Nike and Vanessa Bryant Reach New Partnership. New Kobe and GiGi Shoes On The Way.

Nike and Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa, announced a new partnership on Thursday. Under the new agreement, Nike will continue producing shoes and apparel from Bryant's Zoom Kobe series. Bryant signed with Nike in 2003 and remained with the company throughout his career until his untimely death. Nike released a statement saying, " For many years Nike and Kobe Bryant worked together to inspire fans around the globe. With Nike, Bryant left a game-changing lineage of basketball shoes and embraced opportunities to spread his love of sport from Greater China to North America. More than two years after Bryant's passing, his legacy, on and off the court, continues to resonate. Today, Nike is pleased to announce a new chapter of collaborating with the Bryant family. In partnership with Vanessa Bryant, the collaboration will inspire a new generation of athletes and encourage youth participation in sport.... As part of the new partnership, Vanessa and Nike will work together to establish a youth basketball center in Southern California and Nike and the Bryant family will continue to outfit the NBA and WNBA athletes who carry the legacy of the Mamba Mentality." Vanessa Bryant also released a statement on Instagram saying, "We're excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue! I am so proud that my husband's shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remain so desired by his fans around the world. I know this is an inspiring moment for my husband and daughter's global fans, and I am very appreciative of each and every one of you!" If you can recall, in January of 2020, Kobe Bryant, his daughter GiGi, and a host of other helicopter passengers were killed in a terrible helicopter crash. A year later, in 2021, Kobe Bryant was inducted into the Nesmith Basketball Hall Of Fame where his wife Vanessa delivered a riveting speech along with Kobe's mentor and friend Michael Jordan. According to Nike, the Kobe 6 Protro "Mambacita Sweet 16" will be the first shoe from the new partnership in honor of Gigi Bryant. All proceeds will go to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. The shoe is said to release on May 1, 2022. If you are a sneaker head please don't wait as these will sell out fast. https://twitter.com/NickDePaula/status/1507135982201499666?s=20&t=zKSONYyBG17hxR822hbgSA