Kobe Bryant may have put an end to pre-mature celebrations for good. Up 2-0 in the 2009 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic, Kobe Bryant was asked in a post-game interview about why he seemed unhappy. From that point on, his concise exculpation of “Job’s not finished” became the mindset of like-minded players who see nothing to celebrate until the task at hand is finished. Now, that moment is forever immortalized in the Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Job’s Not Finished” shared by widow Vanessa Bryant.
The motivational shoes featuring that iconic quote in an elegant cursive writing embroidered on the medial side of the left shoe. Opposite that is the root of Kobe Bryant’s ferocious approach called the Mamba Mentality. On the heels is a nod to both of Kobe Bryant’s jersey numbers of 24 and 8 in the iconic Lakers lettering. As the base is a boon white shade that appears throughout the entirety of the upper.
Vanessa Bryant has been regularly sharing first, advanced looks at Nike Kobe footwear. However, it is unclear if these are actually a planned release, or if these are a promotional pair for the Bryant friends and family.
Most Nike Kobe footwear seems to be tied to a specific moment in Kobe’s past; the Kobe 6 Protro “All-Star 2.0”, which is dropping in February 2025, could be connected to the suit and tie he wore on the bench (he was sidelined with injury). The Kobe 5 “X-Ray” could be a nod to the notorious t-shirt from 2010 that featured Kobe Bryant’s actual hand x-ray wearing all five championship rings.