Even after his tragic passing in 2020, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant remains one of the biggest basketball figures in the world both on and off the court. And thanks to his wife Vanessa being able to work out a deal with Nike, the always popular Kobe shoes have continued on.
With Kobe’s birthday coming up, it only makes sense that a new shoe for the Lakers legend will be released and with that comes promotion and commercials. And Nike brought out all the stops in the commercial for this newest release, including one of the NBA’s best players and Kobe’s oldest daughter.
Nike released a commercial for the upcoming Kobe 3 Protro, which features New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson and Natalia Bryant:
Certified Clutch.
The Kobe 3 Protro is available 8.23…if you have that dog in you. pic.twitter.com/XrawJ5fIJJ
— Nike Basketball (@nikebasketball) August 19, 2025
There were a lot of homages towards Kobe throughout the ad from the beginning. The first line from the shop owner mentions five rings, a nod to Kobe’s five NBA championships, while the address on the shop itself is “0824,” which of course is the two numbers the legend wore in his 20-year career with the Lakers.
Having Natalia be the person working on Kobe’s shoes was an outstanding idea and it was beautiful seeing his daughter be a part of this. Choosing Brunson as the player, being the reigning NBA Clutch Player of the Year, also makes a ton of sense as Kobe is known as one of the greatest clutch players of all-time. The shop owner mentioning ‘twin snakes’ cuff links is also obviously a nod to Kobe’s Black Mamba persona.
Overall, the commercial was excellent as a nod to Kobe and in building anticipation for this latest release from Nike. A high-top shoe coming after many years of low-tops is an interesting choice, but there is no doubt that it will be one of the most sought after sneakers upon its release on Kobe’s birthday.
Trading card of Kobe Bryant sells for record amount
Memorabilia of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant often fetches a hefty price as he is still one of the most popular athletes in the world. Kobe’s first game-worn jersey recently sold for $7 million and now a trading card of his sold for $2.3 million, the most any card featuring the Lakers legend has ever sold for.
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