Nike News: Brand Sends Off Kobe Bryant With Tribute Video

By Emily Marks | Apr 14, 2016 11:40 AM EDT

TEXT SIZE    

Nike has decided to send off Kobe Bryant with a tribute video. The legendary Los Angeles Lakers player has played his last game on Wednesday.

Business Insider reported that the athleisure clothing company honored the Black Mamba in a new commercial. The video, entitled "The Conductor," was released on Wednesday.

The latest Nike commercial opened with a shot of Kobe Bryant successfully throwing a shot at the last second of a game. One fan then screamed at the Black Mamba, telling him that he sucked. Soon, all the other fans started yelling, "Kobe sucks!"

Afterwards, Bryant took the role of conductor to a heckling orchestra as they harmonize to bash and boo him. Paul Pierce, Rasheed Wallace, Phil Jackson and Jeanie Buss made their appearances in the video.

"In the commercial, Kobe hits a game winner and starts to hear the boos," the publication wrote. "In typical Kobe fashion, he embraces it and begins to conduct the chorus."

According to Adweek, the Nike spot was created by Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore. It was directed by Mark Romanek.

Moreover, fans can now customize and purchase limited-edition KOBE 11 Mamba Day NIKEiD shoes. The final version of Bryant's pro career shoe will be designed with a graphic highlight of his eight notable career stats.

Complex added that Kobe Bryant played his last game wearing the "Fade to Black" Nike Kobe XI Elite. The shoes were created by Nike to honor the iconic basketball player's extraordinary career.

Previous Nike news reported that the brand's ambassadors, such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Rob Gronkowski, Serena Williams and Odell Beckham, paid their tribute to the Black Mamba in a video. Bryant announced his retirement last November.

The athletes revealed how Bryant has been disliked. Thunder forward Kevin Durant described him as an "a------." "He happened to say, like, you guys can't even sit at the lunch table with me," Durant said in the video. "I got five championships. What do you have?"

pre post  |  next post
More Sections