Innovation and style signify the Kobe Bryant basketball shoes made by Nike. In late 2010, the Zoom Kobe VI was released. Sneakerheads and Bryant supporters always anticipate the release of each shoe, and the buzz surrounding that one was no different than in the past.

Zoom Kobe sneakers are sold in a wide array of regular colorways. Frequently, however, they drop in unique versions with a connection to Bryant. Adidas was the original manufacturer of the official Bryant shoe, but with Nike, the popularity of his kicks took off.

The first Nike shoe associated with Bryant was called the Air Zoom Huarache 2K4, followed by the 2K5 the following year. It was the 2K5 that first included his own Nike logo. It is a three-pronged symbol supposedly reminiscent to a samurai warrior totem.

It was the Air Zoom Kobe I that was the first official Bryant Nike shoe. December 25, 2005, was its debut. Several weeks later, Bryant was wearing them when he scored 81 points in one game.

Zoom Kobe II and Zoom Kobe III came next. Each offered better cushioning, stability, and support. Because Bryant wore a different shoe for most of the season the ZKII was released, however, it has always been rumored that Bryant did not care for the ZKII.

As Bryant wore Hyperdunks in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, many thought it would be his fourth shoe. It was not. Instead, it was the Zoom Kobe IV that came next and created such a stir. It was very light, but its distinctive feature was its being low-cut, which is rare among NBA players.

People liked playing ball in them and they came in more than a dozen colorways, including some collectible editions. These included shoes called Carpe Diem, Del Sol, and All-Star Game. Others were themed such as Draft Day Hornets Edition, showcasing the 2009 NBA Finals, celebrating the Minneapolis Lakers, and more.

Nike released the Zoom Kobe V for general sale in late 2009. It eventually became available in at least twenty colors. A low-top, as well, the ZKV was lighter and offered more stability than the previous Zoom Kobe. At its release, the ZKV held the distinction of being the lowest and lightest hoops kicks in Nike history.

The low cut of the sneaker was inspired in part by the world game of soccer. Bryant played soccer growing up and wanted a court shoe that allowed him to move in the same way. And it weighed less than eleven ounces.

The ZKV became available in the purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers, including an original Home and Away edition each, a second Home addition, and a couple of Playoff Pack pairs. Colors carried over from the ZKIV included Chaos, Del Sol, Chaos, Draft Day Hornets, All-Star Game, and others.

New ZKV colorways not official for the ZKIV included one each for the University of Southern California and Duke University. A Team USA edition and a Lower Merion High School edition were released. Other limited-edition color included a Dark Knight edition, a Martin Luther King, Jr., edition, and a Bruce Lee version.