Before his brief foray into having his own signature shoes with adidas, Kobe Bryant was envisioned as a cornerstone for adidas Basketball’s future. adidas signed the high school phenom in 1996, before that iconic NBA Draft. Soon after, the Lakers’ number 8 player brought attention to the brand’s EQT line of footwear through his appearances in the All-Star Game and his victory in the 1997 Dunk Contest. This led to a series of shoes that acted as a precursor to his own line, known as the KB8.

About the adidas Crazy 3 (Previously the KB8 III)

However, the third iteration in this series, the KB8 III, was reportedly Bryant’s least favorite. It saw limited time on the court, and its color options were few, as adidas was preparing to introduce his first official signature shoe, the adidas The KOBE.

Although this period of the adidas Kobe story was brief and not particularly memorable at the time, it unexpectedly became significant in the late 2010s. Quietly residing in the archives, the KB8 III was rediscovered by Kanye West (now Ye), who utilized the original sole of the EQT basketball shoe for his Yeezy 500. This bulky sneaker became a highly successful model within the adidas Yeezy collection.

In 2026, adidas will further revisit its history with the five-time champion by re-releasing the EQT KB8 III in its original color schemes. Due to legal considerations, this classic Kobe basketball shoe will be rebranded as the adidas Crazy 3.

Release Details

The adidas Crazy 3 is anticipated to debut in the Spring/Summer of 2026 for US$160. The initial colorways slated for release are Core White/Core Black/Collegiate Purple and Silver Metallic/Core Black/Halo Silver. Stay tuned for further details soon.

Source: Sneaker News

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