With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, Nike has just released the winningest two-piece combo since the first ever pairing of a burger and fries and dedicated it to one of the most gifted makers of memories the associations post season has ever seen: Kobe Bryant.
The ‘Gift of Mamba’ pack consists of a commemorative t-shirt and a destroyer jacket, both of which boast a monochrome black on black look and feature the Nike Kobe logo, the numbers 8 and 24, as well as a tribute to all five of the championships he won throughout his legendary career.
And just like the Mamba’s championship rings, when it comes to legendary postseason moments, there’s a handful. While there are too many to pick a singular favorite, now – with post season hoops being played nearly every day of the week – is the perfect time indulge in the memories and jerseys connected to some of the all-timers.
Kicking things off is Game 2 of the first round series of the 2002 NBA Playoffs with the Los Angeles Lakers well on their way to a dominant three-peat, the team’s all business approach was punctuated by Lamar Odom’s hustle play and this emphatic slam over Steve Nash.
Further up the Playoff tree and irrevocably edged into NBA post season lore is this unforgettable alley-oop that Kobe threw to Shaq after scoring the final four points of a 23-4 Lakers run in the fourth quarter that essentially sealed Game 7 and therefore the entire series in the Western Conference Finals.
And upping the stakes yet again, all the way to the NBA Finals, there is what might just be the image that’s most ingrained in the memories of Lakers fans across the globe. The 2010 title is a wrap, confetti is falling from the rafters at Staples, and Kobe Bryant is on the scores table, the game ball clutched in his left, the five fingers of his right hand extended high up into the air. A picture for the ages.
If you too are feeling nostalgic or you are looking to round out your collection of Kobe Bryant memorabilia, look no further than the Gift of Mamba pack from Nike – out now – as well as an exquisite selection of officially licensed Mitchell & Ness retro jerseys, available at BSTN!
