Matt Varga The Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” releases on January 9th, 2025 in adult sizing, retailing for $200. As the Lunar New Year looms, Nike is putting a creative spin on its “Year of the Snake” endeavors by roping in Bryant’s everlasting “Black Mamba” moniker across a range of products, none more significant than the shoe at hand. The pair will release via the typical SNKRS launch, and a number of partnering retailers hosting their own launches.
Use our “Where To Buy” section just ahead for a full breakdown of where to pick up this high-heat colorway, including a range of raffles and standard releases. Scroll further for detailed galleries of this shoe and further analysis of what makes this pair one-of-a-kind.
WHERE TO BUY
Nike Zoom Kobe 5 Protro "Year of the Mamba – Eggplant"
US 01/09/2025 Thursday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| KICKS CREW | Aftermarket | Aftermarket |
| Nike SNKRS US | Standard | Check Site |
| Foot Locker | Standard | Check Site |
| Sneaker Politics | Standard | Check Site |
| Concepts | Standard | Check Site |
| TAKOUT NY | Standard | Check Site |
| A Ma Maniere | EQL | EQL |
| Social Status | EQL | EQL |
| APB | EQL | EQL |
| Packer | EQL | EQL |
| Shiekh | In Store Only | Offline Only |
| Shoe Palace | In Store Only | Offline Only |
| Sesinko | Raffle | Check Site |
| Undefeated | Standard | Check Site |
| DTLR | Standard | Check Site |
| Lapstone & Hammer | Raffle | Check Site |
| KITH | App Only | Check App |
Official Nike Images Of The Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba”
Additional Retailer Images
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
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- Nike Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” Shoe Palace
Plain to see, the Kobe 5 “Year of the Mamba” is propelled by a literal snake graphic outlining the Swoosh and a royal purple foundation underneath. An ice sole and additional gilded branding throughout the profile, including Mandarin text on the tongue and an “infinity” emblem on the insole, round out the arrangement.
Alongside this specific colorway, Nike is rolling out a comprehensive “Year of the Mamba” collection, with a range of similarly shaded and branded apparel dropping alongside the shoes alongside this “Eggplant” colorway. Further down the road, the Kobe 5 “Year of Mamba” in red will drop exclusively in China, while the Kobe 6 “All-Star 2.0” and Kobe 9 “Masterpiece” keep the energy up later in the year.
In their official announcement, Beaverton leaned into the “Mamba Mentality” history to properly contextualize this release, conveying that this shoe and its surrounding campaign speak more to dedicating 2025 to hard work and growth rather than a simple commemorative release.
As a final historical note, initial leaks of the shoe drew a throughline way back to 2010, with many drawing connections with an “Eggplant/Ink” sample that surfaced before the model’s official debut. That shoe wouldn’t end up making it to the market, but it remained in the ether as a “grail” pair for the most devoted Kobe enthusiasts.
