For any professional basketball player, having a signature shoe is the ultimate achievement, a symbol of recognition and legacy. For Sabrina Ionescu, that dream became a reality when she joined an exclusive group of WNBA stars to get her signature line in the year 2023. Sabrina Ionescu has truly paved the way for a new era of WNBA athletes with signature sneakers. But with such a proud feat, what landed Ionescu in trouble?

Wait before we land into the ‘trouble’. Her Nike models, the Sabrina 1 and 2, have gone beyond the women’s basketball court, with NBA players like Jrue Holiday, Moses Moody, and Cade Cunningham seen playing with her shoes. After Sabrina Ionescu led the New York Liberty to a thrilling championship victory last year, Nike is gearing up to elevate her legacy even further with the debut of the Nike Sabrina 3 in Fall 2025! But not everyone is on board with the hype.

But what is the controversy behind such a sneaker lineup? Lack of creativity! And of course, you can’t keep the most important stakeholders—fans — away from the issue. One fan took to X to voice their frustration, criticizing Nike for a lack of innovation and even comparing the Sabrina 2 to the legendary Kobe 5.

Fans have every right to call out Nike for recycling the Kobe 5’s design, but when a shoe delivers elite performance and timeless style, can you blame them? Fans quickly rallied behind the criticism, echoing concerns that Nike has lost its creative edge. Many pointed out how the brand once set the standard for innovation with its retro models now seems to be playing it safe. Let’s take a look at what the sneakerheads have had to say! But was this just one fan moment?

Fans angry at Nike for recycling the same designs for shoes like Sabrina 2

There’s no debating the fact that Kobe 5 is an all-time classic. Countless NBA and WNBA stars still lacing them up to this day. So, is it a surprise that Nike keeps borrowing from greatness? At the end of the day, when a sneaker is that good, why reinvent right? The same sentiments got reciprocated by an enthusiast on X who replied to the video by saying, “Nike just reworks the Kobe for every player signature shoe it’s definitely lazy but at the same time damn near every player hoops in Kobe’s. I’m pretty sure the players have a little say in the design so it could be the players fault.” 

To understand how good the Kobe shoes are, a ‘Bryant admirer’ dropped some eye-opening stats. This season alone, the Kobe 6 has used a staggering 15,096 minutes on the court, while the Sabrina 2 has already logged 7,867 minutes and counting. This just shows how good the shoes are and why athletes prefer using them!

For sneakerheads, design often trumps technology. And why not? If a shoe doesn’t look good, does it even matter how advanced it is? One fan backed this sentiment shared by the video creator, saying, “Made excellent points I’m with buddy!!”, a clear sign that aesthetics hold a serious weight in the sneaker game. But like it or not, Nike continues to prioritize innovation over flashy new designs!

To draw a parallel on how identical Sabrina 2 and the Kobe 5 are, a frustrated sneakerhead took to X, saying, “Tell me the Sabrina 2 isn’t a wanna-be Kobe 5. #CTESPN” and they weren’t alone. Another backed the claim of the video creator with, “He has some good points. The Ja Morants and Sabrinas are just a copy and paste of Kobe’s line.”

If we’re breaking it down technically, the Sabrina 2 is essentially a Kobe 5-lite. The difference? It has a more flexible upper and a slightly dialed-down cushion setup. Both sneakers boast elite-level traction as well! So why buy yourself a pair of Sabrina 2? Well, because it is cheap!

The Sabrina 2 may be a copy, but it’s a damn good one. And if you want to get a Kobe 5 but don’t have the budget, the Sabrina 2 is the savior! It’s got the look, the feel, and the performance without you having to break the bank!