How watching Manny Pacquiao spar inspired one of Kobe’s shoes

MANILA, Philippines – Since signing an endorsement deal with Nike in 2003, Kobe Bryant has partnered with the apparel brand to produce signature “Kobe” shoes that have been well-followed for over a decade now.

One shoe that was particularly popular, especially in the Philippines, was the Kobe IX which design was inspired by 8-division Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who signed a deal with Nike in 2011.

Bryant, who in the past has admitted to being a fan of the Filipino boxer, diverted from his usual low-cut shoes and went high-cut, similar to the shoes Pacquiao and other boxers wear in the boxing ring.

During the global media launch of the newest Kobe shoes – the Kobe 11 – Bryant told Rappler how watching Pacquiao spar once helped inspire the design for the Kobe IX.

(WATCH: Kobe Bryant on his new shoes)

“Well, you know, watching him spar one day I noticed he was wearing really high [shoes],” said Bryant at The Reserve in Downtown, Los Angeles, on Monday, December 14. “He said it was for ankle stability and things of that nature.”

At the time of those shoes’ designing and eventual release, Bryant was recuperating from a torn Achilles Tendon he suffered 8 months prior in a regular season game against the Golden State Warriors, making the protection of his ankle significant.

“I was thinking to myself, I went low. Maybe if I do go high, I’ll only go high if I can create a high shoe that performs like a low shoe,” he said.

“So when I was watching Manny perform, that’s when it came to me. I called the design team and said, ‘Listen, I wanna go really high.’ They said, ‘What do you mean?’

“I said, ‘Go really high, like boxing high,’ but I wanted it to feel like a low, and that’s how it started,” he said.

Bryant, who also said during the interview that he “loves it” in the Philippines, eventually returned to the low-cut design for the following two primary Kobe shoes he released.

The Los Angeles Lakers star recently announced the 2015-2016 NBA season, his 20th, will be his last. This season, Bryant is averaging 16.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a game as the Lakers have a 4-21 record.  – Rappler.com