Kobe Bryant fans rejoice! It’s your time to shine again.
Nearly two years after the Black Mamba’s Nike deal expired, the company announced on Thursday during their Q4 earnings call that they are relaunching the Kobe Brand ahead of Kobe Day (8/24).
This is encouraging news for fans of the legendary Los Angeles Laker. After it was shared that his deal expired in 2021, it was hell for hoops fans to get ahold of his shoe. They obviously weren’t on the Nike website, and resellers who did have pairs were selling them for boo-koo prices.
Although Nike and Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s wife, agreed to renew their partnership a year ago, sneakers were still coming out inconsistently, with some of the models released being among the most sought-after Kobe sneakers ever, such as the Kobe 6 “Grinches,” Kobe 6 “Mambacita Sweet 16” and the Kobe 4 “Mambacita.” As a result, those pairs were almost impossible to get, even for the most loyal of Kobe fans.
But with the announcement of a relaunch, I expect models from the sneaker line to release more consistently. While it hasn’t been clarified what the company means by a “relaunch,” I hope it means regular sneakerheads (not resellers) have a chance to get the sneakers from one the best and most beloved athletes of all time.
Despite Kobe retiring from the NBA seven years ago, his shoes are still the most popular basketball shoe amongst professional hoopers.
In March, it was reported that two of Kobe’s Nike models were among the most worn in the entire NBA during the 2022-2023 season, with the Kobe 6 “Grinches” being the most worn and the Kobe 5 “Alternate Bruce Lee” being the fourth most worn hoop shoe.
It’s just further proof of how influential Kobe was as an athlete and person. While he’s not here anymore, his sneakers are still carrying on his legacy as an all-time great basketball player and competitor.