Kobe Bryant isn’t just remembered for his dominant display of basketball skill but also for the shoes he put out and wore during his time in the NBA.
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Kobe became a featured Nike Athlete, Kobes became some of the most popular shoes to go around, even to this day. Their classic, low top style attracted the attention of every basketball fan, whether they were a hooper themselves or not.
Kobe’s line with Nike is set to end as after his death Venessa Bryant has chosen not to re-sign with the brand as issues with Nike releasing shoes honoring the late Gigi Bryant without Venessa’s consent popped up.
Venessa Bryant plans to launch the ‘Mamba Brand’, cementing as her and the Kobe Bryant estate have filed for trademarks to use Kobe’s name and likeness. However, two final shoes with Nike are planned to be released:
The UNDFTD x Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Hall of Fame” releases May 12 on Undefeated pic.twitter.com/ozNUlJtdAT
— B/R Kicks (@brkicks) May 7, 2021
First looks of the new Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Mamba Forever” just landed! 🐍♾ pic.twitter.com/unn3cxigWv
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) May 12, 2021
However, before Kobe was a Nike athlete, he used to wear Adidas, and his shoes from his first NBA game are set to be auctioned.
Kobe Bryant Debut Shoes Could Sell For Up To $500,000
When Kobe entered the NBA in 1996, he was instantly one of the most popular players in the league. Bryant was drafted to an NBA team right out of high school, something that isn’t possible in the league currently, adding a lot of intrigue to how he’d pan out.
This popularity was present right from Kobe’s first game as a Los Angeles Laker. Sporting a pair of Adidas kicks, Kobe chose to gift the shoes to a fan who asked for them after the game. That fan’s name is Scott Hurlimann who has a picture to document the exchange.
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After being sold to Gotta Have Rock And Roll auction, the shoes are now expected to go for a ridiculous value when it comes to sneakers. Bidding is expected to start at about $100,000, and it could all the way up to $500,000. The winner of the auction is set to have an extremely important part of NBA history.