The Los Angeles Lakers, NBA legends past and present, fans and family have all gathered at Staples Center today for "A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant." In honor of the event, Nike has just released their chilling "Mamba Forever" ad, highlighting many of Kobe's achievements over the years, ranging from his rise as a high school basketball phenom in Philadelphia to his scoring accolades, championship titles, and love of being a "Girl Dad."
Check out the full ad in the video embedded below.
Nike halted the release of the "Big Stage/Championship Parade" Nike Kobe 5 Protro in the aftermath of Kobe's tragic death, but rumors are swirling that the brand will launch a new Lakers-inspired colorway on March 26th. Click here for more details on that tribute sneaker.
"A Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant" will not be shown on any video screens outside Staples Center, but the event will air live on local tv stations starting at 10am local time (1pm ET). Live streams of 'A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant' can also be found CNN's website, NBA TV, CBS All Access, and ESPN's social media platforms, as shown below.
Nike Denies Pulling Kobe Bryant’s Products From Online Shop
Nike says all of their Kobe-related products have sold out.
In the aftermath of Kobe Bryant's death, some immoral sneaker resellers have attempted to cash in by raising the prices on their Nike Kobe sneakers. In some instances, Kobe's beloved kicks were being listed for more than 4x the amount that they typically resell for.
With that in mind, fans flocked to Nike.com to attempt to get their hands on any Kobe merch they could. Unfortunately, a "Kobe" search on Nike.com's website redirected visitors to their Kobe memorial page, which led to rumors that Nike had decided to pull all of Bryant's sneakers and apparel.
As it turns out, Nike wasn't responsible for the lack of Kobe-related products on their site. His fans just simply bought everything that was available and there is no longer anything in stock. Complex reports that Nike has asked the Foot Locker family of brands to send their Kobe products back to Nike HQ. As of this writing, there are no longer any Kobe-related sneakers or gear listed on sites like Eastbay, Finish Line and Foot Locker.
