Vanessa Bryant Unveils Sneaker Tribute For Late Daughter Gigi On 18th Birthday

Vanessa Bryant is honoring her late daughter on what would have been her 18th birthday with a special butterfly-themed sneaker release.

The Kobe 8 Protro "Mambacita" pays homage to Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, celebrating her impact on basketball and athletes globally with the joy she brought. The special edition sneaker is available on May 1 at 11 a.m. ET on Nike's SNKRS app.

Vanessa shared a few Instagram posts about the special sneakers to honor Gigi on her 18th birthday.

"Gigi changed the game. Forever. On 5.1 we celebrate Gianna “Gigi” Bryant’s 18th birthday and the transformational impact she had on highlighting women’s sports with the release of the Kobe 8 Protro ‘Mambacita,'" she wrote in the caption of a video featuring the shoe.

Her caption continued to reveal that the shoes are available on SNKRS in select regions and proceeds will benefit the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, a nonprofit started by Vanessa dedicated to supporting underserved child athletes.

On Nike's website, the description of the soon-to-be-released shoe explains more about the design and Gigi's impact on the game.

"Arriving on her 18th birthday, the colorway is inspired by her youth basketball team's uniform while the butterfly pattern nods to Gigi's transformational impact on the game," the shoe description reads.

"Personal touches, like Gigi's name and number on the heel, remind you to play with joy, curiosity and competitiveness while never taking any opportunity for granted, just like Gigi. And when it’s time to step on the court, the golden 'Mambacita' heart and wings let you carry Gigi’s passion for sport into the future."

About two weeks ago, Vanessa shared a wedding anniversary tribute to her late husband Kobe in an Instagram post.

A montage of throwback images shows Vanessa and Kobe smiling and kissing, marking their love for one another captioned, "Happy Anniversary @kobebryant #23."

Many of Vanessa's friends dropped into the comments to simply share red heart emojis.

One person wrote, "Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing these heartfelt moments with us all." Another said, "Happy Anniversary. Sending you lots of love today."

A 4,000-pound sculpture portraying Kobe wearing his iconic white No. 8 jersey, raising his right index finger, reminiscent of his triumphant exit from the court after scoring 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006, was unveiled at Crypto.com Arena earlier this year.

Vanessa announced during the dedication ceremony that this statue is the first of three planned to honor the legacy of the five-time NBA champion.

Another statue will showcase Kobe donning his No. 24 jersey, symbolizing the latter part of his career. And a third statue will commemorate Kobe and their daughter, Gianna, who tragically passed away alongside him and seven others in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss also spoke at the unveiling ceremony.

"I think of Kobe constantly, and I miss him and Gigi more than words can say. But today, I'm filled with joy because in the future, I know fans will gather here in the shade of this statue beside this building where Kobe gave us so many memories, and we will share what he meant to us," Buss said, according to the NBA. "As we do so, we will motivate a new generation to emulate the Mamba Mentality."

Kobe retired in 2016 after a 20-year career spent entirely with the Lakers. He is the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history with 33,643 points.

In early 2023, Vanessa and daughters, Natalia, 21, Bianka, 7, and Capri, 4, honored Kobe during an emotional ceremony unveiling his handprints at the iconic Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Kobe was the first athlete to have his hands and feet imprinted in cement at the legendary theatre in 2011. To commemorate his legacy, the theatre placed his hand and footprints in the forecourt of the venue.

"I'm honored to be here today to recognize the man that we all knew and love my dad, Kobe Bryant," Natalia said at the ceremony. She also called him the "MVP of girl dads" and talked about his work ethic, as well as the time he spent with his daughters.

"Being his daughter is one of the greatest joys of my life, and I hope to continue to embody and cherish the many lessons he has taught me," Natalia said.

"Dad, you're an icon, a legend, the storyteller, and most importantly, the best girl dad any young woman could ever dream of. I'm honored to be here to represent you and our family, and we are extremely proud of you. We will love you forever and always. Love, Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, Capri and Mommy."