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Captures the Mamba spirit…
It’s probably accurate to say that the world will never truly get over the passing of Kobe Bryant, his death forever changing the cultural psyche in which he flourished and thrived. Plenty of tributes have come out since, and I’m sure there are more still to come, but Nike’s most recent tribute for the first ever ‘Mamba Week’ is definitely one of the dopest I’ve seen.
The sports giant is set to pay homage to the Mamba with a special set of footwear and apparel, consisting of five iterations of the Kobe 5 Protro, three in-line styles and two UNDEFEATED collars – not to mention a super mad snakeskin-printed jersey that combines his jersey numbers #8 and #24.
The ‘Big Stage’ leads things off for the Kobe 5 Protros, featuring a mad white and gold colour scheme with laser detailing. The kicks pay tribute to Kobe’s fifth NBA championships and his various accomplishments in the 2009-2010 season. Following that is the ‘5x Champion’, utilising a purple, gold and black colour scheme with sleek detailing. Finally is the ‘Girls EYBL’, featuring dazzling greens, golds and whites inspired by the Greek mythological figure Medusa and her ability to freeze enemies with a single stare (much like how many of Kobe’s opponents would freeze when facing him on the court).
On the collaborative side, Nike Basketball partner UNDEFEATED have come through with the ‘What If’ pack, with the pack assembled with the colours of the 12 teams that passed him up in the 1996 NBA Draft. The second style is more Hornets-based (the Charlotte Hornets are the team that eventually drafted him that year), with cool teal accents. Both pairs however utilise gold stylings to acknowledge the insane work ethic and champion mentality that Kobe was famous for.
Lastly, fans will get to don the Black Mamba-inspired LA Lakers City Edition jersey, which offers a faux-snakeskin print, as well as 16 stars running down its sides and a scoop neck. The jersey was actually co-designed by Kobe himself back in 2017, which makes it all the more special.
Nike Basketball is set to begin the releases on August 23, starting with the release of the ‘Big Stage’. Prices have yet to be annoyed, but all items will be available via Nike SNKRS here.
