DeMar DeRozan believes that he should play a role in keeping the legacy of Kobe Bryant alive. As most of the basketball community should be aware, Bryant passed away three years ago in a tragic helicopter accident. Considering that he was incredibly well respected and acknowledged, this is a loss that fans still feel to this day.
In the NBA world, the stars have opportunities to sign contracts for signature shoe deals. This could be with popular brands such as Adidas or Nike. There are several stars in the league who represent Michael Jordan through his Air Jordan brand.
Out of respect for the Black Mamba, DeRozan has been wearing Kobe Bryant shoes over the past few years and is now considered the face of the Nike Kobe brand. That said, let us take a closer look at the situation and find out additional context.
Is DeMar DeRozan the face of the Kobe Bryant Nike signature shoe line?
Although DeRozan has yet to win an NBA title so far in his career, there is no denying the similarities his playstyle has to Kobe’s. DeMar is known for his patented midrange shot, an art that is largely ignored in the modern NBA while being emphasized by players like Bryant.
Fresh off making All-NBA second team, Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan is signing a new four-year deal with Nike that keeps him as the featured face of Kobe Bryant’s iconic line, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 1, 2022
Out of respect and admiration towards the Lakers legend, DeRozan has been wearing multiple Nike Kobe shoes over the years. He recently discussed his feelings on the subject, “I wear his shoe line because he wanted me to carry his legacy on 8-9 years ago. Conversations of me just staying with Nike, just me continuing to be a part of the Kobe brand and continue to play with that, carry that on. So that there, shows you the relationship we had.”
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Since no other player wears only Kobe Bryant shoes, one might assume that DeRozan is the face of the brand. He recently signed a 4-year deal with Nike to continue representing Nike Kobe signature shoe line. However, Bryant’s widow Vanessa made it clear that there was no official face to the brand.
Vanessa Bryant responds to @ShamsCharania’s report of DeMar Derozan being face of Kobe’s Nike signature line https://t.co/wWfIrNN8Pw pic.twitter.com/qC6pkBW6O5
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) August 1, 2022
In any case, DeMar is the only well-known player continuing Kobe Bryant’s legacy in this manner. We hope that he is able to have a good season while representing Kobe through his shoes