NBA News: Kobe Bryant's Estate Chooses Not To Renew Endorsement Deal With Nike

After years of fruitful partnership, Nike has severed its ties with the late, great Kobe Bryant.

Citing unnamed sneaker industry sources, Complex first reported that Bryant’s endorsement contract with Nike expired last April 13.

The report also added that the estate of the NBA legend elected not to renew his deal with world-renowned sports apparel.

According to the same article published by Complex, a new batch of Bryant's Nike sneakers is scheduled to drop this year, which sources claim “will be the last” of the five-time NBA champion’s signature shoes to be made available to the public for the time being.

Per Bleacher Report, Nike has confirmed the working relationship between both parties has ended.

Meanwhile, ESPN's Nick DePaula spoke with Bryant's widow Vanessa about the surprising news.

"Kobe and Nike have made some of the most beautiful basketball shoes of all time, worn and adored by fans and athletes in all sports across the globe. It seems fitting that more NBA players wear my husband's product than any other signature shoe," Vanessa told the reporter.

Bryant joined Nike in 2003 and was one of the most famous endorsers of the brand until his tragic death in January of last year.

However, Iranian-American capitalist Shervin Pishevar revealed in December that despite the seemingly perfect relationship between Bryant and Nike, the former had told him about leaving the brand “weeks” before he died.

According to Pishevar, Bryant personally opened up about how “unhappy” he was with Nike and how he planned to start his own shoe company called “Mamba.”

“I met with Kobe Bryant in late December 2019,” Pishevar tweeted. “Kobe wasn’t happy with Nike and was going to leave it in 2020. Kobe was going to start Mamba, a shoe company owned by players. He passed away weeks later. What he was about to do in business was going to eclipse his sports career.”

“He wasn’t happy with Nike’s marketing and promotion commitment to Kobe’s line,” the businessman added. “And the sales of his shoes were anemic and he blamed Nike. He retained tight control because he didn’t trust Nike’s judgment in design.”

Nike, on the other hand, had previously released a statement, reassuring fans that it will be committed to continuing the legacy of Bryant through the merchandise named after the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player awardee.

“One of Kobe’s enduring legacies is the products that he created with Nike,” Nike wrote in a statement in August last year. “Bryant was a driving force behind each shoe’s creation, guiding Nike’s design and innovation teams to make the best product possible. Kobe’s relentless pursuit of perfection is credited by many throughout the Nike design community for making them better at what they do.”

"Nike will continue to release Kobe Protro shoes, allowing the millions of fans he inspired around the world to keep Bryant’s legacy going,” the company added. “Nike will also continue to work with the NBA to release limited quantities of Bryant’s iconic Los Angeles Lakers jersey."