On Sunday afternoon, the world felt like it collectively stopped. News had broke that Kobe Bryant had passed away in a helicopter crash at the age of 41. That still doesn't seem like a series of words that I should be typing. The news that his teenage daughter Gianna and seven others also died as a result of the crash made everything that much more heartbreaking.
Kobe was more than just an excellent basketball player. Aside from the 81 points or 5 championship rings, he was a superhero to people. We shouted his name when we threw out trash. We really thought he jumped over a speeding Aston Martin in a pair of Hyperdunks. Some even adopted his patented Mamba Mentality to help them better their own lives. There's a reason every single person and media outlet has honored Kobe with photos and video clips for the past 24 hours. He is a global icon that reached a level of notoriety and importance that few people can rival.
Yes, Kobe might be gone too soon. But the legacy of the Black Mamba will never die. As hard as it might be for some, we think it's only right to celebrate Kobe's legacy, not just what he accomplished on the hardwood but in the sneaker world as well. Here are five of our favorite Kobe sneaker moments. Hopefully, it makes you crack a smile or have a laugh. Even if only briefly, the nostalgia helped us. -Mike DeStefano
Jumping Over the Aston Martin
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Year: 2008
In 2020, the concept of “going viral” is something we’re all too familiar with. For better or worse, it’s become a part of the modern lexicon. Sometimes it’s funny, oftentimes it’s annoying, but rarely does it wow us like it did when Kobe Bryant seemingly jumped over a speeding Aston Martin in April 2008. The video, which wasn’t shown on TV—instead dropping on Bryant’s website—quickly made the rounds on the internet, leading to questions of its legitimacy and simultaneously spreading word of the then-mysterious Nike Hyperdunk. It wasn’t the world’s first viral video, but much like how Bryant revolutionized the low-top basketball sneaker, it was the first that truly mattered to the sneaker and basketball world, and it helped lead the way for a rapidly changing marketing game. Despite all the significance of the moment in hindsight, above all it was fun. It never mattered that it was soon debunked as a trick, we wanted to believe it because Kobe was the kind of competitor that could conceivably take on a sports car and win. It also resulted in two pairs of coveted sneakers inspired by the car. -Zac Dubasik
Showing Up to a Sneaker Release in a Delorean
Kanye West Featured in a Kobe Commercial
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Year: 2012
To introduce the Kobe VII System in 2012, Nike crafted a multi-part series of TED Talk-style ads that saw the Black Mamba schooling a crowd full of celebrities from Richard Branson to Serena Williams about how to abide by the “#KobeSystem.” The comedic ads had Kobe advising guests to do things like, “keep your defense offensive,” and asking them if they have achieved “success at success at success.” The best spot for many featured an exchange with another superstar known for his braggadocious nature, Kanye West. Kobe asking the rapper if he is “a different animal and the same beast,” still gets a laugh from me. The commercial was so memorable that my friends and I still quote it in random situations to this day. West’s, “What the fuck does that mean Kobe Bryant?” rebuttal answered by a simple, “You’re welcome,” from Kobe is perfect in every way. Part of the charm of these ads was that they were believable. Kobe was this driven competitively. Him aspiring to achieve success that is greater than success was how he approached the game. It was the Mamba Mentality. It is what made him such a legend in the game of basketball and hero to NBA fans around the world. It is why he will be remembered forever as more than just an athlete. -Mike DeStefano
MVPuppets
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Year: 2009
Nike’s MVPuppets ads that debuted during the 2009 NBA Playoffs featured puppet versions of Kobe and LeBron as roommates. One saw LeBron flood the apartment with powder performing his signature chalk toss in excitement. In another, the two chose to settle some trash talking with a game of one-on-one in the living room. Lil Dez, their young downstairs neighbor who asked too many questions appeared in a handful of spots too. The ads came back from hiatus in 2017 to celebrate Kobe’s jersey retirement, and more recently James referenced them on a special LeBron 17 he wore the night he passed Kobe on the all-time scoring list.
Despite their playful nature, these commercials also acted as a representation of the real-life friendship between LeBron and Kobe. While fans and analysts loved pitting them against each other, comparing their legacies and skills for years, both men were far from the rivals that these debates might have made it seem like they were. LeBron has spoken many times about idolizing Kobe and his impact. While it might not be the Finals matchup we all yearned for, the MVPuppets will always be a nostalgic way for many sneaker fans to tie together the legendary careers of two of the NBA's best. -Mike DeStefano
Kobe Bryant and Eric Koston
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Year: 2011
One of the most enduring and unlikely sneaker friendships with Kobe Bryant made over the years was with Eric Koston, who many could argue was the “Kobe Bryant of skateboarding.” Koston, a lifelong Los Angeles Lakers fan and avid collector and the owner of his own line of signature shoes, dressed up as Bryant for a 2001 ad for Oakley sunglasses. In 2011, Koston got to work with Bryant when Nike SB released his first signature sneaker. 24 pairs of a Koston 1 that mimicked the Nike Kobe 6 were released. Kobe called Koston to tell him he’s gonna need more than 24 pairs of the shoes. Koston talked about it on Sneaker Shopping. You can tell it meant a lot to him. Kobe Bryant was known for stepping outside of his comfort zone, or being a man of diverse interests. His friendship with Eric Koston was a reminder of that, and it resulted in genuine moments. -Matt Welty
