Nike Kobe 6 ‘Grinch’ Sneaker Set To Release On Christmas Eve

The highly coveted Nike Kobe 6 “Grinch” is set to be released on Christmas Eve. How fitting for the Christmas themed shoe.

Oddly enough, though this shoe is now popularly referred to as the "Grinch" it was never Nike's intention and in fact, they drew inspiration for the shoe from the green mamba.

I find it hard to believe with a shoe that's so irresistibly Christmas. Here's a look at the Nike festive sneaker, the Kobe 6, and the changes they've made to the shoe since we first saw it on Kobe Bryant a decade ago.

The Announcement

Kobe fans and in the know sneakerheads are probably all too familiar with this shoe as it made quite the splash when they first came out. GQ sports has named it in its list of the nine greatest NBA sneakers ever.

Nike announced Tuesday that the much-coveted, Nike Kobe 6 “Grinch” sneaker is set to be released on December 24. The kicks are an iteration of the brightly colored pair of shoes that Kobe wore when the Lakers played against the Miami Heat in a Christmas Day game in 2010.

The ‘Grinch’ Sneaker

The Christmas -themed shoe takes its color inspiration from the classic Dr. Seuss tales, hence the name. The sneaker has a scaly texture, subtly reminiscent of the Grinch’s furry body.

The Black Mamba’s Nike sneaker comes in a striking, venom-green hue, and on the tongue of the sneaker, there a Santa inspired red detailing. Same on the back of the sneaker where the Black Mamba’s insignia is featured.

A Bit Of Backstory

Apart from the fact that we first saw this shoe on the hardwood during the Lakers versus Miami Heat game, the inspiration for the name the ‘Grinch’ wasn’t entirely intended by Nike, according to Sneaker News.

As you can probably tell from the description, the shoe was inspired by the green Mamba snake. Ironically, with it having been seen on Kobe’s feet on Christmas and now with its Christmas Eve release, it clearly has its ties with holidays and subsequently got coined by fans for its resemblance to the holiday antagonist (how fitting).

How Do They Compare With The Originals

Similar to their predecessors, the insoles read “I Want A Shoe That Molds to My Foot.” The words are split on either shoe and will come packaged with a duo of laces to choose from.

Availability

For fans who would like to get their hands on these festive sneakers, Nike has confirmed that they will be available via the Nike Sneakers app. They are set to be released on December 24 at $180 according to The Los Angeles Times.