3 Years After His Shocking Demise, Which Billion Dollar Companies Are Aiming to Be Flag Bearers of Kobe Bryant’s Legacy?

Kobe Bryant sadly passed away on January 26, 2020. He, his daughter Gianna and seven others were lost in a tragic helicopter crash. Fans around the world held their breath when the news came out. In the days that followed, millions mourned the death of the NBA legend and others who lost their lives in the horrific accident. Though Kobe is no more, his legacy will forever live on. Children will continue saying his name before shots, and players will continue donning his iconic shoes. It has been three years since his passing and he remains one of the most popular names in the world of basketball thanks to his impact on and off the court.

Bryant inspired generations of young talents with his “Mamba Mentality” and unreal work ethic. Today, two major brands are leading the way in carrying forward and honoring Kobe’s legacy.

2K announces Kobe Bryant as the latest cover athlete

2K Games is one of the most popular brands that continues Kobe Bryant’s heritage. After his passing in 2020, 2K honored the Mamba by making him the cover athlete of NBA 2K21. Even some of the recent versions of NBA 2K have the five-time NBA champion as a playable character on some iconic, all-time teams. Previously, he has also featured on the covers of NBA2K in 2010 and 2017.

With the dawn of 2024, many fans predicted the billion-dollar brand would not miss out on the opportunity to make Bryant the cover athlete of 2K24 as a tribute to his #24 jersey. And the video game publisher did just that. Notably, NBA legend Michael Jordan and Kobe’s mentee, Devin Booker, donned the covers of 2K23.

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2K Games recently officially announced Kobe as the cover athlete of NBA 2K24. The game is all set to have a Kobe Bryant Edition and Black Mamba Edition with pre-orders already underway. Notably, players will reportedly be able to channel their inner-Mamba mentality in the brand-new ‘Mamba Moments’ mode in-game. This is very much in line with the ‘Jordan Challenges’ that graced NBA 2K23. Fans will likely get to recreate Kobe’s most iconic shots and performances, providing an entirely new experience of the Mamba‘s legacy.

Nike’s recent announcement about the Mamba

Kobe Bryant has one of the most iconic collections of signature sneakers, right up there with Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

Nike recently announced plans to relaunch Kobe’s signature shoes in the summer. A lot of NBA stars, most notably Devin Booker and DeMar DeRozan, regularly don Kobe’s renowned shoes on the court. Not just because they are stylish, but also because they are great to play in.

Also, it is no secret the 2x Finals MVP’s name alone adds value to the sneaker. In fact, nearly 20% of NBA players have reportedly worn a Nike Kobe sneaker in-game to honor Bean’s basketball legacy.

However, the relationship between the billion-dollar brand and the Kobe Bryant Estate was not great following the crash.

After Bryant’s passing, there were reports claiming Nike had stopped sales of Bryant-related items. This did not sit well with Vanessa Bryant. According to a report from Front Office Sports, the brand then clarified the situation by stating the inventory was sold out.

However, contract extension negotiations between Nike and the Kobe Bryant Estate led by Vanessa eventually broke down and the contract expired in 2021.

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Then in 2022, the two parties mended fences and reached a new long-term contract to continue producing both footwear and apparel from Bryant’s Zoom Kobe series.

The first new sneaker from the partnership was the Kobe 6 Protro ‘Mambacita Sweet 16’, an ode to Kobe and Gigi Bryant.