Nike confirms that Kobe’s business has quadrupled in the last year

Recently, on October 1, Nike presented its results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. CFO Matt Friend shared the company’s revenue, which has seen significant growth compared to last year.

Of all the units, Kobe Bryant’s unit stood out the most. The sub-brand’s growth has quadrupled in the last 12 months, and Friend attributes much of its success to its growing footwear products. On an investor call, he told investors: “Looking more broadly at our product portfolio, particularly footwear, we see clear signs of progress in accelerating newness and innovation. Revenues from new footwear products in the first quarter increased significantly, by double digits compared to the previous year. This includes many franchises that have scaled rapidly based on unit growth over the last twelve months. For example, in performance footwear, Sabrina has grown about fivefold, Kobe has grown almost fourfold, and AlphaFly has grown almost threefold.”

Kobe products are still among the most sought-after Swoosh footwear products. In 2024 alone, 15 different silhouettes fell under the nickname Black Mamba. Sabrina Ionescu’s footwear development is gradually shifting the focus towards the WNBA and women’s basketball in general. Ionescu and the Bryant family have long had a good relationship on and off the pitch, so it’s no surprise that both Nike brands have seen a revival. Other silhouettes that have seen growth include “Vomero 5, P2K, and P-6000 (which) have more than quadrupled in size in the last year.”