First Look at the Nike Kobe 9 EM Protro “Hydrogen Blue”

2026 is just around the corner, which means a fresh new line of Kobe shoes is planned for this calendar year. We already saw the Kobe 9 EM “Purple Dynasty” hitting stores this month, while Black Mamba fanatics continue to rave about the upcoming Kobe 8 “Year Of The Horse” options (and they’re pretty good). Kobe Brand has managed to happily merge the performance and lifestyle worlds, but the Kobe 9 EM Protros range that started last fall seems tailor-made specifically for the field workers.

Later this spring season, a brand new colorway of the Kobe 9 EM Protro called “Hydrogen Blue” will be released. The softer hue engulfs the Engineered Mesh upper and midsole, while Light Photo Blue accentuates the bottom and interior for the team-based formula that has worked well for Nike so far. It kind of has that Minneapolis Lakers vibe because of the blue tones, though it’s not a perfect representation of the throwback franchise.

A release is expected sometime this spring 2026 for $190; a drop in February seems likely.