Nike Zoom Kobe 1 “81 Points” Returning In 2026

Marking the 20th anniversary of Kobe's legendary scoring feat.

Andrew Rizzo 5 hours

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Kobe Bryant gave us one of the greatest scoring performances ever in 2006, dropping an unfathomable 81 points on the Chris Bosh, Jalen Rose, and the Toronto Raptors in a Lakers win at home. With 2026 marking the 20th anniversary of that legendary showing, Nike is re-releasing the sneakers Kobe wore for the occasion.

The Nike Kobe 1 “81 Points” was released as a limited PE in 2007 and then again as a Protro in 2019. Importantly, Kobe’s 81-point game preceded the wide release of the Nike Kobe 1 by about a month. No images of the 2026 Protro have surfaced yet, but the sneaker is expected to feature the same “White/Black/Court Purple” blocking alongside modern performance upgrades.

Kobe’s 81 point game occurred on January 22nd, so we’ll likely see a release on or around that date next year. Enjoy official images of the 2019 pair below and stay tuned for further updates.

: Nike Kobe 1 Protro “81 Points” (2019)

: Nike Kobe 1 Protro “81 Points” (2019)

: Nike Kobe 1 Protro “81 Points” (2019)

: Nike Kobe 1 Protro “81 Points” (2019)

: Nike Kobe 1 Protro “81 Points” (2019)

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Info via @zsneakerheadz and @sneakerfiles.

Written by

Andrew Rizzo, Junior Editor

Andrew Rizzo is an editor at Sneaker News based out of New York City. His primary interests include Air Jordan, Nike ACG, Nike Air Max, and New Balance footwear. Prior to joining Sneaker News, Andrew covered youth sports for several outlets and worked at one of the world’s top performance marketing agencies. He hails from Astoria, Queens and is a huge New York sports fan, particularly when it comes to the Knicks and Yankees.