Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Lower Merion Aces” Releases March 23rd

One of the most heavily-anticipated Kobes of 2026 is right on the horizon. The Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Lower Merion Aces” now has a release date of March 23rd, 2026, coinciding with the most detailed images we’ve seen yet.

Nike released a total of four Kobe 5s inspired by high school teams in 2010: two for Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, which Kobe attended, and two for Rice High School in New York, which Kobe sponsored once upon a time. This 2026 Protro reprises the “Lower Merion Aces – Away” colorway, arguably the strongest of the entire quartet. Nike Basketball made a number of other Lower Merion tributes throughout the late 2000s and 2010s, appearing on the Kobe 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, and even the Nike Hyperdunk OG, for which Kobe served as the standard bearer.

Sixteen years later, the best and most widely recognized “Lower Merion Aces” shoe is back in our headlines. The gallery below shows a design pretty true to the original, saddled with a Metallic Silver base, White midsole, and Team Red across the forefoot and lining. One key visual change appears on the heel, now featuring a Team Red ace emblem and Kobe’s #33 high school jersey number across the left and right shoes, respectively. The original version instead carried white “ace” text within black ace emblems on both heels.

The Kobe 5 “Lower Merion Aces” is joined by a supporting cast of lifestyle releases: two colorways each of the Air Force 1 Low Protro and Nike Dunk Low Protro. Expect a March 23rd, 2026 drop via Nike SNKRS and Nike Basketball retailers. Retail is set at $200 USD.