Kobe Bryant x Nike Air Force 1 Low “Linen” Giving MPLS Lakers Vibes

A potential nod to the Laker's origins.

Matt Varga March 27, 2025

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It’s easy to forget given their shimmering history since then, but the Lakers can’t be extricated from Minneapolis, their initial home and one that got the franchise off to a winning start with five championships. Some 40 years after the move, Kobe Bryant would add his own five championships to the franchise’s ledger. This Fall, the Kobe Bryant x Nike Air Force 1 Low “Linen” presents an opportunity to blend those two legacies.

Of course, in these intial reports of the upcoming release, info is scant — only a color combo of “Linen/University Blue” is concrete at this stage. However, going off of the two previous Air Force 1 releases, the Laker lineage clearly weighs heavy on this burgeoning collab series, and spinning off from the black and gold into Minneapolis blue would be a fitting way to expand its reach. Though the combination leads us to believe that the overall colorway should be easily digestible, that the textured Sheath-laden upper of the 2024 “Black” edition showcases how Swoosh designers are willing to elevate otherwise simplistic fare with unexpected, off-the-beaten path detailing.

Expect the Kobe Bryant Nike Air Force 1 “Linen” to release for the Fall 2025 shopping season, which would place a release date somewhere between July and September.

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WHERE TO BUY

Mens Nike Air Force 1 Low

SKU: IH1018-200

RETAIL PRICE: $150

RELEASE DATE: 2025

US 2025

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Nike SNKRS US	Standard	Check Site

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Initial report and above mock-up images via SneakerMarket.ro.

Written by

Matt Varga, Junior Editor

Matt Varga is an Editor at SneakerNews. Initially earning a degree in Video Arts and Technology, he got his start in video editing and writing in the music world — primarily on hip-hop and electronic. A long-standing interest in sneakers led him to switching over to footwear. An avid collector, his favorite sneaker of all time comes down to either the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe” and Air Jordan 5 “Laney,” his first ever pick-ups. When he’s not writing, you can find Matt cooking, traveling, attending concerts and when weather permits, on the handball court.