Kobe Bryant created his own shots as well as any player in NBA history. On this episode of Signature Shots, ESPN analyst Kirk Goldsberry traces the Mamba’s evolution from a rim-attacking rookie to the master of unassisted two-point jumpers.
The estate of Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa are no longer affiliated with sneaker giant Nike, as the late Lakers great’s contract with the company has now expired.
“With Kobe Bryant’s five-year, post-retirement endorsement extension with Nike having expired this month, Vanessa Bryant and the Kobe Bryant estate elected not to renew the partnership, she confirmed to ESPN in a statement Monday night,” wrote Nick DePaula of ESPN.com.
Kobe Bryant spent his first several years being sponsored by Adidas, even though Adidas was never a big-time player on the basketball shoe market.
Eventually, he joined Nike, starting a fruitful partnership for both parties.
“Kobe’s Nike contract expired on 4/13/21,” Vanessa Bryant, widow of the Lakers legend, told ESPN. “Kobe and Nike have made some of the most beautiful basketball shoes of all time, worn and adored by fans and athletes in all sports across the globe. It seems fitting that more NBA players wear my husband’s product than any other signature shoe.”
Kobe Bryant and eight others died in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. last January.
His influence on basketball and its culture is still seen to this day, as several current NBA players still wear his signature sneakers.
Interestingly, there are reports that before his passing, Kobe Bryant was planning on leaving Nike to form his own sneaker company and disrupt the entire industry.
That desire may have been fueled by some differences with Nike.
“According to a source, Bryant and the estate had grown frustrated with Nike limiting the availability of Kobe product during his retirement and after his January 2020 death in a helicopter crash,” wrote DePaula. “There was also frustration with the lack of availability of Kobe footwear in kids sizes, according to sources.
“Nike, sources said, had presented an extension offer that was not in line with expectations of an ongoing ‘lifetime’ structure similar to the Nike Inc. contracts held by both Michael Jordan and LeBron James.”
Source: Lakers Daily
Kobe Bryant taught us to be better-a better scorer, better GOAT, better father. His philosophy of #MambaMentality changed the game and continues to inspire athletes like Serena Williams, Anthony Davis, Sydney Leroux, Diana Taurasi and Sky Brown today.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to make Aug. 24 “Kobe Bryant Day,” according to TMZ Sports.
The date honors the two jerseys worn by Bryant during his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, No. 8 and No. 24. The Hall of Famer was killed in January in a helicopter crash alongside his daughter Gianna and seven other people.
Los Angeles City Council had previously celebrated a Kobe Bryant Day on Aug. 24 in 2016 following his retirement from the NBA.
Source: Bleacher Report
Memphis Grizzlies rookie star Ja Morant (Nike) debuts new “JA12” logo in Orlando. These past couple months were good opportunity to work on personal branding concepts & direction
Shaq briefly discussed how his relationship with Kobe turned sour prior to O’Neal making the move to the Miami Heat. This is exactly what Shaq does not want to relive, and the very reason why he believes the documentary would be a bad idea.
Source: ClutchPoints
In his 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant was the heart of the city and stands as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. For the majority of his life, basketball was the most important thing, but he was so much more than an athlete. Kobe was a husband, a father, a friend, and a mentor. It’s heartbreaking that we’ll never get to see his future dreams realized, but we can know one thing: like every other chapter in his life, it would’ve been great.
The Mamba Sports Academy was launched in 2018 as a joint athletic training business venture with Bryant and Sports Academy CEO Chad Faulkner. The name will change back to The Sports Academy on Tuesday, with a new website and logo rebranding, Faulkner told The Undefeated.
The name “Mamba” was a part of Bryant’s nickname, “The Black Mamba,” which he gave to himself.
“Our beliefs and thoughts are Kobe is one of one. ‘Mamba’ is one of one,” Faulkner told The Undefeated. “And with that as we carry on as The Sports Academy, it’s more appropriate to put Kobe in another Hall of Fame, if you will, and to really respect a legacy that is really unrivaled, frankly, and let that live on its own. We will continue to do the work we do.
Source: ESPN
Kyrie Irving’s Nike logo is nice. The letter I is split into two halves. It was intended to symbolize a Roman numeral 2. #2 was unavailable when he was a Celtic, and he settled for #11 (high school) which still works since the two halves in the logo also look like a number 11.
There was no immediate information about how many total tickets will be for sale to the public. The tickets will be priced in three tiers: $224 for one, $224 for two or $24.02 for one. (Kobe played wearing the jersey No. 24 for the last 10 years of his career; Gianna, who also played basketball, wore the No. 2.) The rest of the tickets are reserved for friends, family and members of the N.B.A. community.
Source: LA Times
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