Mambacita First, Mamba Forever.
by Andrew Williams
It was almost a year ago when the news that rattled the sneaker world and the NBA community hit the newsfeeds and timelines. Nike announced that all Kobe- related footwear and apparel will cease production. At this time the deal that Kobe locked in after his retirement in 2016 was coming to an end, and with the recent passing (at the time) of the late great player it seemed like we would never see another Nike Kobe shoe. It felt like we would have to look Devin Booker or Demar Derozan to open an eBay store before we see another Kobe shoe. We can’t say we were aware of the reasons the deal fell through, but the Bryant camp was looking for the rare lifetime Nike deal which is currently only held by only by athletes like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Cristiano Ronaldo solely. So this was going to be a tough sell for the Bryant camp and at that time the deal stalled out.
Oh happy day sneaker-heads on March 24 2022, Nike officially announced they will be partnering with Vanessa Bryant and the Bryant family on championing a new generation of fans focusing on youth sports. So what that means is the first release we can expect to see will pay homage to Kobe and Gigi with the focus on Gigi Bryant.
Nike is expected to release the first shoe from this new partnership with the Bryant family. Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16” which will be releasing on what would have been Gigi Bryant’s 16th birthday May 1,2022. All proceeds from the shoe will benefit the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.
So I feel it would only be right in celebration of the new future of Nike/ Bryant partnership in my first let’s kick it, shoe review I will review the Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16”.
Some of us already took a peak at these shoes back in May when some photos were leaked prior to the Bryant family having a deal in place. The Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16” dresses the famous Kobe 6 silhouette in a white and textured black matching the late Gigi Bryant’s Mamba Academy uniform. The Kobe 6 silhouette is also adorned with both father and daughter name on the heel tucked right under the Mamba Academy logo. The inside is lined with black and white patterned fabric to give that true Mamba like feel to it. Definitely a must have shoe. With the understated color way these Kobe 6 will be a hit on and off the court. I can see the sleek, elegant design this shoe can be dressed up from anything from a sports coat to a full tuxedo and still be the element that pops the outfit. The most impressive part was the shoe was completely designed by Vanessa Bryant to pay homage to her late husband and daughter.
With release dates appearing to be around the beginning of May we can be sure to find these as a summer staple for 2022 and years to come. So as I prep to devise a plan to obtain a pair of size 12 Kobe 6 Protro a part of me thinks back to that cold December night of 2020 scoping out a way to get the elusive final Grinch Kobe’s I quietly whisper to myself Mamba Forever.
###
Andrew Williams is a Sports Analyst and Host of BallCourt - The World of Basketball with Coach Drew and Let's Kick It - Courtside.
