Los Angeles Lakers star forward and Nike athlete Anthony Davis laments the fact the late Kobe Bryant's partnership with the “Swoosh” has come to an end.
Bryant's contract with Nike ended last week. Recent trademark filings suggest his estate could be preparing for in independent launch.
Davis said it was hard learning time ran out on the Bryant-Nike relationship:
“It was tough to see,” Davis said, via Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation. “Just to see that definitely hurts.”
Why didn't Nike make a more concerted effort to renew the contract?
Well, the company might have made overtures to the Bryant estate. But Kobe's wife, Vanessa, was reportedly miffed Nike stopped putting out Kobe products after his death.
However, Vanessa did acknowledge the partnership with Nike had a tremendous impact on the sport and some of its current stars:
“Kobe & Nike have made some of the most beautiful basketball shoes of all time, worn and adored by fans and athletes in all sports across the globe,” Bryant said, via Nick DePaula of ESPN. “It seems fitting that more NBA players wear my husband's product than any other signature shoe.”
Davis is among the current players who still rock Kobe sneakers. “The Brow” wore 18 different pairs of Kobe 5s during the NBA restart last summer in Orlando, the most of any other player in the “bubble.”
Although there does not appear to be a future for the Bryant-Nike partnership, the sneakers still have a profound impact on Davis and numerous other stars throughout the NBA.
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