In 2002, Kobe Bryant Reportedly Paid $8 Million to Leave adidas; He Spent the Next Season Wearing Other Brands Before Nike Signed Him for Roughly $40 Million.

Seeing Kobe Bryant in Nikes feels completely normal, but getting there was a little messy. In 2002, he reportedly paid $8 million to get out of his adidas deal, then spent the entire 2002-03 season without a sneaker contract. That gave us one of the more fun stretches of his sneaker history, because Kobe wore everything from Air Jordans and Reeboks to Converse and Nike before eventually choosing the Swoosh.

Why Did Kobe Bryant Leave adidas?

Kobe was over the look adidas kept handing him. His shoes leaned on Feet You Wear tech and Audi-inspired shapes, and a third The Kobe was reportedly ready for fall 2002. He walked anyway.

What Did Kobe Wear Without a Sneaker Deal?

Reebok got the most run, mostly Question PEs. Jordan Brand stacked PEs too, and he still found room for Nike, Converse, and AND1.

More Sneaker History and Jordan Coverage

• The Real ‘Banned’ Jordan Was Never an Air Jordan 1
• Nike’s Philly Air Force 1 Puts the 215 on the Heel
• The ‘White Infrared’ Air Jordan 6 Has Nike Air Back, and a New Color Debate

How Much Did Nike Pay Kobe Bryant?

Nike signed him in summer 2003 for a reported $40 million, five times the buyout. That messy year in between ended up being a pretty great ad for the Swoosh.

Sneakers Kobe Bryant Wore During the 2002-03 Season

Brand	Sneaker
Reebok	Question PE ‘Yellow Toe’
Reebok	Question PE ‘Purple Toe’
Reebok	Answer IV ‘Purple’
Jordan	Air Jordan 3 PE
Jordan	Air Jordan 7 ‘Away’ PE
Jordan	Air Jordan 8 ‘Lakers’ PE
Jordan	Air Jordan 11 ‘Concord’
Nike	Air Force 1 Mid
Nike	Air Flight Huarache PE
Converse	Weapon ‘Lakers’

Related: In 1984, Michael Jordan wore black-and-red Nikes the NBA said broke its rules; Nike sold the ‘Banned’ story with the Air Jordan 1, but he was wearing a different shoe

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