Is This The World's Craziest Kobe Collector?
A tiny dot in the Pacific Ocean, Guam is home to palm trees, coastal breezes and Marvin Ocampo's crazy collection of Kobes! With 77 pairs of the Black Mamba's signature sneaks to his name and a camera in his hand, the man they call Spoiledfeet has made a name for himself with an impressive array of Kobe's kicks and his own phenomenal photographic skills. Marvin spoke to Sneaker Freaker about ballin' in Bryants and scoring sneakers in Micronesia!
So let's start with the basics, how many Kobe sneakers are in your collection?
I have more than a hundred pairs of shoes, and 77 of them are Kobes.
Where do you think the Kobe line is going? The Kobe 1-3 were all very different looking sneakers. The 4 revolutionised basketball sneakers, but since then the silhouettes have been similar, with some saying the 7 looks too similar to the 6. Do you think it's time for another big redesign?
Yes, I think it's time to give each Kobe model their own distinctive look instead of just tweaking some part of the shoe. They don't have to be a midtop/hi top again like the Kobe 1-3 but they should start from scratch and use a different kind of technology other than Flywire. Also, I think people are getting tired of the whole 'snake' theme and repetitive use of same colorways for every model.
Everybody knows what adidas' The Kobe looks like, but what is it like to wear?
It feels like you're in outer space! Haha. But other than that, it's pretty comfortable and provides a lot of support. Also, they're pretty heavy, as you know that shoe has a lot of padding. But hey, as long as they look good!
Which Kobe has been the best to play in?
I prefer wearing the Kobe 3 when playing basketball. What I like about those shoes is that they're pretty light and the ankle feel is great. Best of all, breathability is amazing even after hours of playing.
Is there any model in the line of Kobes (adidas or Nike) that you wouldn't wear?
Yea, the Nike Zoom Kobe 2 Lite. The first time I wore those shoes, it scraped off my skin on my heel and ankle area due to the way the shoe was made. There wasn't much padding on the heel lining. I never wore the shoe again.
What do you think would have happened if Kobe stayed at adidas?
I think that Kobe would have more moon shoes. Haha. I don't think that the Kobe line would be as successful as it is now with Nike. We all know that Kobe is pretty vocal when it comes to what he wants in his shoe. Nike is the perfect place for him because they allow him to have his personal input when it comes to his products, which he didn't have when he was with adidas.
You've got some awesome photos of your sneakers, is it a hobby or are you professional?
It recently just became a hobby of mine. I usually take pictures in my spare time. To be honest, I'm still in the process of learning how to use all the different settings of my camera. So far, I'm still on the point and shoot setting haha!
What is the scene like in Guam? Are you able to buy Kobes there?
Guam is an island in the Pacific, it's like a smaller version of Hawaii. We don't really have many places here to buy shoes other than Footlocker. So most of the time, I buy on eBay, especially when it comes to rare sneakers.
Which of the Kobes do you think will be the most collectable in future?
Anything that is a limited edition, or player exclusives like the Zoom Kobe 1 that Kobe wore when he scored 81 points.
Now for the last and most obvious question, which is your favourite Kobe?
My favorite is the Adidas Kobe Two Eggplant and Zoom Kobe IV MLK.
Thanks Marvin!