Kobe Bryant was about to end Nike partnership prior to untimely death in January 2020?

On January 26, 2020, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash. His death brought forth months of mourning, accompanied by a rise in prices for all his merchandise and memorabilia. This included his Nike shoes, which were sold for hundreds of dollars. However, as per a recent report, Bryant was apparently unhappy with the brand and wanted to branch out and a new brand of his own. 

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Was Kobe Bryant leaving Nike?

I met with Kobe Bryant in late December 2019. Kobe wasn’t happy with Nike and was going to leave it in 2020. Kobe was going to start Mamba, a shoe company owned by players. He passed away weeks later. What he was about to do in business was going to eclipse his sports career.

— Shervin (@shervin)

"I met with Kobe Bryant in late December 2019. Kobe wasn’t happy with Nike and was going to leave it in 2020," wrote Shervin Pishevar – a venture capitalist. He further discussed that Bryant passed away right after their talk, and his company was about to start a business that would "eclipse his sports career". 

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Kobe Bryant shoe brand

2/ These were the designs my team did to show him that day for an independent Mamba shoe company. Here’s calendar details. There were witnesses to the meeting and Kobe’s plans like Gina Ford, who manages Usain Bolt. pic.twitter.com/PgsIDt0P0E

— Shervin (@shervin)

Not only did Shervin speak about the five-time NBA champion's plan to leave Nike, he also revealed that they intended to start a new company that players owned. "He wasn’t happy with Nike’s marketing and promotion commitment to Kobe’s line. And the sales of his shoes were anemic and he blamed Nike," he wrote. Furthermore, he also shared images of shoe ideas that were presented to Bryant. 

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He wasn’t happy with Nike’s marketing and promotion commitment to Kobe’s line. And the sales of his shoes were anemic and he blamed Nike. He retained tight control because he didn’t trust Nike’s judgment in design.

— Shervin (@shervin)

Kobe Bryant Nike deal

Though Bryant started his NBA journey by signing with Adidas, he shifted to Nike with an initial four-year contract in 2003. In 2006, his first signature shoe "Zoom Kobe 1" was released. As per reports, he had a $40 million deal, which paid him $8 million per year. Last year marked his 17th anniversary with the brand. 

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(Image credits: AP)