8 hours ago
Jalen Brunson’s sneakers kicked disconnected a comeback successful Game 1.
The New York Knicks constituent guard, 29, ditched his purple Nike Kobe 3s astatine halftime of Wednesday’s NBA Finals 2026 opener against nan San Antonio Spurs and laced up a brace of ray pistachio greenish Nike Kobe 6s instead.
The results said for themselves: Brunson scored conscionable 11 points successful nan first half, past rattled disconnected 19 points aft nan move — including 13 successful nan last 8 minutes — to decorativeness pinch a game-high 30 points successful New York’s 105-95 win.
“Im gonna request Brunson to ne'er deterioration Kobe 3’s again. Kobe 6’s for nan remainder of nan series,” 1 instrumentality wrote on X.
Others echoed nan sentiment on Instagram, pinch comments for illustration “He knows nan 6s where’s it’s at” and “Kobe 6s get nan occupation done again” flooding sneaker accounts.
As Knicks superfan Spike Lee erstwhile declared successful his iconic late-’80s Nike ads pinch Michael Jordan, “It’s gotta beryllium nan shoes” — and aft Wednesday night, Brunson’s fans look to wholeheartedly agree.
The Knicks defender hasn’t explained nan mid-game change, but he has worn Nike Kobes since precocious school, and reportedly moreover turned down his ain signature deal pinch Nike to support playing successful Bryant’s line.
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The devotion traces backmost to Christmas Day 2014, erstwhile Bryant handed a teenage Brunson a brace of Kobe 9s astatine a Lakers-Bulls crippled successful Chicago. Brunson wore nan kicks successful his adjacent precocious schoolhouse crippled — breaking his team’s colour norm successful nan process — and hasn’t looked back.
Nike has since made Brunson nan look of nan Kobe Protro series, collaborating pinch him connected exclusive colorways for illustration nan sold-out Kobe 6 “Statue of Liberty,” which retailed for $200 but are disposable connected nan resale marketplace for more than double that today.
With New York successful nan Finals for nan first clip since 1999 and Game 2 tipping disconnected coming successful San Antonio, nan only existent mobility is which Kobes Brunson will lace up next.
Smart money’s connected nan 6s.
