Nike is officially circling back to the Nike Kobe AD Protro “Purple Stardust”, placing renewed attention on a model rooted in Kobe Bryant’s post-retirement era. Originally released in 2017, the Kobe AD marked a transition point in the line, shifting toward modern performance design while maintaining Kobe’s on-court principles.

As the Protro iteration echoes that DNA with more efficient detailing. The one-piece reinforced mesh upper returns in Purple Stardust color, and is bolstered by more clean stitching at the toebox and side panels. The enhancements provide a sense of structure without compromising the clean silhouette of the initial design.

In contrast to that mesh texture, there’s suede placed in the heel panel, and a more muted, speckled shade of purple for the midsole. The rest of the shoe is also accented in black including the Swoosh, tongue logo, and the outsole. It tames the color scheme for a less chaotic visual aesthetic.

This new iteration is a more muted update to the Kobe Protro series. It’s not as ish-forward as some of Kobe’s previous colorway updates in recent years, and that makes it feel more about evolving the base shoe’s performance features. This is a reflection of the current trend we’re seeing in Nike Basketball’s Protro line-up.

Nike Kobe AD Protro Purple Stardust 2026 Release Date

The Nike Kobe AD Protro “Purple Stardust” is set to release in Fall 2026 via select Nike Basketball retailers and Nike.com. The retail price will be set at $155 USD.

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Source: Sneaker Market RO

(2017 release pictured below)