Nike opened a new chapter at the end of 2020 and refreshed the Kobe 6 design with the Nike Kobe 6 Protro Grinch. The Kobe 6 Grinch originally debuted in 2011 when Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers faced LeBron James’ Miami Heat in a legendary match up on Christmas Day. This is the first Kobe 6 to receive the Kobe Protro treatment, a design process that takes classic Kobe designs and updates them with modern tech for improved performance.

At a first glance, the Nike Kobe 6 Grinch looks identically like the OG pair from 2011: it features a Green Apple and Volt textured, snake-inspired upper as a tribute to Kobe’s Black Mamba moniker. A black Swoosh, red Kobe branding on the tongue, and green translucent outsole accentuate the shoe’s reptile theme. But, because this is a Protro, there are some differences. The updated Kobe 6 Grinch arrives with a more responsive Zoom Air cushioning system and scaled-down traction for an improved court feel. The silhouette shape is even altered to provide a lower, sleeker fit.