Nike's tribute video for Kobe Bryant

After almost a month of silence since the tragic disappearance of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, the most important sponsor of the career of the former number 8 and 24 of the Lakers has chosen to dedicate a final greeting to him through a simple but touching video, recalling the many achievements achieved by part of one of the most iconic athletes ever.

Just during the public commemoration celebration held yesterday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Nike released a moving tribute to Kobe Bryant.

The video does not present clips or images but goes straight to the heart through various audio clips in the background: the captions of the various successes that run through the long career of the star flow in chronological sequence, starting from the first steps in the city of Philadephia, passing through his past in Reggio Emilia (which in the meantime had decided to paint the symbols of the city, the fountain of the Valleys and the Calatrava bridges), the period at the Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania, its five championships with the Lakers, 81 career points and more. Each quote, as well as the last word, Mamba, is accompanied by Forever, to underline how difficult each of his businesses will be forgotten.

The video appears after a long period of silence on the part of Nike, which, after the rush to purchase any item from its customers, had decided to redirect every purchase search with the keyword Kobe or Kobe Bryant to a declaration by the company itself entitled "In Memory: Kobe Bryant".

"Kobe was one of the greatest athletes of his generation and had an immeasurable impact on the world of sport and the basketball community," read the note. "He was a beloved member of the Nike family. We will miss him very much. Mamba forever."

We remind that Bryant first signed an agreement with Nike in 2003, in a period of revolution for the swoosh that in a short time, after Jordan's ''retirement'', had signed contracts with an elite group of NBA players including LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, helping the company to consolidate its position in the basketball market from that moment to the next 20 years.

As Bryant's success in the field grew, his collaboration with Nike was also consolidated, so much so that he received a signature line from the second year of sponsorship, which not only included shoes but also accessories and training apparel, to culminate in 2017, the year the Beaverton brand brought Kobe to the stage of the annual investor meeting with CEO Mark Parker to celebrate the launch of Nike's new corporate strategy.