Why It Will Be Hard to Buy the Nike Kobe 8 Protro 'Halo'

After three years of sporadic sneaker releases, loyal fans of Kobe Bryant have recently been given reasons for optimism. In recent weeks, Nike has made a flurry of exciting announcements surrounding the relaunch of the "Kobe Brand."

Nike is starting the new chapter by launching the Nike Kobe 8 Protro in the all-white 'Halo' colorway on Wednesday, August 23 (what would have been Bryant's 45th birthday). Not only will Bryant's signature sneakers and apparel be making a comeback, but Vanessa Bryant has hand-picked the first "Mamba Program" in college basketball.

It is a sharp change of course from the long and winding saga to which fans of the Los Angeles Lakers legend had grown accustomed. However, that excitement might need to be managed. The upcoming release of the Nike Kobe 8 Protro 'Halo' is rumored to be releasing in extremely limited quantities.

Nike Kobe 8 Protro Halo

According to the social media account @DailySNKRSStock, only 47,249 pairs of the Nike Kobe 8 Protro 'Halo' have been produced. For context, that is only a slight increase from the approximately 40,024 pairs of Nike Kobe 4 Protro 'Mambacita' that were released in limited quantities in May 2023.

If the rumored numbers are accurate, that is a drop in the bucket compared to the over 500,000 pairs of the Air Jordan 1 High 'Lost & Found' sneakers produced in 2022 (and all those sneakers sold out within seconds online.)

While FanNation Kicks cannot confirm the rumored production numbers, it will be disheartening to many loyal fans who have been more than patient with Nike over the past three years. The silver lining is that 10+ Nike Kobe sneakers are scheduled to release over the next year. You can bookmark our Nike Kobe release calendar, which we continuously update with the latest news.

Bottom Line: The Nike Kobe 8 Protro 'Halo' is scheduled to release on Wednesday, August 23, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Online shoppers can try to purchase the shoes on the Nike SNKRS website and app. However, only 47,249 pairs of the basketball shoes are rumored to have been produced, which means they will sell out instantly online.

Further Reading

Look: Five NCAA programs that could be the next "Kobe Brand" school.

News: Adidas is opening its archives and reprising several retro Kobe sneakers.

Story: Lakers legend Magic Johnson explains why he turned down Nike stock in 1979.