basketball
Honoring Kobe Bryant: Widow Vanessa Bryant teams up with Nike to produce new “Mamba” sneakers
“Kobe Bryant means so much to so many of us, not just NBA fans,” said John Donahoe, Nike President and CEO
© Damian Dovarganes/ / Picture Alliance
“My husband’s shoes are still the most worn on the NBA courts,” says Vanessa Bryant. Now she has signed a new contract with Nike, the proceeds of which will be donated.
Vanessa Bryant has signed a new contract with sportswear manufacturer Nike. The brand wants to honor the legacy of the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi, Nike announced on Thursday.
“I’m so proud that my husband’s shoes are still the most worn shoes on the NBA courts and continue to be so popular with fans around the world,” Vanessa Bryant wrote on Instagram.
NBA star: deal with Kobe Bryant expired last year
The first sneakers to be released as part of the partnership are the Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16”, which will honor Gigi Bryant. All proceeds go to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.
In April 2021, Kobe Bryant’s original deal with Nike expired. The sportswear giant signed him in 2003. The deal turned out to be one of the most lucrative sponsorship deals in history and helped the brand strengthen its position in the basketball segment. Many fans were prepared for the fact that Nike would no longer launch any new Kobe sneakers.
Construction of a basketball center for youth
“Kobe Bryant means so much to so many of us, not just to NBA fans but worldwide beyond the sport,” said John Donahoe, Nike President and CEO, in a press release.
In addition, Nike and Vanessa Bryant plan to build a youth basketball center in Southern California. This should “share the Mamba mentality with young athletes of future generations,” says Vanessa Bryant.
Kobe Bryant and eight other people, including his 13-year-old daughter Gigi, died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. He was 41 years old. Gigi was traded as a junior player for the North American Women’s Basketball League WNBA.
swell: Vanessa Bryant / Instagram, CNN