When Brendan Dunne of Complex broke the story that Kobe Bryant’s original Nike extension had expired and that the sports apparel giant would no longer be releasing any more of his signature shoes unless a new deal was reached, people had a range of reactions to the news.
On one hand, many fans were understandably upset that they would no longer have a chance to buy new Kobes, but on the other hand, Nike’s handling of the late Lakers legend’s new merchandise since his passing last year had frustrated some. The extremely limited supply not only made it hard for regular fans to get the shoes, but actively created a perverse opportunity for re-sellers to profit off of Bryant’s death.