NIke has announced that the company plans to relaunch the line of the late, great Kobe Bryant ( it still doesn’t seem real/right to refer to him that way) later this summer.
As reported by TMZ, NIke CEO John Donahue revealed the news during a recent earnings call, saying “ It’s going to be an exciting summer as we set the stage to relaunch the Kobe brand in advance of Kobe Day on 8/24.”
Bryant had been with since 2004, but his deal with the brand ended in April 2021 after the company and the family/estate failed to come to terms on a new deal. The tension between the two sides was Nike’s continued botching of multiple protro releases denying fans , but not the death profiteers/resellers, access to the shoes.
Eleven months later in March 2022, Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant announced a new deal had been agreed upon.
“We’re excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue! I am so proud that my husband’s shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remains so desired by his fans around the world. …
With this new partnership, fans will soon be able to have access to Kobe and Gigi Nike products for years to come and with Nike donating 100 percent of the net proceeds yearly for Gianna’s shoes to our Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.”
Kobe and sneaker enthusiasts across the planet collectively hope that with this relaunch addresses the ails of previous posthomous Kobe releases in that the people who actually want them to wear , and not the resellers/death profiteers will have an opportunity to get them.
