Even after his tragic passing, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s shoes continue to be a topic of major discussion. His contract with Nike has expired and his wife Vanessa and the sneaker giant were unable to come to terms on a new agreement.
Of course, those following Kobe throughout his career remember that he was originally contracted to Adidas.
His shoes during that time were memorable to say the least and definitely stood out from the pack as they were unlike anything else on the market at that time. And now fans will reportedly have the opportunity to purchase them again.
According to Brendan Dunne of Complex, Adidas is planning on re-releasing two pairs of Kobe sneakers that he wore during his early years:
Adidas is planning to re-release two of the sneakers Kobe Bryant wore while he was signed to the German sportswear brand through the late 1990s and early 2000s, sources familiar with the brand’s slate of upcoming releases tell Complex. In 2022 it will bring back the Kobe 1, his Adidas signature from 2001, and the EQT Elevation, a shoe he wore during his 1997 rookie season in the NBA.
The availability of Kobe sneakers has come under scrutiny recently as many believe Nike didn’t do enough to allow fans to buy them following his unfortunate death. Bryant’s estate has not reached an agreement with Adidas either, but the company will release the sneakers without using his name.
This would not be the first time Adidas did this with Kobe’s sneakers as even while he was still under contract with Nike, they re-released these shoes as the Crazy 1 and Crazy 97 EQT, respectively, and that looks as if it will be the case here as well.
Adidas has not officially announced the launch of these sneakers and it is expected that the company will try and avoid any explicit mentions of Bryant in the rollout of the shoes.
Nike announces LeBron James Space Jam shoe and apparel collection
With the release of LeBron James’ new movie Space Jam: A New Legacy, Nike has announced a new shoe and apparel collection inspired by the movie.
The new LeBron 19 sneakers, which premier in the movie will be released as well as special Looney Tunes editions of the LeBron 18 shoes. These will feature a split color design to pay homage to the biggest rivalries in Looney Tunes history including Bugs Bunny vs. Marvin the Martian, Tweety Bird vs. Sylvester, and Road Runner vs. Wile. E. Coyote.
Additionally there will be LeBron and Nike branded DRI-fit uniforms available with logos will featuring both the Tune Squad and Goon Squad.
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