By Scott S Oberholser

A Kobe Bryant signature sneaker in green? What! That is just not right. The Laker's bitter rival wears that color. Relax. It's alright, the Kobe VI that dropped recently is not Celtic Green. It is something much different. It is Nike's version of dark green. A color they call "Gorge Green". This new green colorway of the Kobe VI is part of the Team Bank line of signature sneakers Nike released recently. Red, White, and Blue were also dropped. But it is the Gorge Green colorway that is new to the Team Bank series. It is also the best looking pair of the bunch.

Green Kobe VI

Aside from all of the sickest colorways ever used on a signature basketball sneaker, the Kobe VI features some of the most innovative, high performance technology ever used on a pair of basketball kicks. Nike's Flywire is used on this shoe in a new, three-layer construction. The first layer is in the form of mesh and is placed on the inside of the shoe. The second layer is the Flywire that is used on the upper. The third and final layer covers the upper and is made of breathable mesh that contains polyurethane islands that prevent the shoe from abrasion. This new tri-layer construction allows for a lighter, comfortable, and much more breathable shoe than the Kobe's of the past.

The midsole of the Kobe VI is also less thick than the past Kobe's. Phylon cushioning as well as Nike Zoom Air units are used in both the forefoot and heel sections of the midsole. As a result of a thinner midsole, the foot is placed closer to the ground and effectively creates increased stability. The outsole of the shoe uses a solid herringbone rubber that has been designed specifically for the game of Kobe and provides maximum traction. Some of the editions of the Kobe VI also include a rubber outsole that Nike calls XDR and is more durable for outdoor play.

Green Kobe VI

Although Kobe has not been seen nor heard from recently, his signature sneakers still continue to create a strong presence within the sneaker world. Several more colorways in addition to the Kobe VI Team Bank drops are slated for the next couple of months. This latest Gorge Green colorway will certainly keep Kobe shoe fanatics content for the time being. If not, there is always Red, White, or Blue to fill the void while we wait for the "Dark Knight" to drop.

Kobe Bryant shoes for basketball are still available in plenty of colorways. The amount of them that are being dropped have just slowed down.