Nike & Vanessa Bryant Honor Daughter Gianna’s 18th Birthday With New Sneaker Release
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Vanessa Bryant and Nike have put together a special capsule collection to honor her late daughter Gianna’s 18th birthday. The collaboration dropped on Gianna’s actual birthday on Wednesday (May 1) on Nike.com and on Bryant’s Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation site, and features a new version of the Kobe 8 Protro sneaker, dubbed the “Mambacita.” As expected with any Kobe drop, the Gianna-inspired sneaker sold out in 24 hours, but you can still find the limited-edition style online through resale sites.
The Kobe 8 Protro Mambacita sneakers are still being sold on StockX and Ebay for collectors to add to their athleisure rotation. The exclusive sneaker features black and white coloring inspired by Gigi’s youth basketball uniform and a butterfly pattern to represent Gigi’s “transformational impact” on the game.
Keep reading to see how to buy the sneakers online.
Nike Kobe Protro 8 Mambacita
Nike’s limited-edition sneakers may be out of stock on the brand’s site, but StockX and Ebay are offering the shoes starting at $185 (not a bad deal considering they retailed for $190 on Nike.com) You’ll also discover other personal nods to the athlete including her jersey number, name and the iconic logo for Mambacita.
Vanessa Bryant took to Instagram on what would have been her daughter’s 18th birthday with a heartfelt post.
“Happy birthday to my gorgeous girl, Gigi! I love you. I miss you. I’m so proud of you,” the caption reads. “I’m proud of the change in sports you and daddy worked so hard on. You continue to motivate me and inspire young women and girls daily.”
That’s not the only sneaker that was released to honor her daughter, Bryant previously dropped an exclusive style for Gigi’s 16th birthday, which you can shop below in addition to other Nike x Kobe styles.
Nike Kobe 6 Protro Mambacita Sweet 16
To celebrate what would have been Gigi’s 16th birthday, Bryant and Nike launched a limited-edition pair of Kobe 6 Protro Mambacita’s featuring a black and white coloring and the athlete’s jersey number and name on the back. What’s most notable about these sneakers though, is the perforated upper for added texture and style.
Nike Kobe 8 Protro Halo
In honor of Black Mamba’s birthday, the lifestyle brand released a triple white version of the Kobe 8 Protro’s, which you can buy through resale starting at $125. The design uses a 3D heel counter to keep your foot locked in and stable as well as an engineered mesh upper for ventilation and comfort.
Nike Kobe 4 Protro Mambacita Gigi
This Mambacita sneaker was initially released May 2023 to honor both Gigi and Kobe Bryant. The style comes in the classic Kobe 4 Protro style with a black and white checkerboard accents on the heel and gold accents to provide a pop of color.
Nike Kobe 6 Protro Italian Camo (2024)
One of the most recent Kobe x Nike sneakers to drop are these Italian Camo shoes, which were originally released April 13, 2024. The sneakers come decked out with a camo pattern and bright red accents to add some extra flair to your outfit. You’ll also find a rubber sole to give you extra grip and sturdiness.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best men’s sneaker deals, running shorts and sustainable leggings.
Rylee Johnston
Billboard
