At the beginning of 2020, among the many open questions after the dramatic end of Kobe Bryant, there was a somewhat marginal issue: what would happen to his iconic Nike sneakers? Bryant had long been one of the most successful endorsers of the famous Swoosh, thanks to a line of shoes that became popular among both fans and NBA colleagues. His passing raised many uncertainties, including the contractual deadline and the evident acrimony between Nike and the Bryant family, making fans realize they were facing a situation not easily resolved. Last week, however, news arrived that the managers of Bryant’s estate and Nike had met and decided to continue the production of his sneaker line. The resolution takes effect immediately, and Bryant’s legendary shoes will soon be back in production.
What was the tortuous path that finally led to the agreement? The friction between the parties seems to have started well before Bryant’s death. After his retirement in 2016, the champion felt that his sneakers were being somewhat sidelined, and the new Nike releases of the Kobe A.D. line were not being pushed with the same commitment as before. In December 2020, entrepreneur Shervin Pishevar revealed that, before the tragic accident, Bryant had plans to part ways with Nike upon the expiration of their contract.
Upon his death on January 26, 2020, Nike suspended all sneaker sales until August of the same year. After the deadline, several new Kobe shoes were presented during the week celebrating the legacy left by the man who had represented the very idea of basketball for years. In the following months, we saw the launch of countless retro models, including the unforgettable Kobe 6 “Grinch”. However, the entire operation had a strange taste. According to fans, production numbers were low, leading to instant SNKRS sell-outs and subsequent skyrocketing resale prices. Kobe’s Nike sneakers were more in demand than ever, but the market seemed unprepared to meet the demand of eager fans wanting to wear a pair of their hero’s sneakers.
Less than a year later, the Bryant estate decided not to renew the contract with Nike. In a report by the US television broadcaster ESPN, sources claimed that low production numbers, lack of availability in youth sizes, and Nike’s refusal to offer Bryant’s estate a lifetime contract, similar to those given to Michael Jordan and LeBron James, contributed to the split. For these reasons, the Kobe 6 Protro “Del Sol”, released in June 2021, was said to be the last Nike-signed Kobe model.
A few months later, photos of an unreleased and seemingly real Kobe sneaker that Vanessa Bryant herself had helped design as a tribute to her late daughter Gigi, leaked online. Vanessa reacted negatively, releasing a statement asserting that she had not approved the sneaker’s production, expressing genuine dismay that someone had acted behind her back.
Since the Kobe sneakers were the most popular in the league, NBA players accustomed to wearing them on the court soon found themselves needing to hoard them. Chicago Bulls’ star, Demar DeRozan, admitted in a recent interview that he had to scale back his habit of giving away his game-worn shoes to fans at the arena, as they had suddenly become a limited resource.
In the near future, this unusual scarcity will cease to be a problem: the newly renewed partnership between Bryant and Nike will change the situation and advance the myth of the immense NBA player. Through her Instagram, Vanessa Bryant announced that the Nike Kobe line will focus its efforts on accessibility and spreading basketball among youths.
In addition to a youth sports center project in California, the Bryant estate revealed that the first sneaker produced by the new partnership will be the Mambacita 6, in homage to Gigi, the thirteen-year-old daughter who died with her father in the helicopter crash. It is the same model whose photos seemingly announced the definitive break with Nike.
All proceeds from the sneaker will be donated to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, the Bryant family’s non-profit organization that raises funds for disadvantaged young athletes. The release of new colorways could become an annual tradition, along with the allocation of sales proceeds to the same charity organization. Kobe’s dedication to mentoring future generations of basketball players, particularly his focus on encouraging young women in sports, could not find a more concrete and fitting expression.