Vanessa Bryant and Kobe Bryant’s estate reportedly chose not to renew their partnership with Nike after their contract expired on April 13. Yes, this will likely signal the end of Nike’s Kobe Bryant signature line. Earlier reports indicated that Kobe was no longer happy with his contract with Nike and was leaning towards creating his own brand before his untimely passing last year.
Most experts believe this is the main reason for this surprising development. But it turns out there’s more than meets the eye. According to a source in ESPN’s Nick DePaula, Vanessa Bryant was also unhappy with her husband’s limited supply of shoes after his death.
Vanessa Bryant to ESPN (1/3):
“Kobe and Nike have created some of the most beautiful basketball shoes of all time, worn and loved by fans and athletes of all sports around the world. It only seems fitting that more NBA players wear the my husband’s product than any other brand name shoe.”— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) April 20, 2021
Vanessa Bryant to ESPN (2/3):
“My hope will always be to allow Kobe fans to get and wear his products. I will continue to fight for that. Kobe’s products sell out in seconds. That says it all.”
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) April 20, 2021
Vanessa Bryant to ESPN (3/3):
“I hoped to forge a lifelong partnership with Nike that reflects my husband’s legacy. We will always do our best to honor the legacy of Kobe and Gigi. That will never change.
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) April 20, 2021
While Kobe Bryant remained a popular figure among fans even after his retirement from the NBA in 2016, Nike somewhat limited the availability of its products over the years leading up to his tragic death. Vanessa was also reportedly frustrated with the lack of shoe sizes for children. She posted this plea last December, during the re-release of the Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Grinch” last December.
Message from Vanessa Bryant about her and Nike trying to get more pairs of Kobe shoes into the hands of fans. pic.twitter.com/n4H3N7s8mi
— Matthew Moreno (@MMoreno1015) December 24, 2020
Given Kobe’s stature as one of basketball’s GOATs, the public consensus is that he will have a lifetime contract with Nike, like their contracts with Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards anymore. Kobe Bryant’s legacy, meanwhile, will live on forever and it’s a shame his own signature line won’t cease production anymore.
It’s still unclear if Vanessa will try to find another brand to release her husband’s shoes anytime soon. But one thing is certain, the already limited shoes will be even more difficult to manage in the months to come.
