Last week Nike released an exclusive"Mamba Mentality" Nike Kobe A.D. pack as part of "Kobe Day," which celebrated the two numbers Kobe Bryant wore during his illustrious NBA carer. In honor of his very own day, Kobe took to social media and challenged fellow athletes and artists across all platforms to utilize their Mamba Mentality within.
Today, Nike has officially introduced a special edition "Mamba Mentality" Kyrie 3 which pays tribute to Kobe Bryant's "Mamba Mentality," as well as the beloved "Bruce Lee" Nike Kobe 5.
Per Nike,
"At first thought, Kobe Bryant and Kyrie Irving have little in common with Bruce Lee. However, the basketball and martial arts stars do share striking personal and philosophical similarities."
"Wisdom, focus and individuality bond them. Specifically, Bryant and Irving are inspired by Lee’s famous words, “Always be yourself. Express yourself. Have faith in yourself.”"
"Irving is intimately aware of this connection, and first expressed it when he was 17 while playing in the Nike Extravaganza in California. He channeled his inner mamba by wearing a special Kobe 5 that was inspired by the late martial artist, actor and philosopher, Lee. Now 25, Irving commemorates that moment and pays tribute to Bryant as mentor and friend with a special edition of the KYRIE 3: the KYRIE 3 Mamba Mentality."
The new "Mamba Mentality" Kyrie 3 features the following elements that modernize the original Kobe 5, which remains one of Irving’s all-time favorite shoes:
1) The yellow and black contrasted upper pays tribute to Lee’s trademark colors
2) Four red slash marks connect to Lee
3) A snakeskin-inspired medial side represents the black mamba, fading to Samurai on the lateral side for Kyrie - a metaphorical torch passing
4) The new Kyrobe logo fuses Bryant and Irving’s Nike logos into one
5) Samurai textile print on the lateral side is similar to the pattern on the initial KYRIE 3 colorway worn by Irving in a big 2016 Christmas day win
The "Mamba Mentality" Nike Kyrie 3 will be available September 15th, see SNKRS for more release details.
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