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Nike Set to Release Black and Gold Kobe XI Elite ‘Great Career Recall’ (GCR) Sneakers

By Eric Yee

Apr 13, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine (8) wears special gold Nike shoes in honor of Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant in the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine (8) wears special gold Nike shoes in honor of Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant in the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sticking to their promise, even in retirement, Nike will still continue to release new shoes for Lakers’ legend, Kobe Bryant this time with the black and gold Kobe XI Elite GCR

Nike hit the gold mine when they decided to re-release every pair of sneakers from Kobe Bryant’s line in the Fade to Black Pack, including the 2K4 Huaraches and 2005 Hyperdunks, and they don’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.

Even in retirement from the Los Angeles Lakers, the superstar guard revealed that the team over at Nike will still be releasing new Kobe XIs and additonal Kobe models, a la Michael Jordan, moving forward.

Nearly every year, Nike releases a general model as well as an “Elite” version of their premier athletes’ shoes — Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and now, Kyrie Irving — which supposedly features improved tech, but often falls short of its predecessor. This is exactly the case with the Kobe XI, with the first pair of Elites being deemed the “Great Career Recall” or GCR.

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Extremely similar to the Kobe XI featured in the FTB pack, the Kobe XI Elite GCR features a black flyknit upper with gold accents — Nike Swoosh, Kobe emblem, etc. — but the sole is white instead of the all black on the former.

The shoe also features two black pull tabs, the inside featuring 24 golden stars and the outside donning two gold stars encompassed in a golden wreath. Ironically, despite being the Elite more expensive version of the Kobe XI, the shoe has removed material from the heel which would seem to make the shoe less supportive.

These shoes are already available overseas and will likely be general release, meaning they won’t rack up the re-sell value of the Kobe XI FTB which at one point was over $1,000 per pair.

Next: Lakers Summer League Roster Beginning to Take Shape

There has yet to be an official release date set on these, so we’ll be sure to update you with any new information regarding Kobe’s latest sneakers.

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