As a high-schooler going straight to the NBA, Kobe Bryant was quickly inundated with sponsorship opportunities. In the end, adidas swooped on Bryant’s footwear services alongside fellow high-schooler Tracy McGrady.
The first shoe both players wore on-court was the adidas EQT Top Ten 2010, which was a precursor to the “Feet You Wear” technology that emphasized barefoot feel and was later pushed across all adidas lines. Designed by Frampton Ellis, the shoe was noticeably lower to the ground and offered flexibility not seen in more bulky basketball shoes in the ‘90s.
Kobe didn’t get much burn in the EQT Top Ten 2010, coming off the bench early in his rookie season for Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. He would get his chance to shine later in the 1996-97 season in the adidas Elevation EQT.
The adidas EQT Top Ten 2010 is currently unavailable at retailers.
