It was a moment that shook basketball and the entire world with the disastrous helicopter crash of January 26, 2020, claiming the lives of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, along with seven others. Four years later, their legacy still inspires millions through a powerful new initiative that has rocked the sports world.

Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow and Gianna’s mum, played a leading role in the latest chapter to preserve Bryant’s legacy as she unveiled the highly-anticipated Royal Blue capsule collection on behalf of the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. “The Royal Blue capsule collection is available now in adult and kid sizes,” read the caption of the post that announced the launch of the new cloth line. The products in Adult Sizes had a ‘sold out’ sign within minutes of the announcement.

The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation was formed under the Mamba Sports Foundation in 2016 and renamed in 2020 in honor of Kobe and Gianna Bryant. 100% of net proceeds from the store goes towards furthering the foundation’s missions — positive impact of sports. Through sports programming and funding, the organization gives underserved athletes the resources and opportunities Kobe and Gianna were both passionate about during their lives.

So Vanessa, her kids, and Kobe’s close ones, continue to keep the thoughts alive, heading the foundation themselves.

Kobe had wished to make the invitational NBA and WNBA workouts more frequent, hoped to host youth camps, coaching clinics, and launch digital training videos featuring himself. He had big visions for the academy that his loved ones are now trying to fulfil.

“If Vanessa and the family think there’s interesting things to do with the Academy, we always stand ready to support and do work that way… He loved the work that we were doing and loved the impact we were having on young people,” Chad Faulkner, the chief executive officer had admitted.

Now Vanessa, who is a board president alongside daughter Natalia as a director, has been active in bringing the right people to lead the academy but has more popularly been involved in merchandising and well, it is evident how that’s going. The last release from the foundation was in August that too sold out in minutes.

Vanessa has channeled the tragedy into a positive force, coming up with a heartwarming tradition in memory of her daughter.

How Mambacita’s last birthday was celebrated

Kobe and Vanessa Bryant’s 18-year-old daughter, Gigi, would have been 18 on May 1, 2024. Unfortunately, she passed away at a mere age of 13. But her legacy continues and it brings so much joy to people around the world. How? Nearly every year to commemorate her birthday, special edition Nike Kobe ‘Mambacita’ sneakers are released.

A tip of the hat, of sorts, to her passion for basketball and her potential to become a star on her own, her father bestowed on her the Mambacita moniker. This year Nike Kobe 8 Protro “Mambacita” was released during her 18th birthday. “On 5.1 we celebrate Gianna “Gigi” Bryant’s 18th birthday and the transformational impact she had on highlighting women’s sports with the release of the Kobe 8 Protro ‘Mambacita,’” wrote Vanessa on her Instagram. 

In 2022, the first Mambacita shoe was released and Gigi would have been 16 then. Nike Kobe 4 Protro ‘Mambacita’ released last year on Gigi’s birthday. Now we can say when fans wear their shoes, they honor Gigi’s memory and help support the Mambacita Sports Foundation’s important work.