ALBANY, N.Y. — There are a few guarantees whenever you watch Caitlin Clark play for the Iowa women’s basketball team: shooting logo threes, performing no-look passes, and donning NBA legend Kobe Bryant’s signature Nike shoes.
As the Hawkeyes prepare to take on Colorado in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, gave Clark and her teammates a fresh pair of Nike Kobe 8’s Protro in the Venice Beach colorway. She also gifted each member of the LSU women’s basketball team the same pair of shoes.
“These are fire,” guard Kate Martin said while unboxing them. “I’m gonna have to break these out today during practice.”
“Those are 𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘!” 🤩
Thank you, Vanessa Bryant! #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/85DVDDaBiK
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 29, 2024
There were many “oohs” and “ahhs” as head coach Lisa Bluder unveiled the shoe, which features a multi-color use of teal, red, yellow, silver, and turquoise throughout the model. The colors are inspired by “the lively atmosphere of Venice Beach, known for its skateboarding scene and street basketball courts.”
Clark has famously worn the Nike Kobe 5 and 6 models throughout the past two seasons, wearing colorways such as the ‘Grinch’ and ‘Del Sol.’ She rocked the Nike Zoom Kobe 5 ‘Protro’ ‘Bruce Lee’ sneakers when she passed former Washington guard Kelsey Plum to become the all-time scoring leader in NCAA women’s basketball history against Michigan at home on Feb. 15.
Clark signed a brand deal with Nike in October 2022. Vanessa Bryant congratulated Clark on social media when she passed Pete Maravich as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history — men’s and women’s. Earlier this season, Clark surprised each of her teammates with a new pair of Nikes in honor of her 22nd birthday.
