The legend of the late NBA star Kobe Bryant is kept alive not only by fans but more so by his family, as his widow Vanessa Bryant recently showed off a new and rare variant of signature Kobe shoes.
In a post on Instagram by Nice Kicks, Vanessa Bryant, wife of late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, was spotted wearing a rare Kobe 3 Protros pair that is adorned with crystals.
“Vanessa Bryant wore a 1-of-2 ‘Diamond’ Nike Kobe 3 Protro to the Mamba League Invitational,” the post read. “The pair features 5575 Swarovski crystals per Jacques Slade.”
View this post on Instagram
Nike’s Kobe 3 Protro made a high-profile return over the weekend, debuting in the “Halo” colorway to honor what would have been Kobe Bryant’s 47th birthday. The relaunch was spotlighted at the Mamba League Invitational in Los Angeles, where Vanessa Bryant arrived alongside Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, both wearing fresh pairs.
The Mamba League Invitational, held over two days, brought together young boys’ and girls’ teams to celebrate Bryant’s legacy, with the Kobe 3 Protro launch woven into the festivities. Nike’s campaign for the release featured Kobe’s daughter, Natalia Bryant, alongside New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.
Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan Card for Record-Breaking Price
“Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary has revealed himself as one of three buyers behind a record-breaking sports memorabilia purchase: a one-of-a-kind Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan dual-signed card that sold for $12.932 million at auction over the weekend.
On CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” O’Leary confirmed his partnership with investors Matt Allen and Paul Warshaw to acquire the 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs card. This card features NBA uniform patches and signatures from both legends. The sale surpassed the previous sports card record of $12.6 million, which was established by a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card in 2022.
“We bought it together, yes we did,” O’Leary said in the interview. “I’m very proud to own it.”
The card, authenticated as the only one of its kind by Professional Sports Authenticator, drew 82 bids before the hammer fell. Chris Ivy, Heritage Auctions’ Director of Sports Auctions, called it “the finest modern basketball card in the world” and credited the auction house’s platform for achieving the milestone price.
The auction’s timing added emotional weight as it opened on what would have been Kobe Bryant’s 47th birthday. Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and fourth on the league’s all-time scoring list, died in a 2020 helicopter crash alongside his daughter Gianna and seven others. Jordan, a six-time champion with the Chicago Bulls, ranks fifth in career points.
For more sports content:
Follow us @HardwoodHeroics for your NBA and college basketball reading fix. You can reach out to Dan Agulto through email at papadanph@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest sports news, click here!
Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
