Kobe Bryant was on the Nike Air Force 1 Mid way before the current crop of youngsters. Reminding us of the rich history of Kobe Bryant Nike Air Force 1s is this extraordinary pair, worn by the legend himself during the 2002-03 NBA season. Kobe was a sneaker free agent during the 2002-03 season, but was still getting hooked up with exclusives like this double-layered Swoosh Air Force 1. The shoe doesn't bear any Kobe logos or numbers, but do showcase the classic AF1 style that was made famous by Kobe's idol, the great Michael Jordan. Kobe would be seen wearing only a select few pairs of AF1s during this season prior to the creation of his own sneaker, thus AF1s such as these are of the utmost rarity and desirability among the coveted Kobe sneaker marker.
That all being said, we are proud to present this pair of Kobe Bryant sneakers, worn by the Mamba during two games--November 22, 2002 and November 24, 2002. During the first game on November 22nd, Kobe would put up a solid 22 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and a block in an 86-73 pummeling of the Chicago Bulls. Two days later on the 24th, Kobe would see his prior double-double performance and level it up with triple double, which included 15 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and 1 steal in an 111-99 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Showcasing solid wear of sneakers worn for a couple NBA games, these AF1s showcase creases and scuffs to the upper leather surfaces and tread marks to the soles. Additionally, the ankle strap has been cut off the left shoe apparently per Kobe's request, as photo evidence of the removed strap is present in imagery prior to the November 22nd game. Both shoes also showcase a bold SAMPLE stamping on the inside ankle lining, signifying this pair was issued direct to Kobe during the courting process by Nike.
Please note that the signatures showcased on these sneakers were unable to be verified by third party authenticators, and in turn were likely executed by locker room attendants.
Kobe's gamers are desirable in any form, but given that these are Nike AF1s, worn by Kobe in multiple games--including for a TRIPLE DOUBLE--put them in rarefied air as some of the most collectible Kobe gamers that you will find! Accompanied by a full Letter of Authenticity and Photo Match Evaluations from Sports Investors Authentication/SIA.