Nike Made New Exclusive ‘Think Pink’ Kobe Sneakers for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund
As the Nike Kobe 9 comeback continues, more new looks of Kobe Bryant’s ninth signature sneaker are materializing. The latest is a flip on Nike’s ongoing partnership with the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, the non-profit organization which honors the legendary late basketball coach.
The Nike Kobe 9 Low Protro EM “Think Pink” has recently been spotted on the feet of several women’s college basketball teams including the Oregon Ducks and the Duke Blue Devils. Worn by teams throughout February for the Play4Kay fundraiser, the sneakers are expected to remain exclusive to select women’s colleges, but a detailed look at the special pair was recently shared by Vanessa Bryant on Instagram.
Clad in a pink engineered mesh upper, the Nike Kobe 9 Low Protro EM “Think Pink” is accented with white throughout the shoe and features a holographic finish on the tongue’s Kobe sheath logo. On the heel, the Kay Yow ribbon emblem is embroidered in white. The exclusive look is finished off with a translucent rubber outsole.
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While this year’s “Think Pink” Kobe 9 is a new colorway, it’s not the first time the philanthropic theme has appeared on the sneaker. In 2014, Nike created a similar “Think Pink” exclusive colorway, although that version was accented with black instead of white.
The return of the Nike Kobe 9 began with Elite Protro “Halo” iterations in both the sneaker’s Low and high-top variations. It has since been released in its original “Christmas” and “Masterpiece” high-top colorways. Confirmed to be released soon is the Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low Protro “Moonwalker,” which was recently teased in a promotional shoot featuring WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
As of publishing, the Nike Kobe 9 Low Protro EM “Think Pink” is not expected to be released to the public and will reportedly remain exclusive to women’s college basketball teams.
