shoes.

Set to release in Spring 2025, this purple, black, and gold pair looks to be a Year of the Mamba-themed shoe. The pair, leaked by @xcsnkr and @Kicksfinder, has a gold snake wrapped around the Swoosh.

The shoe makes sense because next year is the year of the snake on the Chinese zodiac calendar. Kobe has also always been huge in China and Asia, so the shoe is smart on the theme.

The shoe has a clear outsole and, it appears, red for the snake’s tongue.

Retail, according to the leak, will be $200 for men’s and $120 for grade school sizes.

UPDATE (01/02): Nike has confirmed that the first “Year of the Mamba” Kobe 5 Protro style, in the “Eggplant” colorway, will launch on Jan. 9 via SNKRS for $200. Scroll on for a closer look at the sneaker below.