Kobe Bryant was far more than a legendary basketball player. He was a savvy businessman with incredible attention to detail.Thanks to his relentless work ethic, the Los Angeles Lakers legend rewrote the history books while simultaneously revolutionizing performance basketball shoes.
Bryant's sneaker legacy is mainly remembered for his time with Nike. But what if he never left Adidas? It is easier to say what would not have happened rather than what would have occurred. But today, we will try to answer both questions.
Adidas Kobe Brand
Following the Lakers' third consecutive NBA Championship in 2002, Bryant and his agent Rob Pelinka made a trip to Germany to meet with Adidas executives. In the book Showboat: The Life of Kobe Bryant, author Roland Lazenby detailed a terse meeting between the two parties.
Adidas laid out its vision for the Kobe line, which included sneakers and clothing. But the 23-year-old was uninterested. According to The Wall Street Journal, Bryant paid $8 million to get out of the remainder of his Adidas contract.
Bryant's decision to leave Adidas changed the course of sneaker history. Had the perennial NBA All-Star stayed with Adidas, it is easy to envision Bryant getting his own brand. Similar to Michael Jordan with Nike or Stephen Curry with Under Armour.
For better or for worse, we will never know. But now we can move on to important moments that absolutely would not have gone down if Bryant never signed with Nike.
Sneaker Free Agency
Bryant had to wait one year before signing a contract with a new company. So while the biggest sneaker free agent of all time met with potential business partners off the court, he tried out everything on the court.
Bryant wore a wide array of basketball shoes during the 2002-03 NBA season. Over the course of 82 games, Bryant wore 65 pairs of Air Jordans. Additionally, he mixed in And1, Converse, Nike, and Reebok shoes during that memorable season.
It goes without saying that we would have never gotten the iconic images of Bryant competing against Jordan in different pairs of Air Jordans. There have been plenty of sneaker free agents over the past two decades, but there will never be another one as important as Bryant.
Low Top Shoes
After the launch of the Nike Kobe line, Bryant wore shoes that were normal for the time. The first three Nike Kobes were high-tops and used heavy materials. Those early shoes are still popular, but Bryant once again made history when he demanded low-cut basketball shoes.
Inspired by futbol boots (soccer cleats in America), Bryant wanted an ultra-minimalist basketball shoe. Not only did Nike shave off unnecessary material, but they began implementing its newest technology on the Kobe line.
Leather gradually took a backseat to wire and knit materials. The Nike Kobes 4-11 all became lighter and revolutionized performance basketball footwear. Perhaps the low-top resolution could have still happened under Adidas, but it is impossible to say.
Commercials
Fans can entertain the GOAT debate or even argue who has the best signature line. But there is no denying that Bryant had the best commercials. Even his Adidas commercials perfectly balanced sincerity with comedic moments.
But the Nike commercials featuring Bryant reached new heights. Ankle Insurance, MVPuppets, and the Kobe System are three of the best advertisem*nts for basketball shoes of all time.
Protros
Following Bryant's retirement in 2016, Nike shifted the direction of the Kobe line. The following October, Nike introduced the Kobe AD line, which marked a new era in Bryant's role with the company.
Despite initial reservations, Bryant agreed to Nike re-releasing his older shoes. But under one condition, the retro basketball shoes incorporate new technology. Thus, the 'Protro' line was born in 2018.
Since that time, all of the other major brands have followed suit. But at the time, it was a new strategy. Bryant truly was inventive, and Nike was the perfect partner to execute the superstar's vision. It is fun to dream of what could have been if Bryant stuck with Adidas, but it's hard to imagine a better outcome than the path he took with Nike.
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