News broke this week that basketball legend Kobe Bryant had died in a helicopter crash.
The crash, in Calabasas, California, also killed eight other people, including Kobe’s daughter Gianna.
41-year-old Kobe’s death has prompted an outpouring of grief in the sporting world in beyond, with many people paying tribute to his kindness and attitude on and off the court.
In the wake of this news, Nike have removed all of their Kobe sneakers from their site as a mark of respect for him.
Although they have yet to release an official statement on pulling the trainers and other merchandise, the brand did tweet the following:
Kobe was one of the greatest athletes of his generation and has had an immeasurable impact on the world of sport and the community of basketball.
He was a beloved member of the Nike family. We will miss him greatly. Mamba forever.
Kobe has been signed with Nike since around 2003, and his famous Hyperdunk trainers were made even more famous due to their flashy advertisements.
One advert appeared to show Kobe wearing the Hyperdunks and jumping over a speeding Aston Martin (although whether this really happened has been debated).
No Kobe products – including the enduringly popular Zoom Kobe sneakers – are currently available on the Nike site, and it appears that Foot Locker have also followed suit, with styles appearing to be sold out completely.
In a more morbid turn, resale and marketplace sites such as StockX have seen the price of certain Kobe sneakers absolutely skyrocket in recent days.
Mamba Forever. pic.twitter.com/wIchSUwFM2
— Nike (@Nike) January 26, 2020
Pairs can be seen selling for thousands of pounds compared to the original RRP of roughly £100 a pair, with people clearly trying to capitalise on the tragedy.
A representative for StockX told Business Insider: ‘As is the case for any live marketplace, real-life events have ramifications on market performance
‘Following the tragic news of Kobe Bryant’s passing, there was a surge in interest in products related to the basketball legend, including some of his most noted sneaker collaborations. The increased interest is a testament to his impact both on and off the court.’
Other reselling sites have banned price hikes on Kobe sneakers to try and stop people profiting from the disaster and out of respect for those who lost their lives.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/28/nike-pulls-kobe-bryant-products-site-basketballers-tragic-death-12135658/
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