Kobe Bryant’s second signature shoe with adidas, the KB8 II, is being brought back for the first time since 2014.
The KB 8 II was originally released in 1998 and was last retro’d in 2014, rebranded as the Crazy 2 after Kobe Bryant left the Three Stripes. Ten years later, the classic basketball model is back, though rebranded once again as the Crazy 98.
Aside from the new name, the model has also been remastered in terms of specs. The 2014 retro featured an injected EVA midsole and didn’t feature any of the Adiprene cushioning that the OGs did. Adiprene cushioning returns on the Crazy 98, which should make these more comfortable than the ones released ten years ago.
The Crazy 98 makes its debut in the “Lakers Away” colorway, an OG colorway of the KB8 II that comes dressed primarily in black with white accents and hits of purple on the tongue and outsole.
The Crazy 98 follows in the footsteps of the Crazy 8, a retro of Kobe’s first signature shoe, the KB8, which adidas brought back in 2023 and continues to release colorways of in 2024. The Three Stripes also still keeps the Crazy 1 in rotation, a retro of the Bryant’s signature shoe originally known simply as The Kobe. Aside from retros, adidas also incorporates the DNA of its Kobe sneaker lineage to create new silhouettes, such as the Crazy IIInfinity and the Mad IIInfinity.
The adidas Crazy 98 in its OG “Lakers Away” colorway drops April 13th on adidas.com at at select retailers. Check out the official images below.
adidas Crazy 98 OG “Lakers Away”
Color: Core Black/Core White/Collegiate Purple
Style Code: IG8341
Release Date: April 13, 2024
Price: $150 USD
Resell: StockX
