Adidas Adds Three Crazy 1s to Its Upcoming Sneaker Release Calendar
While Nike is set to officially relaunch the Kobe line this month, Adidas is also nodding to its own history with the late superstar. The Crazy 1, which was originally called “The Kobe” and was Bryant’s fourth signature sneaker, will see three colorways release this fall.
A “Blue/Black/Silver” variant is slated to release Aug. 26 and harkens back to the “Ice Blue” pair that released in 2014. The 9-year-old sneaker itself was a nod to an unreleased sample from 2001, although this year’s release differs slightly with red accents on the heel and outsole.
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Nov. 11 will see the release of a predominantly black pair that also carries similarities to a 2014 release. It, too, sees deviation through small flourishes on the heel and outsole, this time in yellow. Rounding out the new trio will be an all-new “Green/Black/Silver” pair scheduled for Dec. 2. Mint green takes over the molded upper, while a two-tone midsole sandwiches silver with help from the black outsole.
Although it debuted in 2000, the Crazy 1 remains one of the most daring (and polarizing) sneakers ever made. It marked a notable departure for Kobe’s Adidas line following three iterations of the KB8, which was later renamed the Crazy 8. Both sleek and bulbous, the Crazy 1 took inspiration from the Audi TT Roadster as it embodied the idea of “futuristic” at the turn of the millennium.
Bryant would go on to pay a reported $8 million to get out of his Adidas contract and spend a mandated year as a sneaker free agent before signing with Nike in 2003. (Reebok even nodded to Bryant’s brief unaffiliated era by releasing the Answer 4 “Free Agency” earlier this summer.) Adidas would then bring back the Crazy 1 under its new, Kobe-less name in 2014 and again in 2023. Although it does have its dedicated fanbase, the Crazy 1 is less sought after than the Nike products that bear Kobe’s name and is thus a more accessible connection to his legacy today.
Look for each of the three new Crazy 1s to release exclusively through Adidas and Footlocker.
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