Kobe Bryant was known for his fearless approach when on the basketball court, but he was also just as ruthless off it.

That’s part of the reason why the Black Mamba remans a popular figure after his tragic passing back in 2020.

One example of this is when Kobe decided he no longer wanted to work with Adidas, going so far as to pay $8 million to get out of his contract with the German brand back in 2002.

Despite this, Adidas are still making money thanks to Kobe’s popularity. The German brand is set to bring back Kobe Bryant’s final shoe – Kobe 2 – as a member of Adidas Basketball. This, despite the Bryant Estate signing a long-term deal with Nike after their deal came to an end in 2021.

That’s because Adidas is using retro versions of his old designs. They still have the rights to these shoes, and they’ve even renamed the sneakers to try and avoid any legal issues.

One example of this is the return of the Kobe 2, which will come back in 2025, but as part of their Crazy line.

As per HypeBeast, the Crazy 2 will be released in several colors, the first being a white and gold All-Star edition, which Kobe wore during the 2002 NBA All-Star Game. It will be released during the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend, with a silver metallic version coming out in April.

Kobe made his displeasure with Adidas known

This despite Kobe not being a fan of Kobe 2, with the shoe’s design reportedly one of the reasons why he wanted out of his Adidas contract.

Former NBA player Nick Young once told VLAD TV just how deep Kobe’s hatred for Adidas ran. Young says he approached Bryant during his final days as an NBA player, and asked him to autograph a pair of Adidas sneakers.

“I had some Adidas. I wanted him to sign them on his last day. But he threw my shoes in the trash,” Young revealed.

The Lakers icon told him: “I don’t f*** with Adidas. I don’t wear them s****.”