Ever since agreeing on a new deal with Nike, Vanessa Bryant has always ensured to honor Kobe and Gigi’s legacy. Be it the ‘Mambacitas’ in memory of her daughter or the WNBA-inspired design of the Kobe 8 Protros, echoing his advocacy for women’s sports. This time, the brand is taking it to USC’s football team, as a part of the “Mamba Programs.”

“Introducing the Nike Kobe 6 “USC” cleat! 🔥🐍✌️ • Nike has issued a new Vapor Edge Kobe 6 “USC” cleat. Modeled after the pair Kobe Bryant debuted on Christmas Day 2010 and exclusively customized for the USC Trojans.” The football team shared the news on Instagram, tagging Vanessa Bryant.

“The textured black upper is accented by bold cardinal and gold Swooshes and gold Kobe logos on the tongues, along with Kobe’s signature on the back heel. The team will debut these new cleats this weekend for the game against UCLA,” — against the cross-town rivals, UCLA Bruins, which marks the 94th time the sides meet. Interestingly, the rivalry is Michael Jordan vs Kobe Bryant as well.

UCLA is a Jordan Brand school that wears Jumpman logos on its uniforms along with Air Jordan cleats. Meanwhile, USC is a Nike school with close ties to the family of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Speaking about close ties, last year the college’s basketball teams also received a unique gift from Vanessa Bryant and the Swoosh brand.

USC added on their social media in November 2023, “Vanessa Bryant gifts the Men’s and Women’s USC basketball team a pair of the “Reverse Grinch” Kobe 6’s 🐍.” Throughout the video, multiple athletes thanked the 42-year-old philanthropist for making it possible. The program was a part of the Mamba Program that Venessa launched in honor of Kobe and Gigi. “We are grateful for the amazing support of these prestigious universities…to further the legacies of Kobe and Gigi!” she had said.

The initiation was a vision shared between Vanessa, Nike, and Mamaba & Mambacita Sports Foundation — organization dedicated to creating positive impact for underserved athletes, in memory of the two. So Vanessa has evidently found numerous ways to continue the Lakers’ legend’s legacy, along with her daughter’s and the past year speaks a bit more of it.

How Vanessa Bryant is keeping the Lakers legend’s legacy alive

In May this year, to celebrate what could have been an 18th birthday for Gianna, 100 boys and girls had the opportunity to play basketball. It was the kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Whittier, LA Harbor, and West San Gabriel Valley who savored the opportunity. In addition, Nike and Vanessa Bryant launched a Kobe 8 Protro ‘Mambacita.’

The post from Vanessa Bryant read, “Today, we brought together over 100 boys and girls from @bgcofwhittier, @wsgvbgc, @bgclaharbor to join us at the @lakers facility for a memorable @MambaMambacitaSports Skills Academy Basketball Camp to honor my Gigi’s 18th birthday. We are grateful to our dedicated partners @nikeLA, @uscwbb, and all the coaches who made the day extra special.”

Apart from this, it was last year that Vanessa Bryant announced six universities that participated in the ‘Mamba Program.’ The University of Connecticut, the University of Southern California, the University of Oregon, Duke University, Louisiana State University, and the University of Kentucky would wear Kobe Bryant and Gigi’s shoes as a tribute. Now, USC’s football team would be honoring Kobe against rival UCLA.