What did Vanessa Bryant say about Nike?
BASKETBALL legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gigi and seven others perished in a helicopter crash on January 20, 2020.
Now, the future of the Nike and Kobe sneaker line has reached an end after the Kobe Bryant estate decided not to renew its contract with the brand.
What did Vanessa Bryant say about Nike?
A newly leaked image shared on Instagram by shows the upcoming Nike Kobe 8 Protro Mamba Forever sneakers.
The sneakers are rumored to hit shelves this summer.
The shoe wears a simple black-based color design combined with white accents as a nod to the hues used for the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation’s logo.
Both the names of Kobe and his daughter Gianna “Gigi” are stamped on the heel in honor of their lives.
"This is a shoe I worked on in honor of my daughter, Gianna," Vanessa wrote on .
"It was going to be called the MAMBACITA shoe as an exclusive black and white colorway on her daddy's shoes.
"I was hoping to forge a lifelong partnership with Nike that reflects my husband's legacy. We will always do everything we can to honor Kobe and Gigi's legacies. That will never change," Vanessa said.
It is believed that all future releases of Kobe-branded footwear and apparel manufactured by Nike will be halted.
The Kobe Bryant estate could enter into negotiations with outside brands to form a new partnership.
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Vanessa also confirmed to ESPN that the Kobe Bryant estate owns the rights to both the Mamba logo and his signature.
The "Sheath" logo often featured on the tongue of Nike's Kobe sneakers is mutually owned by both sides.