A high-top in a low-top line

By the time the Kobe 3 arrived, the signature line had already made its point about low-tops. The 2 was lower, the 1 was lower still, and the whole argument was that a guard does not need a collar around the ankle. Then the 3 turned up as a high-top anyway – and made it work, because the shape was doing something different. The upper carried a raised grid pattern that gave the shoe a texture nothing else in the line had, and the collar sat high without wrapping the ankle the way a traditional basketball high-top did.

That is the version people remember, and it is the version that is back.

What ‘Protro’ actually means

Nike’s Protro treatment is not a reissue. The upper keeps the original shape and proportions, and the internals are rebuilt with current materials – the cushioning setup and the way the shoe sits underfoot are what change. Practically, that means a Kobe 3 you can play in today, rather than one you keep in a box because the midsole has gone hard. If you have only seen original pairs in photos, the Protro is the one to buy if you intend to wear it.

Why the ‘Orca’ colourway works

Black upper, white midsole, nothing else. The 3’s textured upper needs contrast to read properly, and a straight black-and-white split is the cleanest way to let the pattern show up. It also does something the louder colourways cannot: it ages well. A black upper hides creases and scuffs, and the white midsole is the only part that shows wear, which is the right way round for a shoe you plan to actually wear.

Buying it

Kobe models in the current Protro line move quickly, and the 3 has been one of the harder shapes to find since the line restarted. Two things are worth knowing before you buy:

• Sizing. The 3 runs true to other Nike basketball models. If you wear a Kobe 6 Protro comfortably, take the same size here.
• Availability. The Kobe 3 Protro Low releases have been easier to find than the high-top, so if you specifically want the original collar height, filter for it rather than assuming the low will do.

Both are in stock on our basketball page when they are available, and we restock the Protro line as pairs come in.