Kobe Bryant's Nike Sneakers Have Strengthened His Legacy
It has been four years since the tragic death of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. January 26, 2020, will always be the most painful day as a sports fan for millions of other people around the world.
Luckily, the entire basketball and sneaker communities have taken it upon themselves to keep Bryant's legacy alive. While there have been plenty of ups and downs, and there is a lot more work left to be accomplished, the stakeholders have done a commendable job of retelling the story of Bryant's iconic career.
Nike has become the de facto flamekeeper for the Black Mamba. Over the past year, Nike has worked with Vanessa Bryant to relaunch the Kobe Brand, establish Mamba Programs in the NCAA, and roll out a new "That's Mamba" marketing campaign during NBA games on Christmas Day.
Even better for fans, Nike has released four of Bryant's signature sneakers in 2023, and at least ten more releases are scheduled to take place in 2024. As a testament to the advanced technology Bryant demanded of Nike, his performance basketball shoes still hold up more than a decade after their original launch.
A detailed look at the Nike Kobe 6 Protro 'Reverse Grinch' sneakers.
© Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Using only minor adjustments, Bryant's retro sneakers have been reissued under the Protro (Performance + retro) in new and original colorways. Of course, no brand can tell a story better than Nike.
The result has been a whole new generation of fans learning about Bryant's heroic performances on the basketball court - and, more importantly, the lessons he taught along the way. It also helps that a generation of athletes like Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark has fully embraced the old-school hoop shoes.
The only issue dogging Bryant's sneaker legacy has been the limited supply, which is not meeting the demand of fans and athletes. Vanessa has addressed the issue multiple times.
It has been a long and painful four years since Bryant's passing, but it seems like his sneaker legacy is taking its rightful place atop the footwear world. However, as Bryant said after Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals, "Job's not finished."
