The hoops community felt a tragic and profound loss with the passing away of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi Bryant from a helicopter crash in 2020. Everyone in the league and beyond, including fans, front office staff, and players mourned Bryant’s death just three years after he retired from the league. Bryant’s legacy continues to be a beacon of inspiration for many young hoopers and his sneaker line from Nike is the one holding that torch.
The UConn Huskies faced the USC Trojans last night and found a unique way to honor Kobe Bryant’s legacy in this game. In fact, Gigi Bryant would have been a freshman today at UConn had she been alive. As posted by Overtime on Instagram, star players wore various iterations of Bryant’s signature shoe to honor the five-time NBA champion.
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To name a few, Huskies’ Azzi Fudd wore the Nike Zoom Kobe 5 Year of the Mamba edition, Jazzy Davidson wore the Kobe 4 CHBL, Sarah Strong wore the Kobe 4 Gold Medal, JuJu Watkins wore the Kobe AF1 Forever White, and KK Arnold wore the Kobe 8 Mambacita. It was a great way to display Bryant’s legacy on the feet of all of these future stars of hoops.
Kobe Bryant had a long, iconic partnership with Nike, known particularly for his popular signature shoe line. However, the partnership faced roadblocks in 2021, before being renewed in 2022. Bryant’s estate, alongside Nike, has worked on new collections, including retros and lifestyle releases like Air Force 1s and special gear for FC Barcelona, keeping the ‘Mamba Mentality’ alive through ongoing product drops.
What Was Gigi Bryant’s Connection To UConn Huskies?
Gigi Bryant was just 13 years old when she passed away alongside her father, Kobe Bryant. Before that, she was a gifted basketball player, coached by her father on his Team Mamba squad. Gigi’s dream was to play collegiate level basketball for Geno Auriemma’s Huskies and Kobe himself described how Gigi was “hellbent” upon joining UConn.
The start of the 2025-26 season was sort of bittersweet for everyone, given Gigi Bryant would have been playing her freshman season this year had she been alive. As a mark of respect, both teams decided to wear Bryant’s shoes as a way for Gigi to symbolically take the court she always wanted to play on.
Bryant’s wife Vanessa Bryant has always expressed gratitude to UConn for trying to honor Kobe and Gigi’s legacy through their efforts on the court. When the Huskies won the national championship last season, Vanessa Bryant congratulated the Huskies, saying, “Gigi would’ve loved being there with you.”
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