LSU Women's Basketball Gifted Nike Kobe Shoes

The LSU Tigers Women's Basketball team was surprised with pairs of the Nike Kobe 6 Protro in the 'Mambacita Sweet 16' colorway.

Yesterday would have been Kobe Bryant's 44th birthday. Thanks to his widow Vanessa Bryant, gifts were given out in Kobe's name. 

Vanessa shared a video of the LSU Tigers Women's basketball team getting a rare pair of Nike Kobe 6 Protro basketball shoes in the 'Mambacita Sweet 16' colorway. 

The @LSUwbkb team was surprised with “Mambacita” Kobe 6s for Kobe’s birthday 💜💛 pic.twitter.com/7W8GgLKmMD

— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) August 24, 2022

It is impossible to watch the viral video without feeling all the emotions. Even after his tragic passing, the basketball legend inspires and uplifts, especially in women's sports.

Kobe 6 Protro 'Mambacita Sweet 16'

The colorway dropped on May 1, 2022, for $180 but sold out immediately. According to sneaker resale site StockX, the average resale price is now $682. The colorway pays tribute to the late Gigi Bryant and the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

Additionally, the black snakeskin-inspired upper is a tribute to Kobe’s 'Black Mamba' nickname. Gigi’s AAU basketball jersey number, 2, is imprinted on both lateral sides of the ankle. The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation crest is printed on the heel of each shoe, followed by both Kobe and Gigi’s names underneath.

Nike Kobe 6 Protro 'Mambacita Sweet 16' / Nike

Backstory

The special colorway was not always a sweet story. Following the tragic events of January 26, 2020, Nike and the Bryant estate could not agree on a new contract.

The situation was made worse when 'Mambacita' colorway started popping up for sale on sneaker websites after the contract had run its course. Vanessa Bryant immediately called out Nike on Instagram, “Nike has not sent any of these pairs to me and my girls. I do not know how someone else has their hands on these shoes I designed in honor of my daughter, Gigi, and we don’t. I hope these shoes do not get sold.”

It seemed like the damage could not be undone. It took Nike and the Bryant estate 11 months to mend the issue and agree to a new contract. Luckily, the partnership seems to be in a better place, and the heartfelt basketball shoe is no longer a sore subject. Stay locked into FanNation Kicks for breaking news, updates, and interviews.

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