If The Shoe Fits... The Unexpected Benefits of Lower Merion Alum Kobe Bryant's Footwear

When most people finish high school they more or less leave the place behind. They'll endure a reunion every decade or so – maybe drive by when they come home for Thanksgiving, or revisit it hazily in the occasional "pantless in physics" nightmare – but for the most part they dwell on the present, unclouded by thoughts of how they ended up in it.

A certain Lower Merion alum has a much closer relationship than this with the institution in which he came of age. This closeness is good news for Lower Merion because the alum in question has gone on to gain wealth and influence since he walked their halls. This closeness is interesting news to the rest of us because "he" is Kobe Bryant.

The story begins with feet.

In 2007, in response to a mania for all things throwback, Nike decided to manufacture a nostalgia stirring shoe line for one of their top pitchmen, and given that he hadn't attended college, or play for anyone but the Lakers during his pro career, they had no choice but to make the sneaks Lower Merion Aces themed. And so the Kobe Zoom II Lower Merion Aces was born. Propitiously for Nike – and as it would turn out, the Aces themselves – the gambit worked. The shoes sold like wildfire, and Nike, ever sensitive to the voice of the market, pumped out six more iterations in the intervening years. The most recent version of the Kobe Zoom V Lower Merion Aces is due out later this month. The Lower Merion basketballers, who each get two pairs of the sneaks each season, also agree with the market. The shoes are tight.

"Really nice shoes," said Aces swingman and Kobe benefactor Michael "Flied" Lyde with an expression that belied his understatement. "We like them, and we're thankful that Kobe supports us like that. It's a pleasure to know him."

The school district itself is also pleased to have known him.

"We get a percentage of sales," explained Lower Merion assistant basketball coach and communications director Doug Young. "Originally Nike just said, 'the shoes are something for the team,' and that was that. But the first one sold, and the next one did a limited run in Asia that sold out before they hit the shelves, and here we are seven runs later. ...  I don't think it's a huge amount of money (the district receives), but it helps."  

Kobe's tie to the community doesn't end with shoes either.

"Kobe has always had a strong relationship with the area," said Young. "This is home for him. He's always tried to stay connected to the people who were there his formative years."

He's especially connected, of course, to the basketball team he led to a state title in 1996.

"He comes back each year to meet with the kids, does a private meeting with the team, lets the guys watch him workout. This year he hosted us on a two week tour of California," Young said. "We got to see the Staples Center and some other iconic basketball locations."

Kobe's connection with the club deepened during the mid-aughts, when he was in a period of personal and professional turmoil, and his Aces were in the midst of a two-year playoff run that culminated in a state title in 2006 – ten years after his own.

"During that '05-'06 run –which was a tough time for him- the Aces really became a focus of his. He would call, give pep talks. He was really there for the guys," added Young.

And they were there for him. Quid pro quo.

The official release date for the Kobe Zoom V Lower Merion Aces has yet to be announced, but the shoe is expected to hit shelves (and fly off of them) later this month.

UPDATE: Foot Locker announced that the new Kobe Zoom V Lower Merion Aces will be released Saturday Sept. 11 at House of Hoops locations.