DeMar DeRozan Makes History in Vintage Kobe Shoes
Growing up in the shadow of Staples Center, DeMar DeRozan was highly influenced by the late-great Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. After his collegiate career at USC ended, DeRozan built a close relationship with Bryant in the NBA.
Almost everything about DeRozan's game is an homage to his mentor. The defense, the midrange shot, and of course, the sneakers. Last night, DeRozan achieved an incredible milestone. The 33-year-old surpassed 20,000 career points.
In an interview with The Athletic, DeRozan discussed how Bryant was on his mind leading up to the historic night. "My imagination and my foundation started from Kobe," DeRozan told Darnell Mayberry.
It was only right that DeRozan makes history against his old team, the San Antonio Spurs, in a pair of Kobe Bryant's vintage Nike basketball shoes. Below is what fans need to know about DeRozan's kicks.
Nike Kobe 10 Elite 'Rose Gold'
DeMar DeRozan wears the Nike Kobe 10 Elite in the 'Rose Gold' colorway.
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
DeRozan wore a pair of Nike Kobe 10 Elite in the 'Rose Gold' colorway. The high-top basketball shoes were released in June 2015 for $225. The shoes now have an average resale price of $528, according to StockX.
Bryant made sneaker history several times - a contract with Adidas in high school, sneaker free agency, and the low-top revolution. However, the 9th and 10th models from Bryant's signature line came in low-top and high-top versions. DeRozan is clearly a fan of the classics.
Since Bryant's tragic passing in January 2020, Nike has only released limited quantities of his iconic basketball shoes. Nike and the Bryant estate reached a new deal last spring following a nearly year-long hiatus. But the future of the Kobe sneaker line remains unclear.
In August, DeRozan signed a four-year contract extension with Nike. Shams Charania of The Athletic tweeted that DeRozan would remain the featured face of the Kobe sneaker line. Vanessa Bryant quickly disputed Charania's line about DeRozan being the face of Kobe sneakers.
The future of the Nike Kobe sneaker line is unclear, but the impact of Bryant on DeRozan has never been more evident. Hopefully, basketball fans get to watch many more years of the prodigy paying tribute to the mentor.
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