Members of the Kobe Brand team were spotted in a crimson and purple Kobe 10 Protro at the Mamba Invitational in Los Angeles. The pair was made just for the event exclusively for Friends & Family.

The upper fades from crimson into purple, giving the shoe a noticeable gradient without making the colorway feel too busy. Kobe’s Sheath logo appears alongside LA script details, while Jacques Slade confirmed that the pair was made specifically for the team rather than an upcoming retail launch.

There was no shortage of unreleased Kobe footwear at the tournament, with pairs like the Kobe 3 Low “Black” and “Electric Green” also making appearances. The Kobe 10 Protro stood out for a different reason though, since Nike has made some meaningful changes to the shoe itself.

The original Kobe 10 never had quite the same following as the Kobe 4 through Kobe 9, especially among players who weren’t sold on the cushioning and traction. The Protro version looks to address both areas with an engineered mesh upper, Cushlon 3.0 cushioning, full-length Zoom Strobel, and a reworked traction pattern.

For now, the Purple/Crimson Nike Kobe 10 Protro is staying Friends & Family, with no retail release expected.

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Photos: @LvSneakerhead23