A sequel caught between two calendars
The KB8 II is a 1998 release associated with the shortened 1998–99 NBA season. Those dates are compatible: the shoe reached the market in the fall of 1998, while the lockout delayed the season in which Kobe Bryant wore it. Dating the model only to 1999 confuses its basketball visibility with its retail introduction. Throwback Thursday: adidas KB8 II Black/Imperial/Silver
Design: James Carnes. As a chapter in the series, its role was evolutionary. It developed the expressive, rounded language of the first shoe rather than introducing the automotive minimalism that would arrive with THE KOBE. The Evolution of Kobe Bryant’s Signature Sneakers
What changed in the design
The wavy molding of the upper is the model’s clearest visual signature. A translucent window reveals the three-stripe branding underneath, so the logo becomes something seen through the construction. The original black/purple and purple/white arrangements make those layers especially easy to read. adidas Crazy 2 Rerelease Announced
The result is visually denser than a simple leather basketball shoe. Rounded sections compete with sweeping lines, and the upper does not disappear into the sole. This is a design reading rather than a laboratory performance claim: the KB8 II looks like an attempt to make every part of the shoe visibly active.
Feet You Wear remains central to its historical identity. The distinction between concept and component is useful here: the foot-shaped, curved platform explains the design approach, while a claim about a particular cushioning material needs evidence for the exact original or retro release being discussed.
Lakers colors and original-era evidence
Black/Imperial/Silver is the dark original reference. Black gives the upper a unified base, while purple and silver bring contrast to the layered design. The palette connects a visually elaborate shoe to the Lakers without making every surface bright.
Purple/White reverses that balance by making purple the dominant expression. The light sections break up the strong color and keep the undulating construction legible. Beside the darker original, it shows how much the same silhouette can change when the team's accent color takes the lead.
A documented game-worn white/purple pair in the SCP Auctions archive provides a different kind of evidence. Its listing describes player-sample tagging and period Kobe markings. It supports what Kobe wore, but a player sample is not automatic proof that an identical configuration was sold to the public. 1998-99 Kobe Bryant Game Worn adidas KB8 II
The 2014 return as Crazy 2
The KB8 II returned under the Crazy 2 name in 2014. Contemporary reporting separates early retailer arrivals from the official adidas launch on July 1, with a listed US price of $125. That is a retro release date and price, not the original 1998 launch information. adidas Crazy 2: Official Release Date
A first-hand WearTesters video from June 2014 also identifies the physical retro as Crazy 2/KB8 II. This matters because “Crazy 2” later became ambiguous: adidas reused the name for the much boxier THE KOBE TWO revival in 2025. The original model name is the most reliable way to keep the two histories apart. adidas Crazy 2 (KB8 II) Retro adidas Crazy 2 Silver Metallic Just Dropped
Reissues are not all the same object
The 98 x Crazy BYW project added another branch. Coverage in 2018 described a KB8 II-inspired design with Boost at the heel. That modernization belongs to its own release history; it does not mean the 1998 KB8 II used Boost, and the journalistic comparison with a “Protro” does not make it a Nike Protro product. adidas’ Own Kobe Protro Is Coming
The KB8 II is best understood as the bridge between the first signature and the final KB8 generation. Its historical interest comes from that transition, its limited original color vocabulary and the naming problems created by later revivals. A precise label should say KB8 II, then identify the year, color and whether the pair is original, retro or redesigned.
Frequently asked questions
Did the KB8 II launch in 1998 or 1999?
The original retail release is dated to fall 1998; its principal NBA association is the delayed 1998–99 season.
Is every adidas Crazy 2 a KB8 II?
No. The name identifies KB8 II retros from 2014 and was also used for THE KOBE TWO’s 2025 return.
Did the original KB8 II have Boost?
No. The heel-Boost connection belongs to the later 98 x Crazy BYW redesign.
Editorial research checked on October 16, 2026.
