Kobe Bryant remains one of the most influential athletes in sports history as he grew one of the biggest fanbases globally during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant won five championships and accomplished numerous accolades playing for the Lakers, creating generations of fans who grew up idolizing him. Recently, Bryant’s name has come up in headlines after he was left off an all-time top-10 list, causing players like Kyrie Irving to defend his legacy.
Irving was one of several former players to come to Kobe’s defense, a sign of respect and admiration for the Los Angeles icon. What made Bryant even more popular internationally was his ability to speak multiple languages by virtue of spending part of his childhood in Italy.
Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality” serves as a mantra for players and teams alike and FC Barcelona paid homage to the Lakers icon by modeling their 2025-26 away kits after him, via ESPN FC:
Barcelona drop their 2025/26 away kit inspired by Kobe Bryant's 'Mamba Mentality' 🤩
Bryant's Mamba logo replaces the Nike swoosh, with a snakeskin pattern woven into the shirt like reptilian armour 🐍 pic.twitter.com/EgFOy2r3VC
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 29, 2025
The main feature on the kits is the snakeskin pattern woven into the fabric, a nod to Bryant’s “Black Mamba” alter ego and nickname that earned for his killer instinct on the court. Kobe’s logo then sits in place of the Nike logo, a nice touch to pay tribute to the Lakers star. As another solid detail, the player on the left is wearing a Mamba shinguard.
Not only was Bryant successful on the court, but his apparel and merchandise was some of the most popular in the league. Even after his tragic death, countless players and athletes continue to wear his signature line of sneakers and apparel.
It goes to show that Kobe’s legacy and reputation carry far beyond basketball as other sports and athletes can certainly learn from his play style and attitude. FC Barcelona’s new away kits reflect the organization’s respect for Bryant and it’ll be fun to see the uniforms once they hit the field.
Stephen Curry recalls trying to trash talk Kobe Bryant
There are still current NBA players like Stephen Curry who can recall lining up against Kobe Bryant. Curry recounted a story where he tried to trash talk Bryant, but the latter shot him a look that the Golden State Warriors star will never forget.
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