On the same day as Kobe Bryant‘s memorial event at the Staples Center on Monday (February 24, 2020) in Los Angeles, Nike released a tribute visual in memory of the talented basketball star.
Titled “Mamba Forever,” the entire two-minute visual is shot against a black screen, which highlights big moments in his life through audio clips of game announcers and on-air personalities. As the video scrolls, the video features white typeface describing the audio.
Created by Wieden + Kennedy, the visual opens with the word “forever,” which stays on the screen and as supplemented with words reflecting his timeline. Some of the phrases include “Philly kid forever, “Reggiano forever” and “Lower Merrion High School” where Bryant attended high school outside of Philadelphia.
Near the close of the video, the copy reads “Husband Forever,” “Daddy Forever” and closes with “Mamba Forever.”
In addition to the spot, Nike plans to re-release the Kobe 5 Protro on March 26 in a new Laker-themed colorway. First released in 2010, it’s the same shoe he wore during the 2010 NBA finals.
While he began his NBA career signed with Adidas, in 2003, he joined Nike for a deal worth $40 million. Just days after the agreement was signed, Bryant’s rape accusations were made public. While other companies dropped Bryant following the incident, Nike chose to continue with the partnership.
The choice proved to be a wise one not only because Bryant went on to win two more championships, he also worked hard to redeem himself as a father, husband, friend and member of the global basketball community.
Watch the tribute video below.
