Source: aqua / Spalding It’s still hard to believe that Kobe Bryant passed away this past January. Spalding is issuing a new limited-edition basketball to pay further homage to the basketball legend that left us way too soon. Source: Spalding / Spalding Releasing Wednesday, September 11, this will be the second installment in the Spalding x Kobe Bryant Marble Series. A longtime Spalding endorser, this rock is said to be inspired by the Mamba’s “self-awareness, curiosity, balance and obsession to detail.” Cornerstones of the Mamba Mentality, it’s an ethos that saw Kobe go from fresh out of high school NBA Draft pick into a basketball legend. The ball itself features white and black panels which denote the balance between strength and weakness as well as the physical and mental toughnes...
Source: Elsa / Getty While Kobe Bryant’s legacy is sure to live on forever one of his former teammates is trying to make sure his daughter’s name is never forgotten. Pau Gasol is paying tribute to her in a big way. As spotted on TMZ the former NBA player recently brought a new child to this world with his wife. In what has to be one of the classiest moves by any professional athlete, the power forward took the opportunity to honor Kobe and his late daughter with the name selected. On Sunday (Sept. 13), Elisabet Gianna Gasol came into this world bearing the middle name of Gianna Bryant. He detailed his enthusiasm in both Spanish and English. “Our little one has finally arrived!! The delivery went really well and we couldn’t be happier!! Elisabet Gianna Gasol 😍, a very mea...
Source: WENN/Avalon / WENN A basketball legend continues to get his much-deserved flowers. Kobe Bryant is getting a street named after him. As spotted on TMZ the late great is getting a unique commemoration within the community he became synonymous for. On Monday, August 24 the L.A. City Council President confirmed that planning is underway to title a public road in Mamba’s honor. “Figueroa St. will soon be Kobe Bryant Boulevard between Olympic & MLK,” Herb J. Wesson Jr. revealed. The drag in question extends from the Staples Center all the way to the University of California. “Kobe’s legacy is bigger than basketball. Kobe Bryant Blvd will be a reminder to everyone, young and old who drive down it, there is no obstacle too big and that with the #Mambamentality … anything is p...
Source: Streeter Lecka / Getty This past Sunday (August 23), Nike officially kicked off Mamba Week in honor of the late and great Kobe Bryant, and with the release of exclusive sneakers and jerseys, the shoe and apparel giant also dropped a new film dedicated to the memory of the legendary Los Angeles Lakers superstar. Narrated by Kendrick Lamar, Better captures how Kobe drive to be the best and inspired others across the board to push themselves to become “better players, better mothers, and better artists,” as spit by K. Dot himself. From everyday people looking to better themselves and their health, to other athletes looking to be the “G.O.A.T” in their respective fields, Kobe Bryant indeed showed and proved that a little hard work and determination never hurt anybody. Damn, we mis...
Kobe Bryant would have turned 42 today, and to celebrate the late NBA star’s birthday Nike shared a powerful tribute video narrated by Kendrick Lamar, aptly titled Better. “Kobe taught us to be better,” the rapper begins, highlighting Bryant’s Mamba Mentality of always striving to be better. “Better friend. Better fighter. Better rider. Better eater. Better leader. Better generation. Better nation,” Lamar spitfires later in the clip, as moments from Bryant’s legendary career flash on the screen, spliced with footage of other athletes and Black Lives Matter protests. “Just be better. Can you do that?” “Better player. Better shooter. Better scorer. Better G.O.A.T. Better G.O.A.T. Better mentor. Better minor. Major. Mover. Shaker,” he adds in rapid-fire delivery. “Better skater. Better a...
Nike is celebrating Kobe Bryant’s 42nd birthday with a new short film narrated by fellow Los Angeles great, Kendrick Lamar. Entitled Better, the film “celebrates the universal relevance of progress and highlights Kobe’s prolific desire for improvement,” Nike says. “The Mamba Mentality is about getting better, every day, in everything we do.” Kendrick echoes these sentiments throughout the clip: “Kobe taught us to be better,” K. Dot begins. “Better waker, better stretcher, better walker, better talker.” As the clip progresses, so too does the intensity of Kendrick’s articulation: “Better form, better focus, better friend, better fighter, better rider, better eater, better generation, better nation!” he continues. “Just be better. Can you do that?” Watch the full video below. ...
Happy birthday, Kobe Bryant. To help commemorate the late basketball legend’s 42nd birthday on Sunday (Aug. 23), Nike teamed up with Kendrick Lamar for a 90-second video highlighting Bryant’s Mamba Mentality of always striving to be better. In the inspirational video, appropriately titled Better, Lamar spits rapid-fire spoken word over a montage of clips from Bryant’s unforgettable career, mixed with footage of recent protests across the United States. “Better friend. Better fighter. Better rider. Better eater. Better leader. Better generation. Better nation,” Lamar says over a soft piano melody. “Just be better. Can you do that?” In a post on its website, Nike described the video as a celebration of the “universal relevance of progress and highlights Kobe’s prolifi...
Source: Getty Images / Getty One of the greatest to ever step on the court is getting a special designation from an area that he brought so much joy too. Black Mamba will live forever on the west coast. As spotted on Hype Beast Kobe Bryant’s iconic legacy will have it’s own 24 hours in California. On Wednesday, August 12 the town of Orange County confirmed that August 24 will be known from here on as “Kobe Bryant Day”. While the declaration is a rare occasion the specifically chosen plays as a classy double entendre. This appointment not only pays homage to his countless contributions to the community but 8/24 is also a nod to the jersey numbers he wore during his memorable tenure as a Los Angeles Laker. Michelle Steel of Orange County’s Board of Supervisors detaile...
Source: Nike Basketball / Nike Basketball It feels like forever since the world was shocked by the tragic death of Kobe Bryant (it’s only been months) and while the Black Mamba has had homage paid to him in various ways, Nike’s continuing the trend by introducing an entire week dedicated to the memory and legacy of the legendary Laker. Yesterday (August 12) Nike announced that in a little over one week it will be kicking off “Mamba Week” (on Sunday, August 23) which will entail of a week of programming and retail releases of merch which will honor and celebrate Kobe Bryant’s illustrious 20-year career in the NBA. During Mamba Week, Nike will champion Kobe’s legacy and the Mamba Mentality that so fittingly represents the athlete and the man through three key e...
Source: KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 08: Rapper Snoop Dogg performs at Providence Medical Center Amphitheater on September 8, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Squires/Getty Images) In hindsight the tragic and surprising death of Kobe Bryant was probably a sign of just how horrible 2020 was going to be, and though we’re still living out the tumultuous 20, Snoop Dogg has taken the time to pay homage to the legendary Los Angeles Laker. In a video montage that paid tribute to the basketball icon this past Sunday night on ESPN’s ESPYS, Snoop Dogg laid down some vocals recognizing Kobe and his accomplishments with lines like “You beat the odds by a mile/all grit no smile/a new golden child, yeah let’s do it Mamba style/And then you added ya chapters, all in our rafters…” ...
Source: Spalding / Spalding One of the greatest to ever touch to the court is about to be honored by a company synonymous with hooping. #24’s legacy has been commemorated in a premium way. Source: Spalding / Spalding Spalding is releasing a limited-edition basketball in honor of Kobe Bryant. The Kobe 94 Series celebrates the process of what was his daily transformation from a player with unmatched focus and determination, to a loving husband, father, coach, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author. The ball is dedicated to Kobe’s mission and to everyone in the process of transforming into a champion in whatever they do. Following his retirement, Kobe continued to shed his “player” skin and take on new challenges to inspire people around the globe. The limited-edition ball holds a grey and ...